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Congressional Research Service IN11331 (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Funding in the CARES Act (P.L. 116-136))

Summary

CRS Insight IN11331, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Funding in the CARES Act (P.L. 116-136), by Robert Esworthy, Specialist in Environmental Policy, dated April 13, 2020. It explains that Title VII in Division B of the act provides a total of $7.23 million within four of EPA's 10 appropriations accounts to prevent, prepare for and respond to coronavirus. The Insight sets this against EPA's FY2020 enacted appropriations of $9.36 billion under P.L. 116-94 and $304.0 million in supplemental appropriations under P.L. 116-113. Part of the CARES Act funding is for cleaning and disinfecting EPA equipment or facilities, all of it is available until September 30, 2021, and the Insight lists the amounts by appropriations account.

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                                                                                               INSIGHTi



U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Funding in the CARES Act (P.L. 116-136)

Robert Esworthy
Specialist in Environmental Policy

April 13, 2020
Enacted March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (P.L. 116-
136) provides supplemental appropriations for the Department of the Interior, Environment and Related
Agencies, which includes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Title VII in Division B
provides a total of $7.23 million within four of EPA’s 10 appropriations accounts to “prevent, prepare for,
and respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally.” The appropriation supplements EPA’s total
FY2020 enacted appropriations of $9.36 billion included in the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act,
2020 (P.L. 116-94, Division D, Title II) enacted December 19, 2019, and $304.0 million supplemental
appropriations included in Title IX of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act
(P.L. 116-113), enacted January 29, 2020.
A portion of the funding provided in the CARES act is to be used for “necessary expenses for cleaning
and disinfecting equipment or facilities of, or for use by, EPA.” All funding is available until September
30, 2021. Following is a summary of the funding amounts and purposes for EPA included in the CARES
Act and the FY2020 total appropriations included in the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020
(P.L. 116-94), by appropriations account:
       Science and Technology (S&T) Account ($2.25 million CARES Act): $1.5 million for
        research on methods to reduce the risks from environmental transmission of coronavirus
        via contaminated surfaces or materials; $750,000 for cleaning and disinfecting EPA
        equipment and facilities. (Total FY2020 appropriations for the S&T account in P.L. 116-
        113: $716.45 million.)
       Environmental Programs and Management (EPM) Account ($3.91 million CARES
        Act): $1.5 million for expediting registration and other actions related to pesticides to
        address coronavirus; $2.41 million for cleaning and disinfecting EPA equipment and


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                                                                                                    IN11331

CRS INSIGHT
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         facilities. (Total FY2020 appropriations for the EPM Account in P.L. 116-113: $2.66
         billion.)
        Buildings and Facilities (B&F) Account ($300,000 CARES Act): The full amount is
         for cleaning and disinfecting EPA equipment and facilities. (Total FY2020 appropriations
         for the B&F account in P.L. 116-113: $33.60 million.)
        Hazardous Substance Superfund (Superfund) Account ($770,000 CARES Act): The
         full amount is for cleaning and disinfecting EPA equipment and facilities. (Total FY2020
         appropriations for the Superfund account, prior to transfers to other EPA accounts, in P.L.
         116-113: $1.18 billion.)
For additional information regarding EPA’s FY2020 appropriations, see CRS In Focus IF11276, U.S. EPA
FY2020 Appropriations, by Robert Esworthy.

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
Title VII in Division B of the CARES Act also appropriates $12.50 million to the Agency for Toxic
Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) for Toxic Substances and Environmental Public Health. The
funding supplements the total $76.69 million FY2020 appropriations included in P.L. 116-34. Of the total,
$7.50 million is for “necessary expenses of the Geospatial Research Analysis and Service Program to
support spatial analysis and Geographic Information System mapping of infectious disease hot spots,
including cruise ships.” The remaining $5.0 million is for awards to Pediatric Environmental Health
Specialty Units and state health departments for purposes of providing guidance and outreach regarding
safe practices for disinfecting homes, schools, and daycare facilities. Although housed within the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, funding for ATSDR is provided annually within the
Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations.




                                         IN11331 · VERSION 1 · NEW
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