Deep budget cuts are making it harder for environmental agencies to protect the public from pollution. A recent report from the Environmental Integrity Project highlights how these reductions lead to fewer inspections and less enforcement. States are struggling to cope, especially as industries like fossil fuels and plastics expand.
Jen Duggan, the report’s author, points out that when states lack resources, people’s rights to a clean environment suffer. The proposed cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for 2026 suggest a 55% reduction in funding, totaling about $4.2 billion. House Republicans suggest a 25% cut, while the Senate proposes only a 5% cut. These financial challenges come after a decade of budget slashes totaling 40%, and an 18% workforce reduction, as many EPA employees have left the agency under the current administration.
With the EPA’s capacity diminished, states are left to handle more. However, the Trump administration’s proposed cuts to grants for states could weaken their ability to manage environmental issues effectively. For example, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has seen a 33% reduction in budget over the past decade. This financial strain has resulted in a lack of experienced staff, with over 30% having less than two years of experience.
Kathryn Guerra, a former employee at TCEQ, now campaigns for Public Citizen. She emphasizes that these cuts render the agency nearly ineffective, leading to delayed enforcement actions. Currently, it takes TCEQ an average of 351 days to address a single enforcement case. There’s a backlog of about 1,400 cases, which means communities face ongoing exposure to pollution without adequate protection.
According to the report, states like Mississippi, South Dakota, Alabama, Texas, and Montana have faced the most significant budget cuts—up to 71%—between 2010 and 2024. North Carolina has also seen declines in its environmental agency budget, dropping by about 32% in the past 15 years. This has serious implications, particularly for communities affected by extreme weather events like hurricanes, when quick responses to water contamination are crucial.
Drew Ball from the Natural Resources Defense Council highlights this concern, pointing out that when families notice changes in their tap water after heavy rains, fewer staff members are available to investigate. In North Carolina, despite population growth of over 5% from 2020 to 2024, the Department of Environmental Quality’s budget has not mirrored that growth, leading to a decrease in services.
During the 2008 recession, North Carolina also cut environmental budgets. The state’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) budget of $97.4 million in 2019 is now underfunded at $108.7 million, which is effectively a cut when adjusted for inflation. The state’s reliance on fees for permits means that as pollution decreases, so do agency revenues, complicating budget management.
Job retention is another challenge; vacancies within the DEQ have exceeded 20%. As many positions remain unfilled, the quality of environmental oversight is compromised. Ball warns that with ongoing budget cuts and staffing shortages, communities will continue to suffer from pollution without adequate regulatory support.
In summary, without adequate funding and staffing, environmental agencies are increasingly unable to safeguard communities against pollution. This trend poses significant risks to public health and the environment, and the future challenges will likely be compounded if current budget proposals are enacted.
