Earthjustice Statement on President’s Budget Release

Today, President Donald Trump released his budget request for Congress. The proposal calls for cutting nondefense discretionary spending by 22.6% — approximately $163 billion. The budget contains many cuts to environmental programs including:

• Cancelling billions of congressionally appropriated funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) for renewable energy, electric vehicle chargers, and battery makers.
• Eliminating environmental justice programs at the Environmental Protection Agency.
• Eliminating renewable energy programs at the Department of the Interior
• Reducing the Environmental Protection Agency’s overall budget by 54.5% compared to FY25 levels with large cuts to the Superfund, clean and drinking water state revolving funds, and the Office of Research and Development
• Reducing the Department of the Interior’s budget by 30.5%, disproportionately impacts the Bureau of Reclamation, National Park Service, and Bureau of Indian Affairs.
• Cutting more than $1 billion from the National Park Service (NPS) through ceasing operation at sites without the designation of ‘National Park’ and cuts to NPS’s Historic Preservation Fund and recreation budget.

After the announcement, Earthjustice Vice President of Policy and Legislation Raúl García issued the following statement:

“The President’s Budget robs the American people to pursue a reckless political agenda. It lacks empathy, fails to address the crises we face, attacks our beloved public lands, and demonizes specific communities. It does nothing to address rising costs for our families while making deep cuts to popular programs that safeguard our clean drinking water, reduce pollution, and promote clean energy. It’s a continuation of an agenda we’ve seen since day one, whether through DOGE’s cuts to federal agencies or the current Republican tax bill, to give benefits to the few at the cost of the rest of us. If enacted, this budget means people will be less safe, less healthy, and our lands, air, and water will be dirtier and more toxic.”