NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) — New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced Dec. 21 that he is leading a coalition of 12 states and the District of Columbia in urging the U.S. House of Representatives to reject budget cuts for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The coalition believes that EPA budget cuts would lead to higher levels of air and water pollution, which will negatively harm communities and public health.
“As it stands, these budget bills would lead to untold – and perhaps irreparable – damage to clean water, air, and communities throughout New York,” Schneiderman said. “The EPA budget already represents just two-tenths of 1 percent of federal spending – yet the agency plays an essential role in protecting our environment and our health. We will continue to fight back against these dangerous cuts, and the very real threat they pose to the health and safety of New Yorkers.”
Schneiderman is joined in the coalition by the attorney generals of California, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and the District of Columbia, and the secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
Handling the case for New York are senior counsel for air pollution and climate change litigation Michael J. Myers and policy adviser Peter C. Washburn, under the supervision of bureau chief Lemuel M. Srolovic.