House Proposal for EPA FY 19 Funding

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and Environment has released a draft funding measure for EPA in fiscal year 2019.  The draft will be the subject of a markup at 5:30 this afternoon.  Click here to view the markup and to download a copy of the proposed legislation.

Heading into the markup, the Subcommittee bill language offers the following funding levels for EPA:

Agency Overall Funding = $7.96 billion

+ Science & Technology Program Account = $651.1 million

+ Environmental Programs & Management Program Account = $2.5 billion

+ State & Tribal Assistance Grant Program Account = $3.5 billion

+ WIFIA Program Account = $45 million

Although no specific language appears for state PWSS grant funding, the expectation is that, once again, it will remain level with previous years at $101.9 million.  DWSRF funding is also baselined at $863.2 million but has an additional appropriation of $150 million as part of a new “Infrastructure” section in the bill.  That same section also provides an additional $25 million for WIFIA.  It is unclear why these additional appropriations are not included in the core EPA funding sections.  Tribes, territories, and Alaska Native Villages are all level funded from last year in the House draft as are funds for water research initiatives and a competitive grant program for technical assistance for small systems.

As always, ASDWA will continue to share information on important funding measures that affect state drinking water programs.