[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 22 (Friday, February 23, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E204-E205]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             LAND DISPOSAL PROGRAM FLEXIBILITY ACT OF 1995

                                 ______


                               speech of

                           HON. JIM McDERMOTT

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 31, 1996

  Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, I am unable to support the Interstate 
Transportation of Municipal Solid Waste Act of 1995. Regardless of the 
numerous procedural and environmental concerns which many of us have 

[[Page E205]]
raised in connection with this legislation, the people of the Seventh 
Congressional District of Washington would gain little from this bill's 
passage.
  The bill lacks a strong affirmation of local government's right and 
responsibility to direct the collection and disposal of its solid 
waste. While the bill does grandfather flow control authority for 
county governments in Washington State that have invested millions of 
dollars into developing and integrating their disposal systems, the 
bill does not grandfather flow control authority exercised by the city 
of Seattle.
  It was the city of Seattle's ability to exercise flow control 
authority over commercial garbage, and its ability to direct contract-
collected residential garbage to a designated facility, that made it 
possible for the city to procure a low-cost long-haul disposal contract 
in 1989. Simply put, the city's ability to guarantee a large volume of 
waste to the winning bidder made it possible for the bidders to offer 
the city the huge financial benefits of economies of scale in providing 
disposal services.
  The ability of the city of Seattle and other jurisdictions who 
exercise flow control and use competitive contracting to get the best 
deal for their citizens should be protected under any flow control 
bill. Unfortunately, this bill does not offer such protection.
  I hope to work with the committee to craft another bill that better 
protects the citizens of Seattle and the nationally recognized solid 
waste management system the city has created.