Florida currently has 46 active sites on the National Priorities List. An additional 19 sites are being cleaned up by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection under their state cleanup program. The General Accounting Office's November 1998 report identifies 269 sites in Florida that are classified as awaiting an NPL decision. Florida therefore has a vested interest in the future of the Superfund cleanup program.
The State of Florida has also initiated a brownfields cleanup program to address underutilized industrial properties across the state. These sites may have low levels of contamination present as a result of previous industrial activity, but do not qualify for the NPL. However, many property owners are concerned that even after a site is cleaned up to the state's satisfaction, the EPA may require additional action. This lack of certainty about future federal liability can inhibit development of the property, contributing to urban blight and suburban sprawl.
I look forward to working with my colleagues to find a way to revise existing Superfund law to encourage cleanup of brownfields. In addition, we need to revise Superfund's liability provisions to treat contributors of small quantities of waste fairly and to encourage recycling of materials to conserve our natural resources. Administrator Browner has initiated a variety of administrative reforms at the Environmental Protection Agency over the years to address these issues, and I look forward to discussing where we go from here.