— from Douglas Wagoner, Rep. Larsen’s Office —
Congressman: ‘I will use every tool at my disposal to oppose these slash and burn cuts’
Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) today released the following statement after reports that President Donald Trump plans to gut Environmental Protection Agency funding for Puget Sound by more than 90 percent and cut funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration by nearly 20 percent:
“These cuts would decimate EPA-backed Puget Sound restoration and leave NOAA without the necessary resources to fight climate change and support Pacific Northwest fisheries,” said Larsen. “I will use every tool at my disposal to oppose these slash and burn cuts and continue fighting for a healthy, clean and protected environment.”
In addition to reducing resources for Puget Sound from $28 million in FY 2016 to $2 million in FY 2018, the President is reportedly seeking cut a quarter of the Agency’s total budget, eliminating 3,000 positions and impacting programs aimed at reversing climate change, and protecting clean air and water.
Last year, President Obama signed the bipartisan Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act, authorizing an effort Larsen spearheaded to make the largest-ever investment in Puget Sound restoration as part of the Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Project.
Larsen, who has a long record of fighting to protect the environment, was recently given a 100% by the League of Conservation Voters for his voting record in 2016. In May of last year, Larsen’s bipartisan bill to fund the National Estuary Program – which supports the comprehensive plan for Puget Sound recovery – became law.
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