H.R. 2279, ‘‘Reducing Excessive Deadline Obligations Act of 2013’’

H.R. 2279 was introduced on June 6, 2013, by Rep. Cory Gardner (R-CO).  As introduced, H.R. 2279 includes two significant provisions.  First, the bill weakens the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) by removing a requirement to review regulations every three years.  Second, the bill erects procedural obstacles to promulgating financial responsibility regulations required under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Liability, and Compensation Act, also known as Superfund, for the most polluting industries.  Those requirements protect taxpayers by ensuring that responsible parties pay for cleanup costs at polluted sites.

In January 2014, two additional bills, H.R. 2226 and H.R. 2318, were incorporated into H.R. 2279 for floor consideration.  The resulting legislation would have the effect of reducing the number of Superfund cleanups accomplished each year and allowing polluters to escape responsibility for the pollution they have caused.

The expanded version of H.R. 2279 passed the House on January 9, 2014.