Bush proposes $300 million in EPA cuts for fiscal year 2003 budget. (Washington Alert).

EPA presented a $7.6 billion FY '03 budget proposal in February that is $300 million less than what Congress signed off on during the FY '02 appropriations cycle.

EPA's budget cuts are spread across a range of issues. The largest cuts are seen in the agency's climate change program dealing with transportation issues clue to the Bush administration's phaseout of the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles and a drop in Clean Water Act Section 106 state pollution control grants. Regarding enforcement, EPA said it would propose an increase in funding from last year's enacted level and will again propose the state grant proposal Congress rejected last year that would shift most environmental enforcement responsibility to the states.

The proposed EPA budget also includes several increases and new programs. Increased funding levels are seen for the implementation of new national ambient air quality standards for particulate matter and ozone, safe drinking water research aimed primarily at small communities, and public access, toxic release inventory and Community Right to Know programs. New programs include a clean air Toxic Monitoring Program and the National Environmental Technology Competition designed to foster public-private partnerships. In addition, the budget provides funding to support the EPA's new homeland security efforts aimed at drinking water issues and researching new techniques for the cleanup of buildings that are contaminated by biological agents such as anthrax.