“congress should just cut the money off to the point that the EPA can do no more than keep people from dumping in the rivers and lakes.”
Not enough. The EPA is a subversive organization filled with crypto-nazis, and every one of them should be hanged for sedition. As for keeping people from dumping in rivers and lakes, the EPA thugs abuse that, too. The EPA grossly and publicly defied the Supreme Court SWANCC decision. It illegally ignored congress and wrote rules to trump congressional intent concerning navigable waterways.
Read Rapanos v US.
I doubt that it can be done in one fell swoop.
We will be lucky to get any reduction in power at all.
However, I agree with you. It is my belief that the EPA has done more damage to this country's economy than Freddie Mac, Fannie May and all of the real estate scams.
The difference is that it is so under the radar, so insidious that the public and even most industry does not realize what is happening.