DOI Budget Cuts Proposed for FY20

DOI Budget Cuts Proposed for FY20

On March 11, 2019, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released the Trump Administration’s proposed budget for the U.S. Government in Fiscal Year (FY) 2020. The proposal would reduce funding for the Department of the Interior (DOI) by $1.5 billion or 10.9 percent compared to FY2019 levels.

The budget proposal states that funding will be “maintain[ed] . . . for scientific research and data collection by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).” In particular, the budget proposal expresses support for continued “invest[ment] in USGS science related to natural hazards; water, energy, minerals, and other natural resources; and the health of America’s ecosystems and environment.” However, according to documents published by DOI, the proposal would reduce total funding for USGS by $165 million or 14.4 percent (compared to FY2019 levels).