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by Utah's governor--no doubt influenced by

process on the pretext that, while state and

the EPA smart-growth grant to the National

local governments should make final trans-

Governors' Association. The EPA grant to the

portation decisions, Congress wanted to

Coalition for Utah's Future will help spread

ensure that those governments considered

this program to other states.

public input and a full range of alternatives.

EPA's transportation and smart-growth

Yet EPA funding subverts local public input

funding is only a small share of all EPA grants

by allowing minority or outside views to dom-

to nonprofit organizations. According to

inate. As shown in the next section, EPA is

Phony Philanthropy, a report by Citizens

also trying to prevent local planning agencies

Against Government Waste, in 1995 and 1996

from considering a full range of alternatives if

EPA gave $236 million in 839 grants to non-

those alternatives involve highway building.

profits. As the report dryly comments, "Many

EPA grants have many other disturbing

of these organizations are promoting agendas

qualities. Naturally, the groups receiving EPA

that many Americans might not agree with."31

funding will be at the witness stand at budget

time to endorse increases in EPA's budgets.

"When an organization receives government

EPA funding creates the appearance of a

funding, it frees up funding obtained

grassroots movement against sprawl when in

through membership or other nongovern-

Vice President

fact much of the "movement" is supported

ment sources to be used for more controver-

Gore was able to

by a federal agency seeking increased funding

sial activities, such as lobbying or promoting

and power over local governments.

a particular philosophy," notes the report.

confidently pro-

Vice President Gore was able to confident-

"Some organizations even use government

pose a war on the

ly propose a war on the lifestyle of most

money directly to promote their political and

lifestyle of most

Americans because he knew he would be sup-

lobbying activities." While this is illegal, the

ported by numerous "citizens' groups" that

report found several instances of EPA funds

Americans

have received funding and support from EPA.

being spent directly on lobbying.

because he knew

After Gore's January 11 announcement, the

The approximately $8 million identified

January 12 edition of the Land Letter, a

here as grants to transportation and smart

he would be sup-

newsletter for natural resource professionals,

growth is a tiny share of EPA's total budget. But

ported by numer-

ran a lead article headlined, "Amidst great

the individual grants represent a significant

ous "citizens'

applause, Gore announces plan to curb urban

share of the budgets of the nonprofits receiving

sprawl."3 2 The groups cited as "applauding"

them and also give those nonprofits a major

groups" that have

boost over opponents to smart growth, most

the plan, including the Surface Transporta-

received funding

of whom are poorly funded and have no sup-

tion Policy Project and the Environmental

port network like EPA's Transportation

Defense Fund, were nearly all EPA transporta-

and support from

Partners or Smart Growth Network.

tion or smart-growth partners.

EPA.

This severely distorts the supposedly local

From a legal standpoint, the EPA grants

planning process that Congress created in

and its other support for smart growth may

ISTEA and TEA-21. Bicyclists, for example,

go beyond its authority, which is to enforce

make up just 0.4 percent of all commuters in

federal emissions standards and to oversee

America, yet EPA's $465,000 grant to the

state implementation plans designed to

Bicycle Federation of America makes sure

achieve federal air quality goals. Reducing

that transportation planners in cities across

people's mobility by creating traffic jams and

the country pay close attention to the

forcing them to live in congested cities may

demands of cyclists. Close to 90 percent of all

slightly reduce total vehicle-miles driven. But

commuters drive automobiles to work, but

it is likely to increase the production of those

EPA gave no grant to any automobile groups

pollutants that EPA is supposed to control.

and the views of automobile drivers are often

unheard in local transportation planning.

EPA and TEA-21

Congress created the local planning

10