The federal budget proposal unveiled March 16 by President Trump could essentially make it impossible for North Carolina to implement and enforce core national environmental laws.
Trump’s proposed budget would slash “categorical grants” to the state. These grants fund state programs that carry out federal environmental laws such as the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act. Approximately half of North Carolina’s funding to implement these laws comes from federal grants.
“North Carolina's environmental protection programs and enforcement depend heavily on federal funding. State air and water quality, beach and estuary protection, and waste management programs rely on millions in federal dollars each year,” said Molly Diggins, NC Sierra Club State Director.
“Budget cuts of this magnitude would leave North Carolina with the no-win options of either raising state taxes to properly fund these programs, or essentially allowing bedrock environmental protections to fade away for lack of resources and enforcement,” Diggins said.
The Trump administration’s proposals follow significant cuts made by the North Carolina Legislature. Those include an 18 percent reduction in state water quality staff since 2011, a 45 percent reduction in state sedimentation staff since 2008 and a 20 percent reduction in NC Division of Coastal Management staff since 2010.
The preliminary federal budget proposal calls for:
- A 31 percent cut in funding to the Environmental Protection Agency.
- A 16 percent cut in funding to the Department of Commerce, which includes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This would include elimination of the NC Sea Grant program, housed at NC State University.
- A 12 percent cut in funding to the Department of the Interior, which includes the National Park Service.
- A 21 percent cut in funding to the Department of Agriculture, which includes the U.S. Forest Service.