[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 58 (Thursday, May 12, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 12, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
           NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT ACT

                                 ______


                             HON. RON KLINK

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 12, 1994

  Mr. KLINK. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the National 
Environmental Training and Employment Act, along with my colleagues on 
the Education and Labor Committee, Mr. Clay and Mr. Kildee. Our intent 
is to ensure and enhance quality training, health and safety and 
employment opportunities for environmental response workers in 
hazardous waste remediation and abatement of toxic substances.
  Hazardous waste cleanup and abatement of toxic substances, by nature, 
is dangerous work with serious health and safety consequences for 
workers, the community and the environment. Workers are routinely 
exposed to highly toxic chemical and other environmental wastes such as 
asbestos and lead.
  To adequately protect themselves, the community, and the environment, 
these workers require the highest possible levels of both skills and 
health and safety training. I believe that we must ensure that these 
workers have this training. That is why I am introducing the National 
Environmental Training and Employment Act.
  One of the few growth industries in the United States today is the 
field of toxic cleanup. As we have sadly learned in recent years, the 
contamination of the environment is vast and pervasive. In both the 
private and public sectors, the country is confronted with toxic waste 
dump sites, aged and decaying nuclear weapons facilities, contaminated 
military bases, abandoned industrial complexes and public and private 
buildings and dwellings polluted by asbestos and lead.
  In addition, we are now told that large tracts of public land under 
the control of the Department of the Interior are polluted with 
chemical wastes and many of our bridges and much of the public housing 
stock are contaminated with lead-based paint. The resulting pollution 
of our air, water and soil has created a serious threat to the public 
health and environment.
  Much of the responsibility for this environmental degradation lies 
with the Federal Government itself. A substantial amount of the waste 
and pollution is located on property under the control of the 
Departments of Defense, Energy, Interior and Housing and Urban 
Development. Other agencies that share regulatory responsibility 
include the Environmental Protection Agency and the Departments of 
Transportation, Labor and Health and Human Services.
  Every year, Congress appropriates tens of billions of dollars just 
for the environmental remediation and cleanup of contaminated Federal 
property. The hazardous waste cleanup and management of the Department 
of Energy;s nuclear weapons facilities alone consumes several billion 
dollars annually and won't be finished for decades. It's clear that 
Federal environmental remediation expenditures will drive and shape the 
environmental response and cleanup industry.
  We are also confronted with large-scale toxic contamination of 
private, State and local property that must be restored to commercially 
viable uses. Much of it is located in and around large urban areas.
  In my home area, western Pennsylvania, there are hundreds if not 
thousands of closed and abandoned industrial sites, many of which are 
polluted. These sites are the legacy of what was once America's 
industrial heartland. State and local governments are now confronted 
with large cleanup costs if the property is to be economically restored 
and redeveloped.
  Congress has enacted a number of laws to deal with the environmental 
degradation of our country. These include the Clean Air and Water Acts, 
Superfund, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act [RCRA], the Toxic 
Substances and Control Act, title X of the 1992 Housing Act--governing 
lead paint abatement--the Occupational Safety and Health Act [OSHA], 
and others.
  However, while a great deal of time and money has been expended on 
these programs, perhaps and least defined area is the ``blue collar'' 
or workforce dimension of the hazardous waste problem.
  My legislation seeks to provide some definition in this area. It 
would require the Secretary of Labor to establish and administer a 
National Environmental Response Training Program.
  The Training Program would certify environmental response employers 
and contractors, set standards for the training of environmental 
response workers, accredit environmental training providers and 
establish a supplementary environmental response safety and health 
program.
  My bill would also create a National Environmental Response 
Employment Program, which would provide the necessary training for job 
opportunities to unemployed and underemployed environmental response 
workers, emergency response personnel, minorities, women, and displaced 
military veterans.
  Finally, my legislation will provide an interagency focus on 
environmental problems, a focus that is now missing. The bill will 
establish a Federal Environmental Coordination Committee, charged with 
ensuring the cooperation necessary to carry out the objective of the 
legislation, including collaborative arrangements with the States.
  I hope this legislation will further define the scope, nature, and 
resolution of the workforce problems and opportunities that face us as 
we attempt to improve our country's environmental cleanup and abatement 
programs.

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