[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 3, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E5]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        RE-INTRODUCTION OF THE SMALL COMMUNITIES ASSISTANCE ACT

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                     HON. LOUISE McINTOSH SLAUGHTER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, January 3, 2001

  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, my colleague Representative Sherwood 
Boehlert and I are proud to reintroduce the Small Communities 
Assistance Act.
  For years, small towns and villages have labored to satisfy 
environmental regulations tailored to the needs and resources of major 
cities. This bipartisan legislation would direct the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) to provide more help for small communities in 
meeting their environmental obligations.
  Larger urban areas can have an entire environmental services 
department that employs dozens of people to interpret the EPA's complex 
and sometimes costly regulations. At the same time, small communities 
often do not have even one full-time employee assigned to this task. 
This bill will assist small communities and give them a larger voice in 
drafting regulations with a fair and balanced approach considering they 
do not have the staff and financial capabilities of larger communities.
  People who live in small towns are proud of their community and their 
environment. They want to comply with health and environmental 
standards in order to leave a healthy legacy for their children. 
However, small communities need flexibility in order to comply with 
environmental regulations as they seek to protect their families' 
health and the local environment. One size does not fit all.
  The Small Communities Assistance Act would require each EPA regional 
office to establish a Small Town Ombudsman Office to advocate for small 
communities. The EPA would also develop a plan to increase the 
involvement of small communities in the regulatory review process so 
that EPA regulations would be flexible enough to account for small town 
priorities. The agency would be required to survey small communities 
and establish a small community advisory committee.

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