Special Federal Budget Issue: Environmental Protection Agency

The Administration's FY 2006 budget request for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is $7.6 billion, a 5.6 percent decrease from the FY 2005 appropriation. However, the agency's science and technology programs would receive $760.6 million, a 2.2 percent increase over the FY05 appropriation.

A $79 million increase is proposed for EPA homeland security efforts, including:

• $44 million to launch a pilot program of monitoring and surveillance in select cities to provide early warning signs of contamination;
• An increase of $19.4 million for environmental decontamination research and preparedness, with an additional $4 million requested for the Safe Buildings research program; and,
• More than $11.6 million in new resources to support preparedness in environmental laboratories.

Other EPA programs of interest include:

• Pollution Prevention Grant Program - $6 million to help state programs assist businesses and industries in identifying environmental strategies for complying with federal and state environmental regulations.
• Regional Science and Technology - $3.6 million to support geographically targeted research activities.
• Research - $509 million
  • Environmental Technology Verification - $3.2 million for this voluntary, market-based verification program for commercial-ready technologies.
  • Human Health and Ecosystems - $169.6 million to enhance current risk assessment and management strategies and guidance to better consider risk determination needs for children.
  • Pollution Prevention - $20 million to facilitate the incorporation of pollution prevention concepts and principles into the daily operations of government agencies, businesses, manufacturers, nonprofit organizations, and individuals.
  • Fellowships - $8.3 million to support fellowships including the Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Program, and the Greater Research Opportunity (GRO) graduate and undergraduate fellowships.
• Science Advisory Board - $4.9 million to provide scientific, credible and technical advice as may be requested by the Administrator, the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the United States Senate, or the Committees on Science and Technology, Interstate and Foreign Commerce, or Public Works and Transportation of the House of Representatives.
• Science Policy and Biotechnology - $1.7 million to coordinate scientific, technical, and policy development activities within the Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances. The Office of Science Coordination and Policy Biotechnology Team is also a focal point for coordination with other federal agencies on any issues involving biotechnology, including international activities.

Editor's Note: Unfortunately, we are unable to provide comparisons between the president's request for EPA and its FY05 appropriations. After several conversations, Dave Ryan, an EPA press officer, told us the independent agency "is unable to release FY05 enacted or estimated budget numbers until their operating plan has been approved by OMB and Congress."