WASHINGTON, DC -- President Bill Clinton outlined a record $42.5 billion in environmental spending Monday as part of his fiscal year 2001 budget, which conservation groups are hailing as one of the most aggressive environmental budgets in years. But the plan will face significant opposition from a Republican controlled Congress determined not to give Vice President Al Gore an environmental victory going into the November presidential elections.
The President's budget proposal, which is mirrored by Gore's separate plan, represents an 11 percent increase over fiscal year 2000 environmental spending, and a 36 percent increase over FY 1993. It includes major initiatives to preserve America's lands legacy, combat global warming, protect forests worldwide, end childhood lead poisoning, and build more livable communities.
Clinton's $1,840,000 million federal budget takes advantage of enormous projected budget surpluses, building on the longest period of sustained economic growth in the nation's history.
"It is a balanced budget with a balanced approach to our national priorities," Clinton said, announcing the proposal. "It maintains our fiscal discipline, pays down the debt, extends the life of Social Security and Medicare, and invests in our families and our future."
"This budget, in short, makes really strong and significant steps toward achieving the great goals that I believe America should pursue in this new century," said Clinton.
"President Clinton today laid out the most aggressive environmental budget I've ever seen," said Sierra Club legislative director Debbie Sease. "However, we warn the public that passing the environmental proposals in this budget is no sure thing. Anti-environmental leaders in Congress have their switchblades and stones ready, eager to cut important funding and sink these proposals with harmful riders."
In fact, Clinton's third straight balanced budget faces obstacles that may prove insurmountable: a Republican controlled Congress eager to hand a budget defeat to the outgoing President, and hopeful of offering a party victory to the Republican presidential candidate. The fiscal year 2001 budget officially takes effect 1 October, 2000 --just over a month before the election. But Congress has handed in the federal budget late for years; in 1999, the budget was not completed until December.
Among the environmental initiatives in the budget is a proposed $2.4 billion to combat global climate change and $1.7 billion for scientific research into factors influencing climate and the likely consequences of global warming. Another $1.4 billion would help develop and deploy renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies for the buildings, transportation, industry, and utility sectors.
Clinton is asking for $150 million to help stem the loss of forests worldwide, particularly tropical forests. This portion of the initiative includes $100 million in targeted conservation investments, which would help more than 60 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America conserve their forests and other natural areas. Another $37 million would allow developing countries to pay off loans made by the U.S. by committing to investments in forest conservation.
The Lands Legacy program got a boost with a proposed $1.4 billion -- the largest one year investment ever -- to Clinton's Lands Legacy program to preserve open space and important historical sites. Congress approved $652 million for the Lands Legacy program in FY2000, a 42 percent increase over FY1999. More than half the proposed funds would be used to support state and local conservation efforts. About $521 million, almost four times current funding, would help state, local and tribal governments protect wildlife and local green spaces. Priorities include protecting threatened farmland, working forests, wetlands, and urban parks. The total includes a new $100 million grant program to help states protect non-game wildlife.
The record $250 million increase for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would underwrite major improvements in the National Wildlife Refuge System, wildlife law enforcement, and state and community based habitat conservation efforts, said Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt. "President Clinton is leaving a legacy of strong, healthy lands and wildlife for this and coming generations of Americans to enjoy," said Babbitt.
The Clinton Administration's Livable Communities initiative, which helps communities promote smart, sustainable growth, got a 14 percent boost in the FY 2001 budget, to $9.3 billion. That total includes $9.1 billion to help ease traffic congestion in 12 urban areas -- Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, northern Illinois, Memphis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, northern New Jersey, Pittsburgh, Portland, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Washington, D.C. -- including a record $6.3 billion for light rail and other transit systems. Another $1.6 billion would support innovative local programs that ease congestion while reducing air pollution, and $468 million would finance an expanded passenger rail fund.
The President also proposed $3 billion, a $1.3 billion increase over the current budget, for voluntary programs that help farmers protect water quality and wildlife habitat. And a new $50 million initiative would help state and local governments restore polluted "areas of concern" in the Great Lakes so they can be used for fishing, swimming, boating, and urban redevelopment. An additional $45 million in state grants would help identify polluted waterways and develop cleanup plans. Clinton also requested $215 million to support partnerships with states, tribal governments and local communities to improve air quality nationwide.
Also in the budget is a proposed $165 million to launch a 10 year strategy to end childhood lead poisoning by eliminating lead hazards, strengthening enforcement, advancing research, and improving health monitoring and intervention. About $120 million, a 50 percent increase over FY 2000, would fund grants and other Housing and Urban Development efforts to reduce lead paint hazards in low income homes with children under six.
Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2000. For full text and graphics visit: ENS.
