Birmingham, Alabama — Alabama has reduced funding for environmental protection agencies by nearly half over the past 14 years, contributing to fewer inspections, weaker enforcement, and diminished oversight as industrial activity expands across the state, according to a new national report.
The analysis, released by the Environmental Integrity Project, found Alabama cut environmental spending by 49% between 2010 and 2024, placing it among the states with the steepest reductions nationwide. The report warns that these cuts have left regulators less able to protect public health, even as fossil fuel, plastics, and petrochemical production continues to grow.
The findings come as federal support is also shrinking. President Donald Trump’s proposed 2026 budget would reduce Environmental Protection Agency funding by more than half, following a 40% reduction over the past 15 years. Since the start of Trump’s second term, more than 3,000 EPA employees have reportedly retired or been terminated, further shifting responsibility to state agencies that are already underfunded.
Jen Duggan, executive director of the Environmental Integrity Project, said reduced staffing and resources mean environmental protections guaranteed under federal law are not being fully enforced. Similar patterns were identified in Mississippi, South Dakota, and Texas, where budget cuts have contributed to enforcement backlogs and staffing shortages.
Advocates warn that the consequences are most visible in communities near industrial sites, where residents face delayed responses to pollution complaints and storm-related contamination. As Alabama and other states assume greater regulatory responsibility, critics argue that shrinking budgets risk leaving environmental and public health safeguards largely unenforced.
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