[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 56 (Thursday, April 22, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E745]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       CLEAN WATER TRUST FUND ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 22, 1999

  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, today I am proud to introduce a measure 
which I have supported since the 103rd Congress. This bill, the Clean 
Water Trust Fund Act, would put all funds collected through Clean Water 
Act fines and penalties into a trust fund to be used specifically for 
cleaning up polluted waters. This common sense measure links 
environmental penalties with environmental remedies, and ensures that 
money collected for environmental violations will not be lost in 
Washington.
  In Northwest Indiana, one of the most unique and naturally beautiful 
coastlines in the world has been the site of a major industrial center 
for over a century. With the advent of environmental regulation in the 
last fifty years, the companies which had before polluted the waters 
with impunity had to reform their manufacturing processes and begin 
paying fines and penalties if their new procedures did not decrease 
their pollution emissions to an acceptable level. The residents of my 
hometown were comforted by the understanding that these new rules would 
protect our environment--our coastline and groundwater and potable 
water supply--and keep us from being poisoned by the very industries on 
which we relied for work. But it just has not worked the way it should. 
Instead of working together, the hand that fines and the hand that 
cleans are attached to different bodies. Money collected for polluting 
drinking water can be used for anything from mohair subsidies to 
McDonalds' overseas advertising. This is clearly not the heroic role of 
environmental regulation envisioned by my friends and neighbors when we 
first supported the Environmental Protection Agency's control over how 
much and what an industry could dump into our nation's waters.
  My bill would begin to repair this disconnect. Under the Clean Water 
Trust Fund Act, residents of Northwest Indiana who read about millions 
being paid by a local company in Clean Water Act fines will know that 
money will come back to the region and be used to repair the 
environmental damage. It is as simple as that. The measure instructs 
the EPA Administrator to work with the states and turn the funds 
collected in fines and penalties into environmental remediation for the 
areas affected.
  We can have no higher priority than creating a society where our 
citizens have the opportunity to live safely and healthily. Making sure 
that everyone has access to safe, clean water is one of the most basic 
requirements of civilization. This measure, which would reconnect 
penalties to relief, is an important first step. Mr. Speaker, with the 
support of over thirty of my colleagues from both sides of the aisle, I 
am pleased to introduce the Clean Water Trust Fund Act.

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