Washington DC – In response to new leaked proposals to cut specific programs at the Environmental Protection Agency, Greenpeace spokesperson Travis Nichols said:
“As a candidate, Trump was hugely critical of the Environmental Protection Agency’s response to the Flint water crisis, but is now stripping 30% from the lead clean-up budget. These cuts to the EPA not only raise the real risk of another crisis like Flint, but means authorities will not have the right tools to respond to a contamination, let alone even know that it is happening. This is the budget of a hypocrite. Trump’s empty promises to the American people reveal yet again that his true constituents are corporate polluters. If Trump is willing to risk another water crisis, he clearly has no intention of protecting our climate.”
“For decades, the EPA has helped protect people’s health and safety when corporations have put them in danger, and the Trump administration now wants to undo all of that. These proposed cuts negate any goodwill Trump may have shown during his Congressional address, including his empty promises to promote clean air and water. While this “zero out” strategy would impact nearly every community in the United States, a close examination shows the burden of these cuts will fall hardest on the health of low-income Americans and people of color. This is environmental racism in action.”
