"Very much committed"
Open Letter to the Industry
from Congressman Joe Barton
MARCH 14
Last Congress, the Small Business Remediation Act I introduced attracted nearly 100 cosponsors. In the first year of this Congress, we saw the Act passed by the powerful House Commerce Committee as part of the comprehensive Superfund Reform Legislation. All of this action of the last three years has created significant momentum for HR 2726, which continues to be a top legislative priority for me. I want to capitalize on this momentum to provide the nation's drycleaning industry this year with a federal law that will provide certainty that clean-up of contamination of drycleaning sites can be done in a cost effective manner.
To achieve this goal, I am pursuing several avenues. The legislative approaches have the objective of codifying language that would provide a federally approved clean-up level for drycleaning solvents in soils as well as groundwater that is not a current source of drinking water. This could be accomplished by including language in the EPA FY 2001 Appropriations Bill. It could also be done by inserting language from the Barton Bill in any small Superfund bill that begins to move. I also will continue to push for consideration of HR 2726 as a stand-alone bill, although this option faces an uphill battle this year. Nevertheless, keeping this legislative option open will greatly help position the issue as one with momentum as the political awareness becomes more favorable to this small business relief legislation.
In hopes of achieving an administrative solution to this problem, I have had several discussions with the EPA in the last year. High level EPA officials continue to tell me an administrative solution is possible, although this administrative relief option has been frustrated by the EPA so far.
The bottom line is that I am very much committed to pursuing relief for the drycleaning industry. Establishment of a common-sense clean-up standard for drycleaning solvent in soils is possible and I will not stop until we have succeeded. I understand that many in the drycleaning industry are discouraged with the pace and possibility of a solution. I, too, am frustrated at the pace of this process, However, I am convinced that we are closer than ever to a solution to the costly and needless clean-up levels facing the nation's drycleaners.
I appreciate all the hard work and support by grassroots drycleaners. If we continue to work tighter, I am confident of ultimate success.
Joe Barton
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