Obama, EPA to push for restoration of Superfund tax on oil, chemical companies

[kpete]

Source: Washington Post

By Juliet Eilperin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, June 21, 2010

There is no question that the Superfund program, first established 30 years ago to clean up sites around the country contaminated with hazardous waste, is facing a budget crunch.

For 15 years, the government imposed taxes on oil and chemical companies and certain other corporations. The money went into a cleanup trust fund, which reached its peak of $3.8 billion in 1996. But the taxes expired in 1995, and because Congress refused to renew them, the fund ran out of money.

Now the Obama administration will push to reinstate the so-called Superfund tax. The Environmental Protection Agency, which rarely urges passage of specific bills, will send a letter to Congress as early as Monday calling for legislation to reimpose the tax.

The move will spark an intense battle on Capitol Hill, with Democrats and the administration lining up against oil companies and chemical manufacturers. The measure's proponents say it will ease the burden on taxpayers, who are currently funding the cleanup of "orphaned" sites, where no one has accepted responsibility for the contamination. Opponen

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/20/AR2010062001789.html?hpid=topnews

[Zenlitened]

1. K&R.

[truthisfreedom]

2. Excuse my French but what a fucking mess we are all in.

It's really disheartening.

[The Roux Comes First]

3. K&R Indeed!