The first budget blueprint for the Trump administration was released this week. It makes severe cuts to the EPA; including a $100 million cut to climate change programs, and the elimination of over 50 EPA programs for a savings of approximately $347 million. Beyond the EPA, Trump's budget blueprint includes a $1 billion cut to the Army Corps of Engineers, which could inhibit the Corps' efforts against invasive species in the Mississippi River; and a $4.7 billion cut to the Department of Agriculture. Cuts to the USDA include
removal of the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program, and staffing cuts at county USDA service centers. The budget blueprint also eliminates 19 independent agencies, including the Delta Regional Authority. While the President's budget provides a guideline for the upcoming fiscal year, Congress has the authority to pass the final budget and the FY 2018 appropriations bills. The budget's impact on the Mississippi River Basin will likely be significant with regards to expanding infrastructure and continued environmental regulation rollbacks.
Over the last two weeks the House Committee on Appropriations held Member's Day hearings. Representatives from outside specific Appropriations Subcommittees testified on the topics of: Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development; Agriculture; and Energy and Water.
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