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Funding gaps plague EPA Superfund program
The Environmental Protection Administration's Superfund cleanup program faced a $174.9 million shortfall in fiscal year 2003, the second year in a row that the agency's inspector general has identified funding gaps in the hazardous waste program, prompting quick condemnations of the Bush administration from House and Senate Democrats.
In a report issued Tuesday, the agency's inspector general wrote that, "limited funding prevented EPA from beginning construction at all sites or providing additional funds needed to address sites in a manner believed necessary by [EPA] regional officials."
Democrats say the shortfall has also slowed the cleanup of at least 29 Superfund sites in 17 states. The funding shortfall "means increased risks to human health and the environment -- risks and costs that the taxpayers are covering while the polluters get off scot-free," Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., said in a statement.
Boxer requested the report last July along with House Energy and Commerce ranking member John Dingell, D-Mich., Rep. Hilda Solis, D-Calif., and Senate Environment and Public Works ranking member James Jeffords, I-Vt.
COMMENTS
- This is ridiculous! All the funding for superfund would not cover the costs to truly cleanup the Hanover and Rocky Flats sites that the Dept of Energy created and that are the most dangerous in the nation. However, this $138 million will become the big issue. Focus on the real problems! Clean up Hanover (Washington State) and Rocky Flats (Colorado) they are killers. Close the AEC and the Dept of Energy and stop nuclear research. What is it going to take to learn this stuff kills! It kills whether it is used for war or even for peace (electric production)! Current ads state that nuclear energy is clean (no air pollution). That is false advertising and should be stopped by the DoE! While there is no air pollution, the nuclear waste is a much bigger problem. Nuclear plants along rivers in particular present a big danger. Flooding in the mid nineties almost caused the nuclear waste at nuclear reactor sites to be washed into the river and carried for hundreds of miles across Missouri, Ark., Louisiana, Mississippi, Ky., Tenn., and Ill. Why don’t the government and the press warn people about this danger? The reason is because the nuclear interests are too great and they do not want to be confronted with any real problem with the pollution they generate! The USA also should push worldwide to eliminate nuclear plants until they find a way to dispose of the wastes in a safe manner - and that is not burying it in a mountain in Nevada! GovExec.com reader Posted January 9, 2004 7:01 AM
