STATEMENT OF SENATOR FRANK R. LAUTENBERG
ON THE FY 2001 BUDGET OF THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
OFFICE OF SOLID WASTE AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE SUPERFUND, WASTE CONTROL AND RISK ASSESSMENT
MARCH 30, 2000

Mr. Chairman, I thank you for the opportunity to review EPA's budget for the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response in the authorizing committee. And since I also sit on the Appropriations Committee, these are issues I have long been interested in.

As you know, during the years I've served as the ranking Democrat and before that, Chair on this subcommittee, I've been very involved in the programs under your purview, and I am proud to say that there have been many accomplishments over the years.

Just about half of the Superfund sites on the National Priorities List are completely cleaned up. And final cleanup plans have been approved for more than 1,000 other sites. Over 90 percent of the sites on the National Priorities List have cleanups underway or completed.

Now that Superfund is really hitting its stride, we need to keep that momentum going.

I am extremely supportive of Brownfields and the progress of the Brownfields assessment pilot projects. EPA has signed more than 300 agreements for Brownfields assessment pilots. These, and other EPA brownfields projects, are enhancing the abilities of communities all across our nation to redevelop abandoned properties for productive reuse.

The Underground Storage Tank Program has also made progress over the years, and we have increasing evidence that this is a very important program and critical to protecting our groundwater. For example, from the beginning of the program in the late 1980s through late 1999, approximately 400,000 leaks were detected, and approximately 230,000 cleanups were completed.

The RCRA program, addressing ongoing facilities has also been vastly improved over the last few years, including the recent reforms to the RCRA cleanup program. I applaud the Administration for proposing additional funding for this program and hope it continues to get our attention.

All of these programs have a tremendous influence on the health and quality of life for our constituents. I am proud of the role we on this committee have played in bringing these programs into law, and I am committed to making sure that they are funded adequately.

Mr. Chairman, I look forward to an excellent presentation from Assistant Administrator Timothy Fields and I thank him and the committee for this opportunity to review the OSWER budget.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.