[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 1]
[House]
[Pages 481-482]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



SECRETARY BILL RICHARDSON AND BILL HEDDEN: A POWERFUL TEAM TO SAVE THE 
                  SOUTHWEST'S WATER AND NATIONAL PARKS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaTourette). Under a previous order of 
the House, the gentleman from California (Mr. Filner) is recognized for 
5 minutes.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and in thanks to two 
powerful ``Bills.'' Not the legislation we introduce here, but as in 
Bill Richardson and Bill Hedden, for their work to move the largest 
uranium mine tailings pile that has ever threatened the drinking water 
in the United States.
  Secretary of Energy, Bill Richardson, and Bill Hedden, the Utah 
Conservation Director of the Grand Canyon Trust, are two lifesaving 
``Bills'' who have shown incredible leadership in pushing to move a 
uranium tailings

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pile that currently sits only 750 feet away from the Colorado River 
near Moab, Utah.
  A few days ago, Secretary Richardson unveiled an innovative agreement 
that would result in moving the tailings pile that is slowly leaching 
radioactive waste into the Colorado River. And just last night, our 
other hero, Bill Hedden, was honored by the Project on Government 
Oversight, or POGO, for his tireless efforts to move this poisonous 
pile. Both men see how important it is to move the tailings pile, which 
is as big as 118 football fields, rather than capping it in its place. 
This capping would only ensure that the poisonous waste would continue 
to leach into the Colorado River for up to 3 centuries.
  Because of these visionary ``Bills,'' 25 million people who live down 
the Colorado River and who depend on it for their drinking water not be 
doomed to poor ``bills'' of health from the pollution.
  Our ``Bills'' are working to ensure that one-seventh of the United 
States, including Las Vegas, Arizona, and the Southern California urban 
areas of Los Angeles and the city I represent, San Diego, will have 
water free from this pollution.
  Our hero ``Bills'' are trying to save us from the bill that the 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, or the NRC, was trying to stick us with. 
The NRC said that capping the poisonous pile was good enough. The NRC 
did not care that they were sentencing our children, our grandchildren, 
and great grandchildren to 270 years of having this radioactive waste 
leach into our water supply.
  These white-hatted ``Bills'' know that our Nation must protect our 
water, our animals, and our beautiful National Parks that we have set 
aside because they are our treasures.
  As one of our ``Bills,'' Secretary Richardson, said a few weeks ago, 
``The time to act is now. Radioactive waste sits at the gateway of two 
National Parks, Arches and Canyonlands. This area is a geological 
wonderland, nested in a valley with scenic red cliffs and rugged, 
beautiful desert terrain. The Department of Energy has the expertise 
and experience to relocate the material in a secure, permanent location 
that is safely away from the Colorado River and our National Parks.''
  Mr. Speaker, I tip my hat to these two courageous ``Bills,'' 
Secretary Richardson and Grand Canyon Trust's Bill Hedden, for saving 
us the bill of misery, ill health, and heartache that would go with 
permanently enshrining this huge pile of waste in the backyard of our 
National Parks where it would surely and forever pollute the 
Southwest's drinking water.
  I commit, Mr. Speaker, and I hope my colleagues will join me in this 
pledge, to push through legislation that will make the work of these 
visionary ``Bills'' a reality. We must pass our bill necessary to put 
the jurisdiction for this poisonous pile where it belongs, in the hands 
of the Department of Energy.

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