AIR QUALITY TRENDS

ACTUAL ESTIMATES

99 98

93

78

69

59

38

25 30

setting standards for ambient air quality, toxic air pollutant emissions, new pollution sources, and mobile sources.

• In 2000, EPA will certify that five of the estimated 30 remaining nonattainment areas have achieved the one-hour National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ozone (see Chart 17–2).

• In 2000, air toxics emissions nationwide from stationary and mobile sources com-bined will be reduced by five percent from 1999 (for a cumulative reduction of 30 per-cent from the 1993 level of 1.3 million tons).

Under the Clean Water Act, EPA works to conserve and enhance the ecological health of the Nation’s waters, through regulation of point source discharges and through multi-agency initiatives such as the Administration’s Clean Water Action Plan.

• In 2000, environmental improvement projects will be underway in 350 high pri-ority watersheds as a result of

implement-ing activities under the Clean Water Ac-tion Plan.

Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, EPA regulates pes-ticide use, grants product registrations, and sets tolerances (standards for pesticide residue on food) to reduce risk and promote safer means of pest control.

• In 2000, EPA will reassess 20 percent of the existing 9,700 tolerances to ensure that they meet the statutory standard of

‘‘reasonable certainty of no harm,’’ achiev-ing a cumulative 53 percent.

EPA’s pollution prevention program seeks to reduce environmental risks where Ameri-cans reside, work, and enjoy life.

• In 2000, the quantity of Toxic Release In-ventory pollutants released, disposed of, treated, or combusted for energy recovery will be reduced by 200 million pounds, or two percent, from 1999 reporting levels.

Under the Resource Conservation and Re-covery Act (RCRA), EPA and authorized States prevent dangerous releases to the environment of hazardous, industrial nonhazardous, and municipal solid wastes by requiring proper facility management and cleanup of environ-mental contamination at those sites.

• In 2000, 146 more hazardous waste man-agement facilities will have approved con-trols in place to prevent dangerous re-leases to air, soil, and groundwater, for a total of 65 percent of 3380 facilities.

EPA’s underground storage tank (UST) pro-gram seeks to prevent, detect, and correct leaks from USTs containing petroleum and hazardous substances. Regulations issued in 1988 required that substandard USTs (lacking spill, overfill and/or corrosion protection) be upgraded, replaced or closed by December 22, 1998.

• By the end of 2000, 90 percent of USTs will be in compliance with these require-ments, which improves upon the estimated 65 percent as of the December 22, 1998 deadline.

In October 1997, the President announced immediate actions to begin addressing the problem of global climate change, and included the Climate Change Technology Initiative (CCTI) in the 1999 Budget. The 2000 Budget provides $216 million for the second year of EPA’s portion of CCTI, much of which focuses on the deployment of underutilized but existing technologies that reduce green-house gas emissions. The partnerships EPA has built with business and other organiza-tions since the early 1990s will continue to be the foundation for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in 2000 and beyond.

• In 2000, greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced from projected levels by more that 50 million metric tons of carbon equivalent per year through EPA partnerships with businesses, schools, State and local gov-ernments, and other organizations. This reduction level will be an increase of 10 million metric tons over 1999 reduction levels.

• In 2000, energy consumption will be re-duced from projected levels by over 60 bil-lion kilowatt hours, resulting in over $8

billion in energy savings to consumers and businesses that participate in EPA’s cli-mate change programs. This will represent an increase of 15 billion kilowatt hours and $5 million in annual energy savings over 1999.

The new Clean Air Partnership Fund will also contribute to the achievement of these goals as well as the ozone attainment goal.

The $1.5 billion Superfund program pays to clean up hazardous spills and abandoned hazardous waste sites, and to compel respon-sible parties to clean up. The Coast Guard implements a smaller but similar program to clean up oil spills. Superfund also supports EPA’s Brownfields program, designed to as-sess, clean up, and re-use formerly contami-nated sites.

• In 2000, EPA will complete 85 Superfund cleanups, continuing on a path to reach 925 completed cleanups by the end of 2002.

• In 2000, EPA will fund Brownfields site assessments in 50 more communities, thus reaching 350 communities by the end of 2000.

• In 2000, the Coast Guard will reduce the rate of oil spilled into the Nation’s waters to 4.83 gallons per million gallons shipped from a baseline of 5.25 gallons in 1998.

Federal water infrastructure funds provide capitalization grants to State revolving funds, which make low-interest loans to help munici-palities pay for wastewater and drinking water treatment systems required by Federal law. The $1.625 billion in the 2000 Budget is consistent with the Administration’s plans to capitalize these funds to the point where the Clean Water State Revolving Funds (CWSRF) and the Drinking Water State Re-volving Funds (DWSRF) provide a total of

$2.5 billion in average annual assistance.

The $72 billion in Federal assistance since passage of the 1972 Clean Water Act has dramatically increased the portion of Ameri-cans enjoying better quality water. Ensuring that community water systems meet health-based drinking water standards is supported by both the DWSRF and operating program resources.

• In 2000, another two million people will receive the benefits of secondary treatment of wastewater, for a total of 181 million.

• In 2000, 91 percent of the population served by community water systems will receive drinking water meeting all health-based standards in effect as of 1994, up from 83 percent in 1994.

USDA gives financial assistance to rural communities to provide safe drinking water and adequate wastewater treatment facilities to rural communities. The budget proposes

$1.5 billion in combined grant, loan, and loan guarantees for this assistance, a 12 percent increase over 1999. Part of those funds will go toward the Water 2000 initiative to bring indoor plumbing and safe drinking water to under-served rural communities.

Since 1994, USDA has invested almost $1.6 billion in loans and grants on high-priority water 2000 projects nationwide.

• In 2000, USDA will fund 300 high-priority water 2000 projects.

The Office of Surface Mining (OSM), in partnership with States, reclaims abandoned coal mines using funds from the Abandoned Mine Lands Reclamation Fund.

• In 2000, OSM will reclaim 9,235 acres of abandoned coal mine lands, 1,235 acres more than in 1999.

Water Resources

The Federal Government builds and man-ages water projects for navigation, flood-damage reduction, environmental purposes, irrigation, and hydropower generation. The Army Corps of Engineers operates Nation-wide, while Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation operates in the 17 western States. The budget proposes $4.7 billion for the agencies in 2000—$3.9 billion for the Corps, $0.8 billion for the Bureau. The budget includes a proposal to create a new Harbor Services Fund to increase funding for the Corps’ operations, maintenance, and construction activities at our Nation’s ports and harbors and help ensure a safe and economically competitive port system. While navigation and flood dam-age reduction remain the Corps’ major focus,

its responsibilities increasingly address envi-ronmental objectives.

• In 2000, maintain Corps controlled com-mercial navigation and flood damage-re-duction facilities to be fully operational at least 95 percent of the time.

• In 2000, the Corps’ regulatory program will achieve ‘‘no net loss’’ of wetlands by creating, enhancing, and restoring wet-lands functions and values that are com-parable to those lost when the Corps issues permits to allow wetlands to be de-veloped.

Congress created the Bureau of Reclamation primarily to develop water supplies to support economic development in the western States.

Since the West is now largely developed, the Bureau has shifted its emphasis to become a water resources management agency.

• In 2000, the Bureau will deliver or release the amount of water contracted for from Reclamation-owned and operated facilities, expected to be no less than 27 million acre-feet. Reclamation will also generate power needed to meet contractual commit-ments and other requirecommit-ments 100 percent of the time, depending upon water avail-ability.

Tax Incentives

The tax code offers incentives for natural resource industries, especially timber and min-ing. The timber industry can deduct certain costs for growing timber, pay lower capital gains rates on profits, take a credit for investments, and quickly write-off reforest-ation costs—in total, costing about $585 mil-lion in 2000. The mining industry benefits from percentage depletion provisions (which sometimes allows deductions that exceed the economic value of resource depletion) and can deduct certain exploration and develop-ment costs—together, costing about $270 mil-lion in 2000.

In 2000, Better America Bonds will provide tax incentives for State and local governments to protect local green spaces, improve water quality, and clean up abandoned industrial sites.

197

Table 18–1. FEDERAL RESOURCES IN SUPPORT OF AGRICULTURE

(In millions of dollars)

Function 350 1998

Actual

Estimate

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Spending:

Discretionary Budget Authority .... 4,346 4,318 4,140 4,140 4,153 4,140 4,140 Mandatory Outlays:

Existing law ... 7,879 16,445 10,942 8,757 7,342 6,032 6,198 Proposed legislation ... ... ... –20 –37 –33 –30 –38 Credit Activity:

Direct loan disbursements ... 8,222 10,802 11,640 N/A N/A N/A N/A Guaranteed loans ... 4,226 6,563 6,688 N/A N/A N/A N/A Tax Expenditures:

Existing law ... 780 880 905 950 985 1,035 1,085 N/A = Not available

The Federal Government helps to increase U.S. agricultural productivity by ensuring that markets function fairly and predictably and that farmers and ranchers do not face unreasonable risk. Agriculture Department (USDA) programs disseminate economic and agronomic information, ensure the integrity of crops, inspect the safety of meat and poultry, and help farmers finance their oper-ations and manage risks from both weather and variable export conditions. The results are found in the public welfare that Americans enjoy from an abundant, safe, and inexpensive food supply, free of severe commodity market dislocations. Agriculture and its related activi-ties account for 16 percent of the U.S.

Gross Domestic Product.

Conditions on the Farm

Economic conditions facing U.S. agriculture in 1998 challenged this Federal role. Demand for farm commodities and record market prices of recent years receded, with gross crop cash receipts falling seven percent from the record $112 billion in 1997. Net cash income fell $1.7 billion short of the 1997 record of $60.8 billion. Forecasts for 1999 put net cash income down $5 billion from the record level, but within the last five

year’s average. Producers are expected to earn slightly less from 1998 and 1999 crop sales due to lower feed grain prices. Livestock receipts in 1998 fell back to the 1996 level of $93 billion from 1997’s record $96.6 billion.

Beef cattle prices, continued to decline, despite reductions in the herd. Pork producers, with long-expanding inventories experienced a se-vere drop in hog prices (see Chart 18–1).

Macro-economic agricultural conditions in 1998 were nearly the reverse of conditions that led to record farm income and prices of recent years. Last year, world-wide produc-tion of major grains was robust, which weak-ened demand for U.S. crops; the Asian finan-cial crisis dampened a major source of export growth; the U.S. livestock sector experienced some relief in reduced feed costs. These conditions prompted the Federal Government to expand spending on agriculture, including

$5.9 billion in emergency disaster relief en-acted in the 1999 Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act.

Despite generally lower commodity prices, farm assets and equity continue to rise.

Farm sector business assets rose four percent in value in 1998, to $1.13 trillion. Farm

1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998

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