House Passes Interior-Environment Appropriations Bill

The House of Representatives on Friday passed its FY24 Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, H.R. 4821. It provides funding to these agencies at roughly $25 billion, which is $13 billion below the FY23 level, and $21 billion below the Biden Administration’s request. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) faces especially large cuts under this House-passed bill. Under H.R. 4821, the EPA budget would be cut by nearly $4 billion -- a 39% decrease -- and would also lose $9 billion in funding that it was awarded in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

Many of these cuts target programs of particular interest to the Great Lakes community, including significant reductions to the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds. One program left untouched, however, is the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which would be funded at $368 million, equal to what it received in FY23

The bill would also roll back the Administration’s updated definition of “Waters of the United States,” which expanded protections offered under the Clean Water Act, and it contains multiple other provisions designed to diminish the EPA’s regulatory authority and capacity.

Facing a Democratic Senate and President, the bill is extremely unlikely to become law. “If the President were presented with H.R. 4821, he would veto it,” the Executive Office of the President said in a statement.

NEMWI will continue to monitor the appropriations process here.

Reported by Alex Eastman, NEMWI staff

Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Addresses Extreme Weather

The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works conducted a Congressional hearing titled "The Science of Extreme Event Attribution: How Climate Change is Driving Severe Weather Events." The panel of experts included:

• Michael F. Wehner, Ph.D., a Senior Scientist in the Applied Mathematics and Computational Research Division at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
• Jennifer Jurado, Ph.D., Chief Resilience Officer and Deputy Director at the Resilient Environment Department in Broward County, Florida.
• The Honorable Paul M. Dabbar, Former Under Secretary for Science at the U.S. Department of Energy and now a Senior Research Scholar at Columbia University.

Chaired by Senator Tom Carper of Delaware, the hearing echoed many of the issues raised in the Northeast-Midwest Institute's recent webinar on climate change in the Great Lakes. These concerns encompass extreme weather events, living conditions, affordability, environmental justice, and strategies for both mitigation and adaptation.

You can watch the Senate hearing testimonies by following the link to the recording here, and read Chairman Carper's opening statement here.

Watch the Northeast-Midwest Institute's Webinar on Climate Change in the Great Lakes here.

Reported by NEMWI Intern Ava O'Neill, Luther College

EPA Announces Partnership for Lead Pipe Removal in New Jersey

The EPA announced on Monday a partnership with the New Jersey Department of Labor to help 10 communities in the Garden State access Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funds for lead pipe removal. This will help these communities apply for funds, educate their citizens, and most importantly, replace their pipes.

“There is no safe level of exposure to lead,” EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox said in a press release. “That’s why President Biden has called for 100 percent removal of lead pipes, and EPA is partnering with 10 New Jersey communities to accelerate progress. Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we finally have the funds to do just that.” 

New Jersey is not alone. The EPA’s Lead Service Line Replacement Accelerators initiative is also partnering with the northeast and midwest states of Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin with similar initiatives.

Reported by Alex Eastman, NEMWI staff

USDA Announces Opening for Applications for Conservation Programs for 2024

The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) convened an informational webinar to announce the expansion of its conservation programs for fiscal year 2024. The highlight of the program was the announcement of support for Climate-Smart Agricultural and Forestry Mitigation Activities, which now qualify for funding under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). According to the USDA, this substantial financial boost, totaling over $5 billion for the 2024 fiscal year, is a pivotal juncture toward a more expansive and inclusive approach to conservation initiatives. The NRCS representatives emphasized that this enhanced funding landscape is poised to unlock a wealth of new conservation opportunities for agricultural producers, farmers, and forest landowners of various backgrounds and interests.

The NRCS, in accordance with its mission, endeavors to empower farmers and producers to make substantial strides in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in order to broadly mitigate the adverse environmental impacts of climate change. Central to the NRCS's approach is a commitment to employing a science-based framework, characterized by flexibility and transparency, that facilitates their coordination and execution of conservation efforts. This approach takes into account funding availability and incorporates provisional and facilitating practices, ensuring that the sustainability of agricultural and forestry activities remains a top priority.

The group of programs offered by the NRCS encompasses various paths for conservation and sustainability. These include the Conservation Technical Assistance program, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), and the Agriculture Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). All of these programs are now open to receive applications, but those applications must adhere to specific ranking dates in order to receive immediate funding. Interested individuals and entities are encouraged to learn their application submission timelines, as detailed on the official NRCS website here. 

NRCS stressed that these programs are accessible to a wide spectrum of agricultural stakeholders, and it strongly encouraged eligible parties to consider applying, given the substantial allocation of IRA funds dedicated to community-driven conservation projects. Interested parties may reach out to their local USDA Service Center and/or local Conservation Planners to facilitate individualized consultation. Additional resources and information can be accessed through either Farmers.gov or nrcs.usda.gov. 

Reported by NEMWI Intern Ava O'Neill, Luther College

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