President Proposes Severe Cuts in Conservation and Environmental Protection
Gaithersburg, MD – Today, the Trump administration submitted an overview of its budget request for fiscal year 2020 to Congress. Unfortunately, this request is very similar to the last two years, proposing deep and counterproductive cuts in conservation, environmental protection, and public land management. The administration’s proposal again jeopardizes public health and the $887 billion outdoor recreation economy.
The administration will not release its detailed budget request until next week. However, this overview shows that the administration does not prioritize conservation.
The Department of the Interior, which includes national parks and national wildlife refuges, would see its budget cut by $2 billion compared to current levels, or about a 14% reduction.
The Department of Agriculture’s budget would be reduced by $3.6 billion, or about 15%, from current funding levels. Deep cuts are proposed for conservation programs that help protect water quality, habitat for fish and wildlife, and wetlands nationwide.
The Environmental Protection Agency again takes the biggest hit in the budget proposal. The agency responsible for protecting human health and the environment would see its funding gutted by nearly one-third, or roughly $2.8 billion.
“While we have only been given the broad outlines of this budget request, we know enough to see that it fails to reflect the conservation values of the Izaak Walton League. Given this budget request, our work with League members and partners to engage Congress takes on even greater importance as we push it to pass a budget that invests in conservation, clean air, and clean water. Those investments are critical for public health, outdoor recreation, and the economy,” said Jared Mott, IWLA Conservation Director.
When the more detailed budget request is released next week, the League will provide another update highlighting funding requests for specific programs and projects.
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Founded in 1922, the Izaak Walton League of America (www.iwla.org) protects America's outdoors through education, community-based conservation, and promoting outdoor recreation.