Clinton's Environmental Initiatives

THE DAILY FED

Clinton's Environmental Initiatives

In one of his last stops before his campaign train arrived in Chicago, President Clinton yesterday announced a series of proposals to beef up the activities of the Environmental Protection Agency. At a stop in Battle Creek, Mich., Clinton stated, "Good environmental policy is good for the economy," adding that good jobs result from efforts to clean up the environment. Clinton said he would send to Congress legislation to expand enforcement against environmental crimes.

Environmental Protection Agency Communications Director Loretta Ucelli said that the proposals would accelerate toxic waste cleanups, toughen enforcement against criminal polluters, expand public knowledge about toxics and promote cleaner water and safer drinking water. Clinton-Gore Deputy Campaign Manager Ann Lewis today contrasted the administration's commitment to cleaning up toxic pollution with what she called "a Congress that last year actually invited polluters to come in and rewrite the regulations and take out the parts that were inconveniencing them."

Ucelli said the proposals mostly are actions that the EPA and other federal agencies can take administratively, but some would require legislation. Clinton proposed to double the pace of cleanup at priority toxic waste sites, and expand grants to states and cities to return "brownfields" toxic waste sites to productive use. He also called for stronger penalties for the worst illegal dumpers. In addition, Clinton wants Congress to restore $725 million in assistance for local drinking water improvement projects, Ucelli said. An appropriation for the assistance expired Aug. 1, when Congress failed to reauthorize the Safe Drinking Water Act. Congressional appropriators have promised to restore the money in FY97 EPA funding.