House Republicans Just Quietly Passed A Bill Gutting Hazardous Waste Legislation

[muriel_volestrangler]

WASHINGTON – The House of Representatives passed a bill on Thursday overhauling the country's hazardous waste laws.

The bill, called the Reducing Excessive Deadline Obligations Act, amends both the Solid Waste Disposal Act and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (which is commonly known as Superfund). It would remove requirements that the EPA periodically update and review solid waste disposal regulations, and would make it harder for the government to require companies that deal with hazardous substances to carry enough insurance to cover cleanup. The bill would also require more consultation with states before the government imposes cleanup requirements for Superfund sites -- places where hazardous waste is located and could be affecting local people or ecosystems.

The bill passed by a vote of 225 to 188, largely along party lines. Four Republicans voted against it, and five Democrats voted for it.
...
Scott Slesinger, legislative director at the Natural Resources Defense Council, called the bill a "New Year’s gift to corporate interests" in a statement. "This bill could delay cleaning up toxic federal facilities, free companies to pass their hazardous cleanup costs onto taxpayers, and strangle health safeguards intended to limit harmful ash drifting from steam boilers," said Slesinger.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/09/house-superfund-bill_n_4571428.html?1389312684

As Charles Pierce puts it:

The next time you see your friendly neighborhood Republican, ask him why his party is so enthusiastically in favor of toxic waste.

This bill will die in the Senate or, if everyone in the Senate takes LSD at the same time, the president will deliver on his promised veto. But you have to keep an eye on everything passed by this House of Representatives. This is the wish list. They get the Senate in 2014, and the White House in 2016, this is the basis on which the country will be governed. Be aware of that.

[RobertEarl]

1. Waste dumping could be made safe

We just can't afford it. Therefore, the republicans have decided to make waste dumping affordable. Like we had it 50 years ago.

Lower Prices! More product! It's a family value, and the American way!

[octoberlib]

2. The GOP won't be happy until our

Air and water quality is the same as China's.

[Botany]

3. Just in time

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024310450

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. And, horribly ironically, the company at fault is "Freedom Industries"

If it were a film script, you'd call the company name hackneyed, and an example of too-obvious sarcasm.

[Botany]

5. I don't think freedom industries did this on purpose ...

.... that is lots of $$$$$ floating away with that spill.

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. Sure, but they are 'free' to pollute without being responsible

During Friday morning's news conference, Jeff McIntyre, president of West Virginia American Water, warned customers in nine West Virginia counties to not use the water until further notice. He says it is only safe for flushing the toilet.

The spill happened after a foaming agent was released into the Elk River in Kanawha County from a company called Freedom Industries. A bulk tank container failed at the plant failed, leaking the chemical over land into the river.

McIntyre said the water company was notified of the spill by the DEP Thursday, but he believes it occurred some time before that.

McIntyre says his company was not contacted by Freedom Industries about the spill.

http://wvmetronews.com/2014/01/10/freedom-industries-unaware-of-leak-size/

The "Reducing Excessive Deadline Obligations Act" is in reality the "Freedom to Pollute Act".

[Botany]

12. I am an environmentalist from way back with a B.S. in ecology and 25 years of field experience ....

.... No doubt the company made mistake(s) and a toxin was released into the environment
but the chemical that was dumped into the Elk River is a product that Freedom Industries
sells to coal companies and having it just dumped is costing them tons of $$$$.

[11 Bravo]

7. Next the House will retroactively pass a bill so Freedom Industries can bill people downstream ...

for the unauthorized use of their chemicals.

[PADemD]

8. Here's the vote on passage

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2014/roll010.xml#Y

[jmowreader]

9. Must EVERY bill have a name that makes an acronym?

This one's the REDO act...I expect the GOP to drop the Fixing Unnecessary Career Killers by Optimizing Business And Monetary Administration Act (this is the bill that'll drop the minimum wage to $5 per hour and get rid of the 40-hour workweek, child labor laws and paid overtime) in the hopper sometime in the next year. The name of this bill will finally cause the president to speak the words we've all been wondering: "What the hell is wrong with Republicans anyway?"

[jsr]

10. +1

[kentuck]

11. Damn them to hell!

[BodieTown]

13. Bill's Author: Cory Gardner (R-CO), Member of ALEC

You can bet that the billionaire psychopaths funded this one in the House.

It won't get past the Senate, and the President has vowed to veto it.

Gardner is a Colorado shill for corporate interests and a cheerleader for Rafael Cruz.