Share and Follow

Facebook X Reddit Pinterest

96
<!- —
*{box-sizing:border-box}body{margin:0;padding:0}a[x-apple-data-detectors]{color:inherit!important;text-decoration:inherit!important}#MessageViewBody a{color:inherit;text-decoration:none}p{line-height:inherit}.desktop_hide,.desktop_hide table{mso-hide:all;display:none;max-height:0;overflow:hidden}.image_block img+div{display:none}sub,sup{font-size:75%;line-height:0}#converted-body .list_block ol,#converted-body .list_block ul,.body [class~=x_list_block] ol,.body [class~=x_list_block] ul,u+.body .list_block ol,u+.body .list_block ul{padding-left:20px} @media (max-width:620px){.desktop_hide table.icons-outer{display:inline-table!important}.image_block div.fullWidth{max-width:100%!important}.mobile_hide{display:none}.row-content{width:100%!important}.stack .column{width:100%;display:block}.mobile_hide{min-height:0;max-height:0;max-width:0;overflow:hidden;font-size:0}.desktop_hide,.desktop_hide table{display:table!important;max-height:none!important}.reverse{display:table;width:100%}.reverse .column.first{display:table-footer-group!important}.reverse .column.last{display:table-header-group!important}.row-10 td.column.first .border,.row-12 td.column.first .border,.row-8 td.column.first .border{padding:5px 5px 15px 25px}.row-10 td.column.last .border,.row-12 td.column.last .border,.row-8 td.column.last .border{padding:5px 20px 25px 5px}}

{beacon}

Energy & Environment

<!–

The Big Story

Trump budget brings cuts to science, staff and programs

The Trump administration’s more detailed budget request seeks to decimate science, staffing and other programs at multiple environment-related federal agencies.

Entities ranging from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the National Park Service (NPS) would see deep and specific cuts under the less “skinny” version of the administration’s budget that was released late Friday.

The EPA would see a 35 percent cut to the payroll for its science staff and for staff who work on environmental programs and environmental management.

NPS would see a 30 percent cut to its staff in charge of park system operations.

Meanwhile, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) would get a 28 percent cut to its operations, research and facilities staff payroll.

But it’s not just staff that takes a hit. A number of offices related to energy and environmental research, as well as disaster response, are reduced or eliminated under the proposal.

It completely zeroes out NOAA’s office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, for example, and also cuts federal assistance at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) by 32 percent.

White House budget requests are typically seen as a signal of an administration’s priorities rather than a roadmap that is likely to be realized, since Congress controls appropriations.

The Trump administration, however, has signaled it is willing to go further to challenge that authority, already instituting massive layoffs at many agencies and gearing up for more.

Read more at TheHill.com.

Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, I’m Rachel Frazin — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.

Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.

Essential Reads

How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future:

Trump proposes to restore drilling in 13M Arctic acres restricted by Biden

The Trump administration is proposing to restore the potential for oil and gas drilling on 13 million acres of government-owned Arctic land that had previously been restricted by the Biden administration.

Full Story

Weather Service rehiring at offices left ‘critically understaffed’ by layoffs

The National Weather Service (NWS) is seeking to hire 126 people, including at least some meteorologists, after massive layoffs at the agency left several offices understaffed.

Full Story

Solar panel arrays may help sustain grasslands during drought: Study

The placement of solar panels in Colorado’s grasslands could help decrease water stress and increase plant growth by about 20 percent during dry years, a new study has found.

Full Story

In Other News

Branch out with a different read from The Hill:

Supreme Court hands big win to fossil fuels, agency power

The Supreme Court last week reshaped how the federal government thinks about fossil fuel infrastructure.

Full Story

What We’re Reading

News we’ve flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics:

Removing fluoride from water could result in 25 million cavities and cost $9.8 billion, study estimates (CBS News)
Toxic pesticide levels in UK tampons 40 times higher than allowed in drinking water (The Independent)

What Others are Reading

Two key stories on The Hill right now:

Kavanaugh signals Supreme Court will soon decide constitutionality of banning AR-15s

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to take up a case that involves whether possessing AR-15s is protected by the Second Amendment, but the court’s conservatives are signaling they soon will. Read more

GOP beats down key budget office over tax plan projections

Republicans are using Congress’s official budget scorer as a whipping boy, as they argue a major package of President Trump’s tax priorities is costless, despite multiple projections placing the plan’s price tag at trillions of dollars over the next decade. Read more