Environmental Protection Agency Releases 2018 Year in Review

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released its Year in Review report for 2018. The report includes a list of accomplishments the agency achieved over the past year.

“Over the past year, the Trump Administration has continued to deliver on its promises to the American public. Not only are the economic prospects of Americans brighter and improving by the day, but so are environmental and public health conditions. Under President Trump, America is on a path to a stronger, safer, and cleaner future,” EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler stated in the report’s introduction. 

The achievements highlighted in the report include 13 deregulatory actions that were finalized in 2018. Since President Trump assumed office in 2018, the report notes that the EPA has finalized 33 major deregulatory actions, which have resulted in an almost $2 billion savings for the American people.

Among the major proposals issued in 2018, the report calls out the Affordable Clean Energy Rule, the Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient Vehicles Rule, both of which drew debate when first released, and the New Waters of the U.S. Definition. Thanks to these deregulatory actions, the report notes that the agency almost doubled its cost-savings goals. Looking ahead to FY19, the agency has proposed a regulatory budget with more than $800 million in anticipated regulatory cost savings.

Beyond its regulatory outcomes, the report explains that the agency awarded $4,451,520,905 in federal grants in FY18, including 37 environment education grants totaling $3,306,760. Through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, EPA awarded $3.5 million to 22 small businesses in Phase I and II contracts to create new technologies that would help resolve current environmental issues.

To read the report in full, click here: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2019-01/documents/epa_2018_yearinreview_0128-4.pdf