Earlier today the head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Lisa Jackson testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Environment on the proposed 2012 budget, where she urged Congress not to cut her agency’s budget.
A bill passed by House Republicans more than doubles the cuts proposed by the President. The nearly $9 billion dollar budget is a 13 percent decrease from the previous year.
Jackson also answered questions on the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gases and cut ozone pollution, which could save $2 trillion by 2020, and prevent about 230,000 deaths, according to an EPA report.
House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY) has recently said that he would seek to slash more than $1.6 billion the EPA budget request. Under his proposal, programs dealing with air pollution, drinking water, energy efficiency, renewable energy and Energy Star products would be affected.