Deep Budget Cuts Loom at EPA, DOE and Interior Department

Scott Pruitt’s Environmental Protection Agency as well as the U.S. Energy Department are set to take some deep cuts in spending under recommendations from the Trump White House, according to POLITICO’s Morning Energy Report.

POLITICO obtained a budget breakdown showing the EPA would lose $247 million. It includes a loss of $48 million in to the agency’s research and development account, mostly due to cutbacks in climate research. The budget also proposes a cut of $115 million from the more than $1 billion grant program meant to help states run their environmental offices.

The Department of Energy would suffer a cut of $1.4 billion and that includes a 25 percent cut to its Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable energy.

The Department of Interior would suffer a loss of $371 million and that includes $51 million from the Payment in Lieu of Taxes Program which compensates states with abundant federal land.

The Trump administration also wants to end a coal mine reclamation pilot project created by Rep. Hal Rogers. The move would save $90 million. Another cut would be $372 million from the Low Income Home energy Assistance Program.