Administrator Lisa P. Jackson on Thursday released the EPA's fiscal year 2010 budget blueprint. Expanding on the investments of the recent stimulus package, the additional $10.5 billion budget will be used to allow the agency to conduct its increasing operations under President Obama. According to Jackson, the new budget outline is a significantly more transparent plan than that of her latest predecessor.

Water

The EPA has budgeted $3.9 billion for maintaining and improving outdated water infrastructure, and wastewater and drinking water operations. The funding will support efforts around the country to build and renovate an estimated 1,700 water infrastructure projects. Funding will also be available to help communities repair and upgrade the aging network of drinking water and wastewater pipes that are overwhelmed and breaking down.

The water budget includes a $475 million multi-agency Great Lakes Initiative to protect and clean up the largest fresh water lakes in the world through restoration efforts, invasive species control, non-point source pollution mitigation and critical habitats protection. The budget also includes funding for efforts to protect, maintain, and restore the Chesapeake Bay and Anacostia River, Puget Sound, San Francisco Bay, Lake Champlain and other large water bodies.

Climate change

The agency plans to put a small piece of its budget toward "the growing threat of climate change," specifically $17 million into the GHG registry. That involves new analytical tools, upgraded testing capabilities, and coordination with other agencies on research and green initiatives. The registry will include data reporting and implementation efforts, data management systems, guidance and materials for the regulated community and source measurement technologies. The budget also includes an additional $2 million for the EPA to continue to reduce its own GHG emissions by 3 percent each year.

Resource management

The EPA noted it will be increasing funding for the Inspector General's office to monitor public dollars entrusted to the agency.

Restoring communities

The EPA budget is investing in hazardous waste cleanups like Superfund and Brownfields programs that employ thousands of people across the country and restore properties for economic use.

$1.3 billion will go to increase the number of hazardous waste sites ready for anticipated use and fund ongoing site cleanups. The budget proposes to restore the Superfund tax known as the "polluter pays" policy, which expired in 1995, to fund future clean-up efforts. Beginning in 2011, the Superfund tax is estimated to generate $1 billion of revenue a year, rising to $2 billion a year by 2019.

The budget proposes $175 million for the Brownfields program, which will provide additional assessment, clean-up, and job-training grants. The budget also contains $128 million for the Leaking Underground Storage Tank and Underground Storage Tank programs and $18 million for the Oil Spill Response program.

Enforcement

Approximately $600 million will go to the EPA's Enforcement and Compliance Assurance program. It includes an increase of nearly 30 additional enforcement staff and will enhance efforts to integrate environmental justice considerations in EPA programs and policies. It will also aid in the work to fulfill environmental requirements with respect to other federal agencies' recovery act projects.

Chemical management

A total of $55 million will go to an enhanced toxics program to screen, assess and reduce chemical risks. Funding will be invested in monitoring air toxics at schools and to provide technical assistance and coordination with states and local communities. Other major investments include funding for continued efforts to reduce lead exposure and grants to states, tribes, and other partners to promote worker safety, protection of water sources and endangered species from pesticide exposure.

Other notable operations

The budget includes $842 million for science and technology. The budget also proposes additional funding for water sustainability to assess, develop and compile scientifically rigorous tools and models that will help advance the deployment of green water infrastructure.

Links

• More information on the FY 2010 budget: