MT VERNON, Maine — House members in Washington are suggesting massive cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency as Congress works to comprise the FY 2026 budget bill.

The House budget proposes $2.1 billion in cuts to the EPA and suggests a decrease in 23 percent of the agency's workforce, equaling more than 1,200 employees.

Historically, the agency has provided oversight for corporations, implementing environmental protections to ensure that corporations operate in a way that doesn't compromise environmental and public health.

Conservation groups and health care providers met Thursday for a press conference, expressing their concerns about how proposed federal cuts to the EPA would impact the Maine Department of Environmental Protection's efforts in the state.

The Maine DEP heavily r

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