The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released new guidance stipulating that any expenditure exceeding $50,000 must now receive approval from the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk. This directive, issued earlier this week, enhances the influence of the newly established efficiency group, referred to as DOGE, within EPA operations.
According to documents obtained by The Associated Press, the guidance specifies that any assistance agreement, contract, or interagency agreement valued at $50,000 or more must be approved by a member of the EPA DOGE team. To streamline the review process, EPA staff are required to submit a concise, one-page summary of each funding action daily between 3 and 6 PM Eastern Time, along with the completion of other necessary forms.
President Donald Trump has assigned DOGE the responsibility of identifying what he and Musk describe as waste, fraud, and abuse. On Thursday, the Republican president indicated that Cabinet members and agency leaders would spearhead efforts to reduce spending and staffing, while suggesting that Musk could exert further pressure in the future. “If they can cut, it’s better,” Trump remarked regarding agency leaders, adding that if they fail to make cuts, Musk would take action.
The EPA did not provide a comment when approached on Friday. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, the leading Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, expressed concern over the new directive, labeling it as troubling and suggesting that it could lead to unnecessary bureaucratic delays in agency actions, including routine contracts and grant awards.
Senator Whitehouse noted that routine expenditures, such as grants for air and water quality monitoring, laboratory equipment acquisitions, hazardous waste disposal at federal sites, and funding for municipal recycling programs, are likely to be impacted by this new requirement.
Whitehouse, a vocal critic of both Musk and Trump, expressed significant concerns regarding the potential for improper external influence on the decision-making processes of specialized agencies due to Musk’s unvetted and inexperienced team.
In a letter addressed to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin on Friday, Whitehouse noted that expenditures exceeding $50,000 are typically intricate and necessitate a deep understanding of environmental science, policy, and regulations. He emphasized that permitting unqualified individuals, who claim expertise without proper vetting for conflicts of interest, to hold veto power over funding decisions is inappropriate and jeopardizes the agency’s fundamental mission to safeguard public health and the environment.
According to an EPA directive, the new guidance aims to align with executive orders issued by Trump that seek to limit federal spending. Whitehouse criticized these orders as unlawful, asserting that it is Congress, not the Office of Management and Budget or the president through executive order or DOGE, that holds the authority to authorize and allocate funds for designated purposes.
This contention regarding the spending guidelines arises as Zeldin has committed to implementing significant budget cuts of up to 65 percent at the agency. Zeldin remarked last week, “We do not need to allocate all the funds that were disbursed through the EPA last year. We do not want it. We do not need it. The American public requires it, and we must work towards balancing the budget.”
President Joe Biden has proposed approximately $10.9 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the current fiscal year, reflecting an 8.5 percent increase from the previous year. However, Zeldin contends that the agency requires significantly less funding to fulfill its responsibilities. He has also expressed disapproval of the EPA grants established under the 2022 climate legislation, which includes $20 billion allocated for a so-called green bank intended to finance climate and clean energy initiatives.
Zeldin has pledged to terminate contracts associated with the nascent bank program, which aims to support tens of thousands of projects designed to combat climate change and advance environmental justice. In response, White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers stated last week that Trump, DOGE, and Zeldin are all dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse.
Marie Owens Powell, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Council 238, remarked that a 65 percent cut in funding would severely undermine the EPA and its mission. She emphasized that essential activities, such as monitoring air and water quality, responding to natural disasters, and lead abatement, among other critical functions of the agency, would be jeopardized.
