[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 3]
[House]
[Pages 3364-3365]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      SUPPORT THE METHAMPHETAMINE REMEDIATION RESEARCH ACT OF 2007

  (Mr. WALZ of Minnesota asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 
365, the Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act of 2007. In 
Minnesota, methamphetamine usage has increased dramatically over the 
past decade. With that being said, legislators, law enforcement and 
concerned citizens are all taking the necessary steps to protect our 
communities from the threat of methamphetamine usage and production.
  This legislation addresses the difficult problem of meth lab 
remediation. Meth production, which occurs most often in residential 
homes, leaves behind dangerous toxic waste. In fact, according to the 
Minnesota Department of Health, meth production leaves behind up to 7 
pounds of dangerous chemical waste for every pound of meth produced. 
This waste presents a health risk to future residents and an 
environmental risk to the surrounding area.
  In 2005, in Minnesota, 88 major meth labs were discovered, each of 
which presented significant risk. Although Minnesota has strong local 
and State

[[Page 3365]]

guidelines for dealing with meth lab remediation, the Federal 
Government can still play an important role in making our communities 
safer.
  H.R. 365 will direct the EPA to research and establish important 
voluntary guidelines for meth lab remediation. Furthermore, the bill 
will bring together local and State agencies, organizations and 
individuals to share their best strategies for cleaning up meth labs 
and determining when they are inhabitable.
  Mr. Speaker, this legislation is a necessary step toward improving 
the meth lab remediation process nationwide. It will help local, State 
and Federal law enforcement safely move forward after discovering a 
meth lab, and it will make local communities dealing with the 
methamphetamine problem cleaner and healthier. I encourage its passage.

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