from WEF.org
March 23, 2018 – On Thursday, both the House and the Senate voted to fund the federal government for the next six months, Capitol Hill has one less thing to worry about this year. After easily passing in the House, the FY18 Omnibus Appropriations bill, cleared the Senate by a vote of 65-32, following a few brief hold ups.
The EPA, overall, would see its funding frozen at the current year level of $8.06 billion—a victory, considering the deep cuts that the Trump administration had called for—while the bill would maintain budget levels for Interior Department agencies and increase spending for some of them.
Also, key numbers include:
Under EPA’s regular funding
•$5 million for Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loans
•$5 million for WIFIA admin until Sept. 30, 2019
•Cap of $610 million in loans
•$1.39 billion for Clean Water (wastewater) State Revolving Funds (SRF)
•$863 million for Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRF)
Under Title IV, General Provisions
•Additional $53 million for WIFIA, of which, $3 million is for admin until Sept. 30, 2019
•Cap of $6.1 billion in loans
•Additional $300 million for Clean Water SRF
•Additional $300 million for Drinking Water SRF
•$20 million for lead testing in schools and child care facilities
•$10 million to reduce lead in drinking water
Several controversial environmental policy riders didn’t make the final cut, including one that would have insulated repeal of the Obama administration’s Waters of the U.S. rule from legal challenges.