Congress Enacts EPA Spending Bill

NCSL ENVIRONMENT REPORT

FEDERAL AFFAIRS UPDATE

Edition Number 5
October 1998

CONGRESS ENACTS EPA SPENDING BILL

Summary of FY'99 Appropriations for State Environmental Programs

Program	FY'98 enacted (P.L. 105-65)	Presidential Request	House Version	Senate Version	Conference Report
Clean Water SRF	$1.35 B	$1.075 B	$1.25 B	$1.4 B	$1.35 B
Drinking Water SRF	$725 M	$775 M	$775 M	$800 M	$775 M
CAA Section 103/105 State Air Quality Grants	$181.9 M ($35.6 earmarked for fine PM)	$190.2 M ($50.7 M earmarked for PM monitoring)	$203.6 M (includes money for PM monitoring)	$200.2 M (includes money for PM monitoring)	$195.5 M ($50.7 M earmarked for PM monitoring)
Superfund Funds from General Revenue Brownfields-HUD Community Development Block Grants	$1.5 B ($85 M earmarked for Brownfields pilot program) $250 M $25 M	$1.93 B ($ 91.4 M earmarked for Brownfields pilot program) $250 M $ 50 M	$1.5 B $325 M $20 M	$1.5 B (None may be used for Brownfields program) $250 M $25 M	$1.5 B ($650 M additional funds available if law is reauthorized by August 1999) ($91 M earmarked for Brownfields) $325 M $25 M

Prepared by Melinda Cross, National Conference of State Legislatures
Sources: Senate Bill 2168, Senate Committee Report 105-216, House Bill 4194, House Committee Report 105-610, Conference Committee Report on H.R.4194 and the U.S. EPA Summary of the 1999 Budget (EPA 205-S-98-001)

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) is pleased to report that Congress has enacted House Resolution 4194, the appropriations bill that funds independent agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The final bill gives states $1.35 billion for clean water state revolving funds (SRF) and $775 million for drinking water SRFs. The bill includes language allowing states to combine the assets of the clean and drinking water SRFs in fiscal year 1999 and subsequent years.

States will receive $195.5 million to carry out air quality program requirements under sections 103 and 105 of the Clean Air Act. Congress appropriated the Administrations full budget request of $51.7 million for fine particulate matter monitoring activities. NCSL lauds both Congress and the Administration for keeping the promise to fully fund additional monitoring requirements brought on by the new fine particulate matter air quality standards.

Congress appropriated $1.5 billion for Superfund. This figure includes $91 million earmarked for the Brownfields program. At the last minute, Congress added a Superfund provision similar to one found in last year's appropriations language. The provision will make available on October 1, 1999 an additional $650 million for Superfund cleanup activities but only if Congress reauthorizes the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) by August 1, 1999. In addition, Congress appropriated from general revenues $325 million for Superfund, $75 million more than is obligated under CERCLA.

National Conference of State Legislatures
444 North Capitol Street, NW Suite 515
Washington, DC 20001
Staff Contact: Melinda Cross, Director NCSL Environment Committee

email: melinda.cross@ncsl.org

AFI Environment Committee

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