Senate Appropriations Completes EPA Funding Work for FY 16
As has been reported, the Senate Appropriations Committee has posted copies of S 1645, the FY 16 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill and accompanying report on the Committee’s website.
Under the Senate-proposed legislation, overall funding for EPA would be set at $7.59 billion – just about $1 billion less than the Administration’s request of $8.59 billion but nearly $2 million more than approved earlier this month by the House Appropriations Committee. The Senate Committee also provided more for the DWSRF program ($775.89 million) than the House but matched the House Committee award of $101.96 million for the PWSS program. The Senate Appropriations Committee was also a bit more generous for the competitive grant program that supports training and technical assistance for small systems by allocating $15 million in funding versus $12.7 million approved by the House Appropriations Committee. The Senate Committee also approved $5 million to continue EPA’s efforts to staff and structure the new WIFIA program.
No date has been set, as yet, for the bill to move to the Senate Floor for action. The House, however, is debating its bill (HR 2822) this week with an eye toward final votes shortly after the July 4th recess (see related article).
