Trump's Budget Serves Industry Profits at the Expense of Our Health

Washington, D.C. – Today the Trump administration released its proposed 2020 budget, with steep cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Agriculture, and with Department of Energy funding to continue Trump’s “Energy Dominance” policies promoting continued reliance on oil, gas, coal, and nuclear. It paves the way for a Yucca Mountain nuclear waste depository and proposes privatizing federally owned transmission lines and eliminating ARPA-E, the Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy. Additionally, it proposes selling off the Washington Aqueduct, which provides water to the metro D.C. area.

In response, Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director of Food & Water Watch, released the following statement:

“With ecological chaos breathing down our necks, Trump’s budget proposes deep cuts to the things that matter most for our survival: safe food, clean water protections, and a stable climate. This is not a proposal from someone that takes the greatest threats to our environment and our lives seriously.

“At a time when we must innovate clean energy solutions, Trump is sticking his finger in the eye of renewables research.

“With the money Trump is proposing for a wall for a fake immigration emergency he could fund water infrastructure, food safety protections, and true climate action.

“This budget serves industry profits at the expense of our health. Additionally, Trump’s decision to double down on nuclear energy sets us on a path to nuclear disaster. The Yucca Mountain facility itself would immediately threaten Nevadans. It would also threaten the more than 50 million Americans in 44 states who live near potential rail, road or barge shipping routes to Yucca. Each and every one of these people across the country would be at risk of possible accidents releasing radioactive discharge in their communities. 

“Rather than spending millions of taxpayer dollars on Yucca Mountain, we should begin immediately to halt the production of nuclear waste and transition aggressively towards a 100 percent renewable energy through a fair and just transition.”

Food & Water Watch champions healthy food and clean water for all. We stand up to corporations that put profits before people, and advocate for a democracy that improves people’s lives and protects our environment.

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Contact: Darcey Rakestraw, 202-683-2467; [email protected]