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July 5, 2012--U.S. House Appropriations Committee cuts funding for water programs in 2013 budget (Circle of Blue)

Last week, the House Appropriations Committee, which handles the federal budget process, approved a fiscal year 2013 spending bill with significant cuts for water infrastructure and water quality programs. Overall spending for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of the Interior, the U.S. Forest Service, and 20 related agencies is 6 percent lower than President Barack Obama had requested and 4 percent below the fiscal year 2012 budget. The EPA takes the brunt of the cuts, seeing its funding cut by 17 percent compared to fiscal year 2012. Some EPA programs fared worse than others. Seeing the biggest hit will be the state revolving funds, which provide low-interest loans for drinking water and wastewater projects. These two funds will be cut by $US 865 million, or 36 percent, compared to last year’s budget.

To view the full article, visit the Circle of Blue. For a copy of the original article contact the WIP at (970) 247-1302 or stop by the office at 841 East Second Avenue in Durango, Colorado.


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