Vox recently posted an interesting article discussing the future of EPA. The article lays out several possible scenarios and the author's view on whether or not each scenario will come to pass. Scenarios include:

1. EPA gets abolished altogether

2. Congress says the EPA can no longer address climate change

3. The Administration tears up Obama’s environmental policies

4. The Administration and Congress handcuff the EPA through budget cuts

5. EPA survives the Trump years (mostly) intact

In the likelihood department, the article notes that #1 is implausible. A recent Roll Call article noted that "Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz’s bill to abolish the Environmental Protection Agency is not getting much traction in either party."

It is likely, however, that EPA will be facing budget cuts. The last EPA budget passed out of the house had a roughly 9% reduction. Prior House budgets proposed up to 30% budget cuts for EPA. Given that, it's likely that EPA will face significant budget cuts. Vox notes that "Congress is very likely to chip away at the EPA’s budget and add various riders to curtail the agency’s regulatory authority."

To read the entire Vox article, click here.