WASHINGTON, DC - The Environment and the Economy Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL), today held the first panel of a two-day hearing examining federal facility cleanups under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). CERCLA requires federal agencies to identify, assess, and clean up hazardous waste contamination at facilities that they own or use. Next week the committee will hear the state perspective on federal facility cleanups.
Members heard from the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy about the issues they face in cleaning up contaminated facilities under CERCLA. Members also heard from the Environmental Protection Agency about their limited oversight role in the cleanup process. Issues discussed with the federal agencies included the transparency of the process and timing and efficiency with which cleanups are completed. The members also heard from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) which has long studied the issue. The nonpartisan watchdog offered valuable insight into the problems with the federal facility cleanup program and offered productive solutions.
Committee member Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH) highlighted one example that underscored the need for improvements to the law. Johnson expressed dismay that the timeline for the cleanup of the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion plant, located in Piketon, Ohio, has been pushed back another 30 years, delaying reindustrialization of the site. “I’m shocked that the Department of Energy has now extended the deadline, the timeline for completing that cleanup approximately another 30 years and it makes absolutely no sense to me. … It’s very unfortunate that for the third year in a row jobs are at risk because the administration has failed to request adequate funding to complete this work."
Chairman Shimkus concluded, “Today’s hearing demonstrated that some of our federal partners are more successful than others at juggling the balance between focusing on national security and protecting our land and water. Thousands of ordinary and private sector companies face the daily challenge of controlling costs and making a profit and their federal agency counterparts should be no different. I’m looking forward to hearing the second panel of witnesses next week who will provide the committee with the state and local perspective on federal facility cleanups."
