[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 63 (Thursday, May 19, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 19, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
         DO NOT LEAVE LOCAL GOVERNMENT HOLDING THE GARBAGE BAG

  (Mr. MINGE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MINGE. Mr. Speaker, this week, in the decision of Carbone versus 
Clarkston, the U.S. Supreme Court trashed flow control laws in this 
country. Flow control is the power of local government to determine the 
ultimate disposition of garbage. This decision severely handicaps our 
cities and counties abilities to safely dispose of our Nation's 
garbage.
  The Federal Government required State and local governments to 
dispose of solid wastes in environmentally sensible fashion. It is 
good, but it is a classic unfunded mandate.
  It was expected that local governments could meet this mandate by 
building new facilities, charging for their use, and directing the flow 
of garbage to these facilities.
  The Supreme Court overturned these local ordinances and has now 
forced communities to take the risks of unsafe, environmentally 
hazardous disposition of solid wastes, and threatens the security of 
$18 billion in outstanding municipal bonds.
  Congress must respond by enacting legislation that will give our 
localities the tools they need to keep our children and our communities 
safe.
  I implore my colleagues not to leave local government holding the 
garbage bag. instead we must learn how flow control is important to our 
communities and enact legislation to return to them the power to deal 
with their solid waste.

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