Trump's budget met with quick criticism from Park group

President Donald Trump’s blueprint budget, released last week, slashes the Department of Interior and Environmental Protection Agency spending, which has raised concerns among national parks advocates.

Trump’s budget proposes a 12 percent cut to Interior and a 31 percent cut to EPA. A 12 percent cut to Interior reduces spending by $1.5 billion. While the budget does look to boost funding for deferred maintenance of national parks, it cuts some big ticket items, like $300 million for restoration of the Great Lakes and cleanup of the Chesapeake Bay.

It also looks to reduce federal land acquisition funding by $120 million over last year. Those funds in the past have been used to buy private property in places like Glacier National Park. A few years ago, for example, funds were used to buy out a 100-plus acre privately held parcel in the south end of Glacier — the old Doody Homestead.

It also reduces the Payment in Lieu of Taxes program — which pays counties like Flathead payments on federal lands because they don’t pay property taxes.

In the EPA, the budget looks to “reign in” the Superfund administrative costs — funding the Hazardous Substance Superfund Account at $762 million, $330 million below the 2017 level.

“The agency would prioritize the use of existing settlement funds to clean up hazardous waste sites and look for ways to remove some of the barriers that have delayed the program’s ability to return sites to the community,” the blueprint budget states.

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont. opposed the budget.

“Slashing support for Superfund sites and cutting over a billion dollars from the Department of Interior will hurt communities and the economy in the Flathead Valley,” Tester said. “We need a budget that works for rural towns, creates opportunity for working families, and protects our clean air and clean water. I will keep fighting to ensure this Administration doesn’t forget about Montanans and rural America.”

Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont. in turn, said he supported the measure.

“It’s great to see the President bring fiscal sanity to D.C, we need to make government more efficient and effective without reducing funding for important programs. I will fight for key priorities for our seniors and rural Montana,” Daines said.

Jon Garder of the National Parks Conservation Association said his group had grave concerns about the budget.

“Our parks face many challenges that require more funding, not less. This budget proposal, if enacted, would threaten the air, water, wildlife habitat, historic protections and interpretative services critical to national park sites. We all want our children and our grandchildren to be able to experience national parks the way they deserve to. It is up to Congress to stand up for them and reject any additional cuts that would jeopardize America’s treasures,” Garder said.

But Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke remained positive about the budget.

“America’s public lands are our national treasures and the President’s budget sends a strong signal that we will protect and responsibly manage these vast areas of our country ‘for the benefit and enjoyment of the people,” Zinke said in a release. “Before serving in government, I served on the front lines for 23 years as a military officer. I can say for certain that this budget allows the Interior Department to meet our core mission and also prioritizes the safety and security of the American people. From supporting tribal sovereignty and self-determination across Indian country to investing more than $1 billion in safe and reliable water management in the western U.S., to budgeting for wildland fire preparedness and suppression, and streamlining access to the energy resources America needs, this budget enables the Department to meet its core mission and prioritizes programs that will put Americans’ security first.”

But Congress, even some Republicans, have balked at the budget, which boosts defense spending by $59 billion, while cutting domestic programs.