President Submits $2.9 Trillion Budget Proposal
National Parks Boosted, Other Domestic Priorities Squeezed

On February 5, President Bush submitted his budget request for fiscal year 2008. The budget blueprint totals $2.9 trillion and, generally, proposes to hold domestic spending flat while devoting additional resources to national and homeland security and international affairs. The following briefly summarizes some of the budget items closely related to ASLA priorities.

President George W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush participate in a roundtable discussion about his National Parks Centennial Initiative during a visit to Shenandoah National Park in Luray, Va., with Mrs. Laura Bush and Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2007. White House photo by Paul Morse.

National Parks

Many in Washington appeared to be genuinely surprised that the president requested a nearly $230 million increase in the operations budget of the National Park Service compared to the administration’s request last year. This budget funds daily operation of the national parks and is the largest proportion of the agency’s total annual funding. The Park Service Director explained that the proposed increase is the first installment on a 10-year plan to provide the Park Service with $3 billion in additional funding leading to its centennial in 2016. At the same time, other portions of the Park Service budget would not fare so well. For example, the administration continued a pattern of not requesting funding for the stateside portion of the Land and Water Conservation Fund or the Urban Parks and Recreation Program.

Although many applauded the proposed increase in Park Service operations, the new chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee urged caution. The administration proposes to raise at least $1 billion from private sources that would be matched by federal funds. Some are concerned that soliciting greater donations from private sources could lead to more commercial development in parks and, ultimately, reduced federal funding. Chairman Nick Rahall made clear he supports greater federal investment: “While many Americans value the role of private philanthropy in supporting our national park system, the administration’s increasing reliance on the private sector in this capacity is troubling. Our national parks are national treasures—and their funding is a national responsibility.”

National Forests

Although the Forest Service is responsible for twice as many acres of public land as the Park Service, the president requests less funding in major categories compared to last year’s request. For example, the administration requests $54 million less to operate the National Forest System and $30 million less to manage and support growing recreational use of those lands. In an area particularly important to landscape architects, the administration proposes to cut funding for urban and community forestry programs by $10.5 million compared to fiscal year 2007. This funding supports efforts to maintain and expand urban forest cover, which is key to addressing urban heat islands, improving air quality, and reducing stormwater challenges.

Environmental Protection Agency

Overall, the president’s budget request for EPA of $7.2 billion would represent a $500 million reduction below the amount Congress is likely to appropriate for fiscal year 2007. While Congress is focusing early attention on strengthening portions of the Clean Water Act that support and fund wastewater and stormwater treatment and management, the administration proposes deep cuts in this area. For example, it proposes to cut funding for state loan programs for water treatment by more than $300 million. Within EPA, the administration requests $118 million for climate change programs, which would be augmented by funding for other agencies and departments, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of Energy.

Submission of the budget begins the annual process of developing appropriations bills that will set specific funding levels. Congress will write those bills over the coming months with the goal of completing its work by the start of the new fiscal year on October 1. ASLA will be actively engaged in advocating for its priorities in cooperation with many other organizations that share similar goals.

 For more information about ASLA’s federal policy priorities, please read the Federal Government Affairs column.