Minister to reagan administrator reagan and collies, welcome to this hearing. I want to welcome the epa chief Financial Officer who is going to be a minister who is joining the administrator. Climate chaos is here. We are seeing the impact everywhere. The longer fire seasons, the more intensity the fires. The increased snowpacks and the impacts they have on the rivers and irrigation waters, the more Severe Weather events of the atmospheric rivers we have heard about on the west coast this year to warmer algae infested lakes across the country to dropped droughts and record shattering heat waves. Every part of the world is experiencing bees impacts and the damages the damage is staggering and is going to increase exponentially unless we act decisively. I believed to meet this moment, we have to accelerate our transition from fossil fuel energy to Renewable Energy and we have to tackle that crisis from the supplyside of fossil fuels as well as the demandside. This is why i adamantly opposed the biden administrations approval of fossil fuel projects. Not only does such approval slowly the transition in america but it undermines our moral authority in the world. It is hard to as the rest of the world to transition off of coal and other fossil fuels to renewables when we are continuing to approve one fossil fuel project after another. The world needs American Leadership and to lead, we have to have the power of our example. While i believe we are headed in the wrong direction in that regard, i do commend your agency for taking meaningful actions over the last several months. First, the carson truck submission rules cars and truck emission rules are critical to decreasing our carbon footprint. We cant make meaningful progress about a without addressing the weeks those emissions. Those proposals go along way towards aggressively pushing recent press report about epas plans about reducing emissions indicate a step in a result in the right direction. This latest rulemaking prioritizes the Energy Information administration forecasted by the year 2050, wind and solar will count for 56 of electricity generation, newly built gas plants will become stranded unless we have the most feasible new technology. The end date the Inflation Reduction Act these actions are commendable, common sense and should be finalized as quickly as possible. I am sure you are thinking about it every day. We are here to discuss the fiscal year 2024 but your report of epa which is 12. 4 it 12. 4 billion. This funding level would make up funding ground for epa after the four years the trump demonstrated in Administration Spent getting the gutting the agency. It builds upon the work we made to remedy environmental injustice, the work we have done over the years including a huge step up from 111 million to 125 million. I am impressed that the epa budget requests require is prioritizes Environmental Justice by requiring an additional 267 Million Dollars increase to tackle this challenge and i look forward to understand the ways you look to see how the funds are spent. You highlighted in this request that the epa is working with the Forest Service for prescribed burns. This is critical in oregon where Wire Wildfires are more devastating every year. The key is that we have to do the prescribed burns, which sometimes violates that standards. On the wildfire front, i was pleased to see agencies releasing which will close in less than a week after communities across my state and much of the western blanket and smoke was caused by historic wildfires. I created this program to support local efforts to prepare for hazards and i am looking forward to real results. Even with the increased of proposal in the budget, the epa budget is less then it needs to be because there is more than it needs that needs to be done. We are behind in building the agency workforce. The fy 2024 Staffing Levels are short of fiscal year 2009. We must make progress in highlighting hiring officials to meet the challenges of the climate. I look forward to talking more in depth about lasix. Plastics. In East Palestine and richmond, ohio, we had two disasters we are learning more about the problems plastics rick berg sense represents to human health and the ecosystems will stop ecosystems. So much more should be done about plastic pollution, to where it piles up and i appreciated your response to my april 5 level letter about the reports that epa has expedited approval about chemicals that reduces the of plastics. I appreciate your response and i will enter in the record my letter to you and your response. I am still concerned that the epa is failing to protect communities already overburdened by over pollution. The report by propublic eye and the guardianship light to a troubling approval process that the epa uses. While the april 21 strategy contains a testing requirement for new pyrolysis may increase the damage in an already burdened committees. In already burdened communities. I hope i hope that we are able to work with the epa to respect that according to analysis, the project would admit to point Million Metric Tons of Carbon Dioxide equivalent admissions each year until at least 2052. Over the next 28 years, it will cause 9 billion in climaterelated damage and that is using a methodology that systematically minimizes the climate impact. Adding new emissions through pipeline expansions is incompatible with President Bidens pledge and it would undermine oregons efforts for a clean energy future. I am delighted that our ranking members here, lisa murkowski. Good morning. Welcome back to it committee to the committee. I am glad to discuss the budget request with you. I will start out by acknowledging thank you for the working relationship that uni have built you and i have built. Before i turn to alaska specific issues this morning, i must note my concern over the direction that i believe the agency is taking in regards to recent and planned National Regulatory actions, in particular, i believe the agency is engaging in a Regulatory Overreach with which the senate has expressed its disapproval all on. If press reports are true, epas rule will follow the same unfortunate pattern in these Broad National regulations often have a disproportionately affect on the state of alaska as we have had an opportunity to discuss. A very significant percentage of alaska is considered a wetland. The rule phase fails to consider alaska conditions like permafrost and will harm economic development. While i have serious concerns about how these negative policies will impact alaska, i will like to focus would like to focus on positive matters and i want to thank you, sincerely, for your and your agencys leadership on the issues on contaminated lands. This is an environmental injustice that we have to and discuss. It has been left without action for far too long but thanks to you and the support of collies here on the committee, we now have a new Grant Program within epa, to finally begin making a difference and remit he ate cream 88 remediate they were entitled to certain lands. We have worked to make good on that commitment but unfortunately, what happened over the words of years, where a contaminated land, lands that had been contaminated by our own federal government are conveyed to the native peta people in settlement for their lands. What they received is not only a of questionable value but in many times, the lands that they have received are making them sick. This was an injustice that must be corrected and we are making a difference here. The agencys fy 2024 request continues the landgrant at 20 million. I appreciate that. The epa step forward into the leadership role on bees contaminated lands. I dont mean to pit one department against the other but the fact of the matter is the department of interior has failed to be helpful on that issue. There were some key numbers on your team, and there were some others that put their shoulder into this and advanced this in a way that has been positive and remarkable and i want to make sure that others know that you deserve this public commendation now. These efforts are going to directly improve the health and wellbeing of so many communities and his work cannot be understated in its importance. I hope and i know administrator regan, there is more that you what i can do together you and i can do together to write the injustice in the native alaskan community so i am looking forward to finding Creative Solutions with you and i invite you to come to alaska at any time to meet some of these communities in with me. I want to turn into an issue that we have had an opportunity to discuss before and this is the agencies would hear certification programs. I get that this is a problem that you have inherited, but unfortunately, it is coming to a head for communities of fairbanks and north pole. The epa partially accepted and partially rejected the state of alaskas implementation plan. I believe the agency fundamentally misunderstands the role that its flawed what heater certification played in higher two point five emissions within the region. In february this year, the epa Inspector General released a report heavily criticizing the agencys handling of the what heater program. It states that the epa mismanagement has led to elevate emissions even though congress has provided almost 100 million for woodstove change outs over the last eight years through the target correct. I have worked hard on that. I have secured tens of millions of dollars for wood stone change outs through this grant, which should be a positive. I am frustrated by the ig r eport s findings. The epa has frustrated Congress Investment and intendant goals. I am calling on your agency to fix its handling of the wood heater certification and Testing Program and to internally provide whatever resources are needed to achieve that. To show my commitment, last year, we provided a 1 million increase for staffing and other efforts to help write the program right the program but it is not fair that my constituents in fairbanks and north face increase energy increased Energy Prices or Actual Energy and security due to potential Enforcement Actions that the agency may take against them for the agencys on mismanagement. I will be in fairbanks this weekend and this will be a hot topic there. I want to dust discuss with you the agencys billing of congressionally funded spending projects. I appreciate that the congress brought back significantly better workload i dont think that that excuses the agencys performance in executing these investments. Congress has provided Additional Resources for the agency to implement a revised program but i dont think more staffing alone will fix the problem. I think the agency has not made a significant enough priority. In fy 2022 and 2023, congress funded over 1000 cpa projects for the epa to manage and to my knowledge, only a small amount of percentage has been awarded. Congress looks to continue cbs projects cds projects in the future but the agency has to do better and to show you i will be a partner, i will work with you with any initiative you may have and any suggestions you think can improve the speed of processing. This delay impacts projects nationally but significantly in my state of alaska. I want to thank you for your help with several cds projects. I am somewhat be watered that critical water and Wastewater Infrastructure projects are lagging severely behind. I hope that you and your team will be able to explore ways in which cds projects can be awarded faster including any Creative Solutions that we can help secure in our bill. I know implementing this is an easy so i thank you for your work in all the Agency Personnel working on this and hopefully we can make these Success Stories that we know they should and could be. I have given you a lot in my opening statement. Note that these are issues that are important across the state of alaska. We have got a good working relationship and that is why i am comfortable raising these issues with you personally because i think we can make a real difference in the state of alaska and a real district difference across the country. It doesnt mean i will stop knocking on your door. We will Work Together and i look forward to the opportunity to be able to show you personally sound of the challenges we some of the challenges we are facing and what more we can be doing to address them. With that, thank you. Thank you and on behalf of the chairman, we recognize a minister to reagan. Admin. Regan i appreciate the opportunity to appear to you today to discuss the mission fiscal year 2024 budget request. In this request, we laid out a ambitious but transformative plant with the apa with a goal of building a prosperous nature while ensuring level dependence and entity security. President biden proposed fy 2024 request for epa proposed 21 billion for updating the Water Infrastructure, tackling Climate Crisis and rebuilding cold front actions Core Functions of epa. We have taken actions to cut small smog. We have taken strides to ensure our all people have clean water by proposing the first ever legal limit for pfas and investing money to improve led pipes. We awarded 2400 Clean School Buses for School Districts across the country. I am proud for the foundations we have laid. There is so much more work to do so that all of our children have safe and Healthy Places to live, learn, and play to build a strong and more sustainable economy and to advance American Innovation and ingenuity. Investing in epa is investing in america. Across the country, poor air quality affects millions of people, perpetuating Harmful Health and Economic Impacts. In fiscal year 2024, the agency will protect air quality by cutting emissions and pollutants. The president s budget improves includes 1. 4 billion to improve air quality and set standards for mobile and stationary sources. The epa builds on advancements in technology and reinforces the Market Movement for a cleaner Energy System that provides reliable and affordable and. A thriving economy also requires clean and safe water for everyone in the country. Many still lack access to healthy water. And suffer from the effects of lead pipes. America americas Water Systems faces new challenges. The budget proposes more than 4 billion to upgrade Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure nationwide with a focus on underserved communities. I had the privilege of traveling across the country. I have visited communities and seen firsthand environmental and Public Health challenges, many your of your constituents continue to experience. I have met with people who live with toxic wastes in the backyard and i have seen conditions that are unacceptable in the usa. From investing in our nations Climate Resilience to cleaning up contaminated land and water, there is no shortage of important work to be done. Senators of the committee, epa is up to the task. We are eager to work with all you to deliver with to federal americans. We need your support. Both the urgency and Economic Opportunity presented by Climate Change requiring that we lead leave no stone unturned. I must remind folks that we must keep moving forward. 2020 four will undoubtedly present a unique set of challenges and moving backwards, it is not a option. Reverting back to the fiscal year 2022 budget would force the agency to make difficult decisions. Epa would have to cut hundreds of millions of dollars from programs to protect communities all across america and impacting the ability to hire critical staff, including toxicologists and engineers and other that play a crucial role in protecting the people of this country. The epa may be forced to delay fixing the aging Water Infrastructure. In might well backbeat progress we have made on Environmental Justice stop President Biden justice. It will also allow us to address the Environmental Concerns of millions of americans and fundamentally improve peoples lives for the better. Thank you for the opportunity to be here today and to submit this testimony for the record and i look forward to our partnership to can achieve these necessary goals and i welcome all questions. Thank you. Thank you very much and we will have seven minute rounds and i will as everyone to wrap up their questions before time run out time runs out so everyone has a chance to ask their insights. I will begin. I will begin by asking about the House Majority proposal to freeze funding to fy 2022 levels and a con