White House threatens to veto Interior-EPA spending bill

The White House on Thursday threatened to veto GOP spending legislation for the Interior Department and Environmental Protection Agency that’s heading for the House floor, alleging it would undermine vital conservation programs and public health protections.

The formal statement of administration policy continues a collision course between the White House and congressional Republicans who are launching consistent attacks on Obama administration green initiatives, such as greenhouse gas regulations.

The lengthy statement criticizes a number of provisions in the bill that would substantially cut spending for the agencies and thwart several specific policies. From the White House statement released Thursday afternoon:

The Administration strongly opposes a number of provisions in this bill, including ideological and political provisions that are beyond the scope of funding legislation. If the President is presented with a bill that undermines ongoing conservation, public health, and environmental protection efforts through funding limits or restrictions, his senior advisors would recommend he veto the bill.
 
While overall funding limits and subsequent allocations remain unclear pending the outcome of ongoing bipartisan, bicameral discussions between the Administration and congressional leadership on the Nation's long-term fiscal picture, the Administration has concerns regarding the level of resources the bill would provide for a number of programs in a way that undermines core government functions, investments key to economic growth and job creation, as well as protection of public health and the environment and preservation of our Nation's natural resource heritage.

The White House is taking aim at a number of specific provisions, including language that blocks tougher regulation of pollution from mountaintop mining operations, greenhouse gas regulations, a major utility air-toxics rule, and many other policy measures.

The statement also takes aim at various funding cuts, such as slashing the Land and Water Conservation Fund and funding for wastewater and drinking-water treatment infrastructure.

The bill is expected on the House floor Monday, according to an aide to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.).

The bill provides $7.1 billion for the EPA, well below the agency’s current-year funding of $8.7 billion — and $1.8 billion less than the White House is seeking for fiscal 2012.