Roughly two dozen supporters of a national environmental group rallied outside of Congressman Brad Schneider’s office in Lincolnshire on Tuesday and called for the preservation of the Environmental Protection Agency, which faces drastic budget cuts proposed by the Trump administration.
The Washington, D.C.-based Food & Water Watch brought 24 people to the district office of U.S. Rep. Schneider, D-Deerfield, more as a show of support for the congressman’s record of supporting the EPA rather than an outright protest, organizers said. The crowd sang chants and listened to speakers who talked about the importance of the EPA.
In the budget proposal the Trump administration recently sent to Congress, the EPA would lose 31 percent of its current funding, with many of its duties being parceled out to states.
Nicholas Jansen, a Watch organizer who spoke during the Lincolnshire rally, said the proposed cuts affect many Americans, urging them to pay close attention to the changing status of the world they live in.
“We only have one planet to live on,” Jansen said. “Once that’s gone, it’s over.”
Several attendees said they came to the rally to show support for Schneider.
Libertyville resident Cathy O’Brien said they need to try and remind congressmen that there is support for the EPA.
“It’s important to let your congressmen know that they’re doing the right thing,” she said.
During his first stint in Congress from 2013 to 2015, Schneider worked to increase the funding of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and co-sponsored the Invasive Fish and Wildlife Act to protect local ecosystems.
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Launched in 2010, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative targets the biggest threats, including the Asian carp and other invasive species, to try and protect the ecosystem of the Great Lakes, according to its website. The initiative would lose most of its funding under the budget proposed by the Trump administration.
The proposed budget also targets cuts at other federal agencies while calling for a $54 billion increase in defense spending.
Officials with the Trump administration have said the federal government needs to shrink in size while also maintaining funding for military and homeland security.
In a statement, Schneider ripped the budget proposal and said it would do more harm to American families.
“The budget shows no vision to grow the economy, rebuild our infrastructure or offer a rising standard of living for American families, instead gutting the essential programs that form the very foundation of our continued prosperity,” Schneider said. “The health of the planet we will pass on to our children is disregarded.”
During the rally Tuesday, Highland Park resident Sonny Cohen urged for better federal funding of the EPA. If it’s left up to individual states, some states will support the EPA more effectively than others, creating a patchwork, Cohen said.
“The environment doesn’t know any political boundaries,” Cohen said.
Dave Wilms, a Libertyville resident who said he used to teach AP Environmental Studies at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, urged Republicans who control both Congress and the White House to make funding changes cautiously.
“They’ve been really good at resisting things like this,” Wilms said. “Now, it’s time for them to lead.”
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