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Legislation to make polluters pay
Toxic waste sites can cause serious damage to the water, air and land. The most polluted of these sites, called Superfund sites, threaten the health of millions. To make matters worse, polluters are sticking taxpayers with the environmental clean-up bill. Congress introduced legislation that would make polluters pay to cleanup Superfund sites. In September, Rep. Blumenauer (Ore.) introduced legislation that would make polluters pay to cleanup Superfund sites.
What's at stake
Toxic substances contaminate the land, air, surface waters and
groundwater in communities across the country. In 1987, Congress
created the Superfund to clean the
nation’s worst toxic sites.
Insufficient funding jeopardizes
existing Superfund cleanups and hinders the identification and
assessment of new sites. In 1995, the Superfund “polluter pays” fees
that once compelled large-scale polluters to provide money for
Superfund cleanups expired. Lacking ample cleanup money, the EPA must
prolong existing site cleanups and postpone cleanups at new sites.
In
2005, Hurricane Katrina damaged chemical facilities and churned up
toxic waste at Superfund sites across the Gulf region. Unfortunately,
the funding shortfalls that plague the Superfund program may hinder its
ability to respond to the toxic pollution left in the hurricane's wake.
Environment America is calling on Congress to restore the “polluter pays” fees and provide full funding for the Superfund Program.
