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

[nmbluesky]

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. Opponents suggest that it amounts to an unfair penalty.

"This is really about who should pay for the cleanup," said Mathy Stanislaus of the EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. "Should it be the taxpayer, who has no responsibility for contaminating the sites, or should it be those individuals who create hazardous substances that contaminate the site?"

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

[KT2000]

1. Obama has been good

on retooling the EPA - there have been many improvements. Stalled research is moving forward, more info is being made public and Bush agendas stopped.

[Raine1967]

2. K&R

This is very good news.

Now is the time.

[4lbs]

3. Hey! That's no way for a "corporatist" President to behave!

I've been told he's a corporatist, so... umm... what gives?

;)

[ShadowLiberal]

4. There's no better time to push for this then now

There's so much reason to reinstate it that they should push for the tax and fund to be permanent, so it'll be harder for the radical right to destroy again.

[Hekate]

5. My God, the man is just NOT getting anything done, is he?

In actuality, I am just so pleased to read this.

Hekate

[vaberella]

6. And Obama is said to be a Corporatist. Obviously they're wrong. n/t

[impik]

7. Hey, Mr. Obama, start working, for crying out loud

Enough with the laziness.

[w4rma]

8. My advice: just tax the oil companies. Make a deal with the chemical company lobbyists. (nt)

There is no reason to fight this on two fronts, especially when you can get the chemical companies to help in the fight by going after the industry that is both making way too much money for what they do and is very unpopular, right now.