Andrew Wheeler Can’t Spin Trump’s Disastrous Environmental Record

In response to Andrew Wheeler’s photo op in St. Louis today, Missouri Democratic Party Acting Chair Clem Smith released the following statement:

“Donald Trump has spent nearly four years endangering our environment and threatening essential public health programs, including Superfund clean-up projects. Andrew Wheeler can’t spin that record with a photo op less than 50 days to Election Day. Missourians deserve a president who will fight for public health and safety — that leader is Joe Biden.”

BACKGROUND ON TRUMP’S DISASTROUS ENVIRONMENTAL RECORD:

For four consecutive years, Trump has proposed massive cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Newsweek: “For the fourth year in a row, the administration has proposed slashing funding for the EPA (in this case by 26 percent) while seeking to get rid of programs focused on improving water quality, reducing air pollution, protecting drinking water, promoting the safe use of pesticides and toxic substances and cleaning up contaminated land, according to the Environmental Protection Network (EPN)—a bipartisan organization whose membership is comprised of former EPA officials.”

Trump’s budget puts communities and public health at risk by slashing funds for toxic Superfund clean-up projects, air quality programs, and basic water and sanitation infrastructure.

Associated Press: “President Donald Trump called Monday for slashing funding for the Superfund hazardous waste program, even as the backlog of clean-ups has grown around the country for lack of money. The $113 million in Superfund clean-up cuts are part of Trump’s proposal for a $2.4 billion, or 26%, cut in overall funding for the Environmental Protection Agency.”

E&E News: “The budget asks Congress for a total of $437 million for EPA’s air quality work overall, down from the current funding level of $813 million. That includes reduced budgets for enforcement, science and technology, and other programs.”

Newsweek: “Furthermore, the budget proposes 94 percent cuts to two programs that support basic drinking water and sanitation infrastructure, such as flushing toilets and running water, for poor, remote Alaska Native rural villages and low-income communities along the U.S.-Mexico border, which disproportionately lack these kinds of services.”

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