Environment America is the new home of U.S. PIRG’s environmental work.
WASHINGTON, DC – September 30th marks the end of the federal fiscal year, and another year of bankruptcy for the Superfund hazardous waste cleanup program. Since the Superfund first went bankrupt in 2003, attempts to compensate for lost polluter payments with taxpayer money have not prevented delays and postponements at many toxic waste cleanups.
The Superfund provides money to clean the nation’s worst toxic waste sites when no other viable sources of funding are available. A set of three polluter fees once ensured that polluting industries paid for these Superfund-led toxic cleanups. These polluter fees expired in 1995 and Superfund cleanups are now paid for with scarce taxpayer dollars.
“The exclusive use of taxpayer money to cleanup after irresponsible corporations is fiscally reckless and amounts to nothing more than polluter welfare,” said Alex Fidis a Staff Attorney with U.S. PIRG.
Without the revenue from the polluter fees, taxpayers pay approximately $1.2 billion annually for Superfund cleanups. Despite this significant investment, the Superfund program still does not receive full funding, creating shortfalls that jeopardize public health by delaying critical toxic cleanups. In 2006, EPA cleaned only 24 sites, a significant departure from the average of 77 cleaned each year.
Congressmen Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ) recently introduced legislation (H.R. 3636) that would restore the polluter pays fees. It is estimated that reinstating the fees would generate more than $1.6 billion annually, an amount sufficient to cover current Superfund needs.
“Reinstating the polluter pays fees will compel polluters to pay their fair share and alleviate the burden on taxpayers,” said Fidis. “Most importantly, polluter funding will provide the increase in cleanup money necessary to achieve Superfund’s important public health goals.”
