News

On Tuesday, the House Appropriations Committee reported out the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2012. The bill included severe cuts to programs administrated by the Environmental Protection Agency: the legislation proposes reducing the Agency’s budget for FY2012 by 18% – that in addition a 16% cut in 2011.

Help defend funding for the EPA’s Office of Smart Growth: click here to send a letter to your Representative.

The Committee’s report (PDF) about the bill details how each program’s funding would be spent for the fiscal year, and included there is language explicitly defunding the Office of Smart Growth for FY2012. The bill would also restrict the EPA from participating in the Partnership for Sustainable Communities. From page 62 of the report:

“The Committee has not provided funding for the Smart Growth program, a voluntary interagency partnership established in 2009 without a Congressional mandate.”

Take action to defend the EPA’s Office of Smart Growth. If you support smart growth and the federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities, urge to your Representative to reject this proposal. Click here to send a letter now.