AIR/WATER Pollution Report - NEW SUPERFUND BILL WANTS TOO MUCH, TOO SOON, THOMAS TELLS HOUSE PANEL

Oct 13, 2026

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AIR/WATER pollution coverage dated May 21, 1984 highlights U.S. House and EPA discussion on Superfund reauthorization. Lee Thomas, EPA’s Superfund administrator, warns that cleanup schedules in the new compromise bill are unrealistic, citing lab capacity limits and risks to state participation. He also flags a provision allowing citizens to sue over waste-law violations, expecting significant court time. House leaders debate timing and funding, with some pushing immediate reauthorization rather than waiting for later EPA assessments.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

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NEW SUPERFUND BILL WANTS TOO MUCH, TOO SOON, THOMAS TELLS HOUSE PANEL

Cleanup schedule realism and capacity constraints

Citizen suits over waste-law violations

Funding level and timing debate

SEN. STAFFORD SETS JUNE TARGET FOR SUPERFUND REAUTHORIZATION MARKUP, WITH DEBATE IN AUGUST

AIR/WATER pollution report May 21,1984 Page 191 Roe,Stafford Vow To Reauthorize Superfund This Year… …Page 192 ★ Eckart Introduces Revised Acid Rain Plan… ……Page 193 SDWA Debate Raises Controversy on BAT Requirement………Page 194 黄EPA Pretreatment Task Force Considers Removal Credits… …Page 195 黄Environmentalists Launch Stop Acid Rain'Campaign………Page 196 House Panel Backs Ban of Harmful'Ocean Sludge Dumping……Page 197 SLANTS &TRENDS TO0 LATE --this is the environmentalists'view of Rep.Dennis Eckart's(D.-Ohio)version of an acid rain control program which he and Rep.John Seiberling(D.-Ohio)introduced last week. See story,p.193.David Hawkins,senior staffattorney with the National Clean Air Coalition,dismissed the Eckart effort ontwo counts:the bulk of the reductions will not be required until six years af-ter those in the currently defunct Waxman-Sikorski bill and the innovative tech-nology provisions could allow even further delays.Hawkins says he has notgiven up hope on W-S;"we're talking to members,"hoping to get it resurrected. TO0 PAROCHIAL was another argument that Hawkins used. "We can't have a billthat suits just Ohio,"he contended. Yet,clearly midwesterners have shown theyhave the votes to insist that more attention be paid to their complaints.Theworry was nowhere expressed more clearly than at a recent conference in Cincin-nati on acid rain.Jeff Conley of the National Environmental Development Asso-ciation hammered at the acid rain emissions "cap,"in current proposals which hewarned would "confiscate industrial capacity,"affecting every Ohio plant. 册善善 ENVIRONMENTAL GAINS.Moderate Republicans in the Senate forced acceptance lastThursday of an amendment that would divert $2 billion in the budget over thenext three years into environmental,health and education programs.Sen。JohnChafee(R。-R.I.)was instrumental in pushing the change,which among otherthings allows domestic program budgets to keep pace with inflation.The provi-sion still has to get through conference。The House version,while allowing fora larger deficit,does not include as much money for environmental programs。 ROOTING FOR RAIN.Send your cards and letters,folks.Several environmentalgroups have initiated a grassroots campaign to stop acid rain."While Congressis one of the primary targets of this effort,the movement is clearly more pub-licity hype against the Reagan administration,since the likelihood of gettingacid rain legislation from this Congress is very remote. The result,however,may be that the Republicans write off the environmental vote.Since the acidrain issue is not one on which to force a partisan stand,as it cuts on regionalrather than political lines,the roots on this one have the look of crabgrass. AIR/WATER pollution report_ # NEW SUPERFUND BILL WANTS TOO MUCH,TO0 SOON,THOMAS TELLS HOUSE PANEL Mandatory schedules for beginning cleanup actions at hazardous waste sitesset up in the new compromise Superfund reauthorization bill,H.R.5640,"arepretty unrealistic,"_according to Lee Thomas,assistant administrator in chargeof Superfund at the Environmental Protection Agency(A/WPR,May 14,1984,p.181)。Thomas made his comments May 15 before hearings hastily called by HouseWater Resources Chairman Robert Roe(D.-N.J.),a bill cosponsor who was makinggood on his vow to get the reauthorization ball rolling quickly. The timetables,which call for EPA to begin investigations at all NationalPriorities List waste sites within 18 months of the bill's enactment,"couldcreate some bottlenecks"in the agency's cleanup program,Thomas said.Theagency's contract laboratories are working at near-capacity levels now,he ex-plained,adding that "accelerating the program pace more…could also reducedrastically the level of state participation in the Superfund program。" During questioning,he also expressed concern about a provision in the billauthorizing citizens to bring suits over violations of waste laws."We may findo

FAQs

What did Lee Thomas say about the new Superfund compromise bill’s cleanup schedules?

Thomas said the schedules are unrealistic, warning they could create bottlenecks because contract laboratories are already near capacity.

Why is the bill’s citizen-suit provision a concern, according to Thomas?

Thomas commented that citizens could bring suits over waste-law violations, potentially forcing EPA staff to spend much of their time in court.

How do members of Congress differ on when the Superfund program should be reauthorized?

Some argue for reauthorization this year to sustain momentum, while others suggest Congress wait to assess possible changes after EPA’s Superfund assessment study is released in December.

Oct 13, 2026

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