"Trump Eyeing 24% Cut To EPA Budget — Source"

"The Trump administration is pushing for a 24 percent overall cut to U.S. EPA's budget, according to a source informed about the administration's plans.

The White House today sent its budget blueprint to federal agencies, which includes cuts for most non-defense entities. The EPA outline, the source said, would trim nearly $2 billion from EPA's current budget of about $8.1 billion.

The lengthy budget negotiation process will include feedback from the agencies and back-and-forth with Congress. It's unclear whether lawmakers would sign off on such dramatic EPA cuts, but the Republican-led Congress has shown an appetite for scaling back the agency. A $2 billion reduction in EPA's budget would cut the agency's spending to levels not seen since the early 1990s.

EPA spokesman Doug Ericksen said today he couldn't confirm that the White House had asked EPA for a 24 percent cut."

Robin Bravender reports for E&E News PM February 27, 2017.