March 11, 2022
The Congress approved final, FY 2022 funding discretionary funding of the Federal Government, to include more than $46 billion in new funding for non-defense activities. How did funding for environmental-related activities fare?
Environment-related funding is spread throughout the Federal Government, and is not necessarily called out within specific budget line-items. That being the case, there are line items which are more identifiable as impacting the environment.
The following table provides some of the budget line items within Federal appropriations laws which could be considered direct or proxy measures of funding that supports the environment:
Agency | Line Item | $ Increase | % Increase |
Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) | + $446.7 million | + 8.2% |
Energy | Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy | + $236 million | + 11.7% |
EPA | Environmental Compliance & Enforcement | + $88.5 million | + 25.2% |
Interior | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service | + $61.7 million | + 3.9% |
EPA | Clean Air Programs | + $23.8 million | + 5.9% |
Forest Service | State & Private Forestry | + $48.0 million | + 18.0% |
Forest Service | Forest & Rangeland Research | + $37.9 million | + 14.6% |
EPA | Environmental Protection - National & Geographic Priorities | + $49.2 million | + 8.7% |
EPA | Hazardous Substances Superfund | + $27.0 million | + 2.2% |
Energy | Office of Electricity | + 65.3 million | + 30.8% |
Agriculture | Natural Resources Conservation Service | - $12.3 million | - 1.2% |
In addition, a summary published by the Senate Appropriations Committee highlights some other key environmental investments within less identifiable budget line items supporting the environment, including:
$1.234 billion for the Carbon Reduction program to help reduce transportation related greenhouse gas emissions.
$41.5 million, a 24 percent increase, for the Assistance to Coal Communities Program within the Economic Development Administration at the Department of Commerce to support communities transitioning away from coal-fired power plants.
$92 million for diesel emission clean up grants that take high polluting diesel engines off the streets and out of communities
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