ASME President Testifies for Increased EPA Budget

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) FY08 budget should be increased by a minimum of $5.7 million to $542 million, says Terry E. Shoup, P.E., president of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

Citing the values of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s science and technology programs, particularly those of the Office of Research and Development (ORD), in a position statement, Shroup said in his April 19 testimony before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and the Environment on the importance of federal environmental research programs that the increased budget would at least keep pace with inflation.

Noting that the EPA’s science and technology programs are important to achieving the agency’s objectives in a sound, sustainable and cost-effective manner, Shoup pointed out that the EPA’s “research has contributed to finding alternatives to toxicological testing on animals, fine-tuning particulate matter pollution regulations, evaluating the impact of dioxins on human health, and providing grants to young people for environmental research.”

“Engineers play a critical role in research and technology development to address environmental challenges, from air pollution to water management to sustainable energy systems,” Shoup said.

Shoup noted that the Bush Administration’s FY08 budget request for the EPA’s ORD programs is $754.5 million, which is 1.3% less than the FY07 appropriated amount of $765 million.uation activities that will allow us to understand and respond to these issues,” Shoup told the subcommittee.

He went on to say that a FY08 budget increase for ORD will assist the EPA in providing critical support to engineers and scientists to find practical solutions to today’s environmental challenges.

Shoup’s testimony was based on the position statement released by the ASME EPA Task Force of the Environmental Engineering Division on the EPA FY08 budget request.

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