The Moab Sun News is reaching out to local elected officials, nonprofits and other organizations that impact the lives of Grand County residents to find out how they’re reacting to the budget proposals, planning ahead, and working with our area’s congressional representatives to protect our community. Stay tuned.
White House budget proposals don’t often make front page news in communities like ours, but the latest White House “skinny budget” for 2026 includes suggested cuts to infrastructure, housing, public lands and health funding that could significantly impact Moab and Grand County.
Read the full White House ‘skinny budget’ proposal
What is a “Skinny Budget?”
A “skinny budget” is a short version of a full federal budget with recommendations from the White House. But that budget isn’t official yet — it starts a months-long process where Congress debates the final spending bills. Usually the approved budget is voted on in September.
The 2026 proposal includes a $163 billion reduction in most government spending—a 22.6% cut—while increasing defense spending by 13% to over $1 trillion, according to White House documents released Friday.
So what is cut in these recommendations— how would these cuts impact our community in Moab and Grand County?
Got something to say? Send us a question, a comment, or a letter to the editor.
What could be at risk in Moab?
Affordable Housing and Infrastructure
Among the most significant proposals is the complete elimination of the Community Development Block Grant program, according to budget documents. CDBG dollars have funded several transformative projects in Grand County in recent years.
In the past decade, these grants have supported multiple affordable housing developments including Arroyo Crossing, sidewalk and crosswalks, playgrounds, water line projects and more.
CDBG grants typically provide flexible funding that communities can use for infrastructure, housing, and economic development projects. The program requires that at least 70% of funds benefit low- and moderate-income persons through activities directed toward neighborhood revitalization and improved community facilities and services.
The budget also proposes eliminating the USDA Mutual Self-Help Housing Technical Assistance Grants, which have funded the construction of hundreds of homes in the Moab area through projects from the Housing Authority of Southeastern Utah and Community Rebuilds. This program enables low- and very-low-income families to build their own homes, contributing “sweat equity” through construction labor with technical assistance from organizations overseeing the project.
Flood Prevention and Disaster Resilience
The proposed budget outlines reductions to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including eliminating the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities and Flood Mitigation Assistance programs. The administration claims that by focusing on core disaster response rather than pre-disaster mitigation grants, FEMA can better serve its primary mission.
These programs have provided funding for infrastructure to prevent the damaging and dangerous flash floods Moab has experienced in recent years.
Environmental Programs
The Environmental Protection Agency faces a proposed 50% budget cut, amounting to a $4.2 billion reduction. This could impact projects like the Moab Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action site, a long-running federal effort to remove radioactive mine waste from the banks of the Colorado River.
Public Lands
The 2026 skinny budget proposes a 12% reduction to the Department of Interior’s overall funding. The National Park Service is slated for a $1.2 billion cut. For a community like Moab, where Arches and Canyonlands national parks drive tourism revenue, these cuts could translate to reduced visitor services, delayed maintenance projects, and potentially shorter operating hours.
Bureau of Land Management operations face a proposed 10% reduction. With over 1.8 million acres of BLM land in Grand County, these cuts could diminish trail maintenance, reduce ranger presence, and slow permit processing for recreational and commercial activities. The proposed budget document also mentions cutting US Geological Survey research programs, national monument designations and protections, conservation grants, the US Forest Service and other public lands and natural resource programs.
Education and Health
The Department of Education would see a 15% funding cut according to budget documents, while the Department of Health and Human Services faces substantial reductions. These cuts could affect programs supporting low-income and at-risk students, as well as healthcare services in Grand County.
Rural Airports
While the White House preliminary budget says that the Trump Administration prioritizes supporting “rural communities’ air transportation needs,” the budget includes a $308 million reduction in funding for the Essential Air Service programs, which subsidize commercial air service to rural areas like Moab. That’s a reduction of over 50% to the program’s current budget.
Moab’s Canyonlands Regional Airport currently receives millions of dollars in EAS subsidies to support Contour Airlines’ service. Details of where the cuts to the EAS program will come haven’t been released.
The Administration’s rationale
The White House has defended the proposed cuts as part of a broader effort to reduce federal spending and shift responsibilities to state and local governments. Administration officials argue that programs like the Community Development Block Grant are better managed at the local level.
The White House has also been public in targeting federal spending as “woke and wasteful.” The administration has prioritized defense and border security spending instead, with proposed increases in these areas.
What happens next?
The budget proposal now goes to Congress, which has the ultimate authority over federal spending. Federal lawmakers will hold hearings, debate provisions, and eventually pass appropriations bills that may look quite different from this initial proposal.
While the final budget will likely look different from this initial proposal, the skinny budget signals potential challenges ahead for rural communities like Moab that rely on federal programs and public lands.
The Moab Sun News is reaching out to local elected officials, nonprofits and other organizations that impact the lives of Grand County residents to find out how they’re reacting to the budget proposals, planning ahead, and working with our area’s congressional representatives to protect our community. Stay tuned.
Appreciate the coverage? Help keep local news alive.
Chip in to support the Moab Sun News.