President Bush’s rhetoric about moving America forward on climate change is nothing more than “hot air” when you look at his budget proposal for 2008.  Like the movie, “Groundhog Day,” the American people are treated to the same anemic environmental and energy budget year after year.

 Here's a quick rundown of the numbers:

• 90% of the Department of Energy’s funding increase is directed toward research in fossil fuels and nuclear power, rather than towards developing new renewable and efficient technologies.  The need to address global warming clearly points to greater investments in clean and safe sources of power.
• $400 million cut from the Environmental Protection Agency's budget, dropping it to its lowest level in nearly 10 years.  This includes cutting EPA’s clean air and climate funding by $22 million, and a 12% ($6 million) cut to the popular Energy Star program.
• Clean Water funding slashed almost $400 million, taken from the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund, which is used to improve sewage treatment plants.
• The President's budget fails to reinstate the Superfund fee, continuing the shift of clean up from corporate polluters to local taxpayers.
• Despite touting its commitment to a new ocean management policy, the Administration’s budget request for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association is $124 less than FY 2006.  The (NOAA) ocean related budget that is essential to protecting and repairing our oceans.
• Privatizing public lands to the tune of $134 million over the next 5 years.  70% of this funding would go to the Treasury, rather than preserving other lands as is currently the case.
• Increased funding for National Parks.  In one of the few bright spots for the environment in the Bush Budget, the National Park Service gets a much needed $258 million injection.
• Only $58 million for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, down 95% from 2002.  These funds are used to create and preserve parks, forests, and refuges.
• The president's budget includes a fiscally irresponsible estimate of $7 billion in revenue from oil leasing fees in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.  Historic averages of oil leases on the North Slope makes these estimates wildly speculative. Using the budget process is an underhanded and back door attempt to drill in the Arctic.