Wyden, Merkley, DeFazio, Blumenauer, Bonamici, Schrader Oppose EPA Grants Freeze

Oregon lawmakers express concerns about threats to public health and environment

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Washington, D.C. – Six Oregon lawmakers today told the White House that its decision to freeze grants administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) poses a serious threat to fundamental public health and environmental protections in Oregon and nationwide.

“Americans deserve to know whether the EPA will protect their health and safety and defend their communities from air, land, and water contamination,’’ said the letter to the president from Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and Reps. Peter DeFazio, Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici and Kurt Schrader

“Unfortunately, this freeze creates uncertainty and could have negative consequences that affects every air-breathing and water-drinking American,” they wrote. ”Given these concerns, we respectfully ask that the review of EPA grants and contracts be completed as quickly as possible.”

Even a temporary EPA grants freeze, they wrote, could delay critical projects nationwide and in Oregon, including projects in Clackamas County, Portland, Tigard, Baker City and Eugene.