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https://www.nationalpriorities.org/budget-basics/federal-budget-101/spending/
https://www.whitehouse.gov/energy/our-environment

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Government spending on energy and the environment is not mandatory spending. It is part of the government’s discretionary spending, or spending for federal programs that must receive annual authorization. In 2015, money spent on energy and the environment totaled $39.14 billion which sounds like a lot but that is only 3.5% of discretionary spending! Spending on the environment should be made a bigger priority introduced in the federal budget or through an appropriations bill. One way that the government could promote increased environmental efficiencies is by granting subsidies to businesses that “go green.”

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Drinking, swimming, fishing, farming, recreation, and tourism. All of these activities rely on clean water. There is no question whether the government should spend money on taking a little extra care to ensure that our water quality is improved. The Administration has proposed a Clean Water Act that protects important waters, launched partnerships and programs to improve water quality and efficiency, and created initiatives to revitalize communities by restoring rivers and watersheds. Short term impacts that clean water has on Americans are increased tourism, recreation contributing to an increased income for some. In the long run it is an important thing because drinking, swimming in, eating food grow or caught in dirty water can cause health problems.

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Protecting our oceans is very important because our oceans and coastal regions “support tens of millions of jobs and contribute trillions of dollars a year to the national economy.” Unfortunately overfishing, pollution, and illegal fishing and seafood fraud all take away from the economic gains we receive from our oceans. President Obama established a National Ocean Policy to ensure the health and safety of the oceans and coasts. He has also developed a program to combat IUU fishing and support fishermen. This is money well spent because the seafood and recreational fishing industries made $141 billion and $58 billion in sales and $39 billion (seafood) in income in 2012 and supported 1.7 million jobs combined. Americans who live in coastal cities or towns that rely heavily on the fishing industry will benefit when they are able to have fair competition on the waters because their income could increase with the increased chance of a bigger catch.

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When wilderness and the lakes, streams, and rivers within it is preserved it creates the opportunity for parks, forests, and monuments to be created or used for tourism and recreation which stimulates the economy. Businesses are attracted “areas with beautiful scenery, outdoor opportunities, and a high quality of life.” The introduction of new businesses adds new job opportunities to the residents in the area or could help with the growth of the economy in small and rural towns. Obama has established the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative, signed the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, and implemented the Antiquities act 13 times to preserve America’s landscape and waters. This means that money had to be spent to protect land but the environmental and economic rewards are greater than any monetary value.

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So, how does the President plan to spend federal money on the environment? Why should you care and how does helping the environment help the economy? Well, here are three ways in which President Obama is using or is going to use federal money to help both:

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As a citizen of the world, and especially as an American, it is not only in our best interest, but in our country’s best interest to protect and preserve our environment as best we can. The Obama Administration has taken steps in order to do this. President Obama has committed to conserving land and water, protecting our oceans, prioritizing clean water, ensuring clean air, and restoring our ecosystems. . Money spent on the environment has the ability to positively impact the private sector in big ways and each little change towards conservation helps.