Administrator Lisa P. Jackson released the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) fiscal year 2010 budget blueprint, which takes significant strides to ensure that our air, land and water are safe and clean.
Expanding on the investments of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, this $10.5-billion budget allows EPA to provide real solutions to our economic crisis. It significantly improves accountability and transparency, ensuring fiscal responsibility at a time when every dollar counts.
“EPA’s new budget reflects the president’s commitment to growing a clean energy economy while protecting human health and the environment,” said Jackson. “These investments demonstrate that it is possible to work towards both a green economy and a green environment by positioning EPA to lead the way in green jobs, in innovation and technology and in action on global climate change.”
Maintaining and improving clean water infrastructure is a blueprint priority. To maintain and improve outdated water infrastructure and keep our wastewater and drinking water clean and safe, EPA has budgeted $3.9 billion. The funding will support efforts around the country to build and renovate an estimated 1,000 clean water and 700 drinking water infrastructure projects, support green infrastructure and create thousands of technical and construction jobs. 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 budget includes a $475-million multi-agency Great Lakes Initiative to protect and clean up the largest freshwater lakes in the world through restoration efforts, invasive species control, nonpoint source pollution mitigation and critical habitats protection. The budget also includes funding for crucial efforts to protect, maintain and restore the Chesapeake Bay and Anacostia River, Puget Sound, San Francisco Bay, Lake Champlain and other large water bodies.
Source: U.S. EPA
