Barton's bill is back

Texas Congressman reintroduces Small Business Remediation Act

One day before Congress left Washington for its Summer District Work break, Texas Republican Joe Barton introduced the newest version of his Small Business Remediation Act.

The bill would set cleanup standards for drycleaning solvents in soil and groundwater. Currently there are no legally established standards, which makes it difficult for cleaners when they are forced to cleanup to the only existing federal standard -- one that was set for drinking water by EPA.

The drinking water standard calls for a maximum contaminant level of 5 parts per billion of perc in drinking water. Remediating soil or groundwater to that level can be extremely costly and, many in the industry believe, is unnecessary when the solvent is not threatening the public drinking water supply.

Previously Barton had introduced legislation that would tie the cleanup standard for drycleaning solvent in soil and groundwater to the level that OSHA allows for exposure in the workplace. Barton's new bill, HR 2726, links the standard to a Soil Screening Guidance Document (SSGD) developed by EPA some years ago. Clean-up levels in the SSGD start at a high of 11 parts per million and work down from there based on the specific circumstances or the contamination.

Supporters of this the legislation believe the new approach will make the bill more palatable to a wider ranger of members of Congress and increase its chances for passage. The legislation that Barton introduced in the last Congress, which used the OSHA standard, gained 95 cosponsors, about two-thirds of whom were Republicans. With he smaller Republican majority in Congress, more support from Democrats will be needed to gain passage.

Supporters believe the new bill would still provide reasonable cleanup standards for drycleaners.

The bill was introduced August 5 and initially gained five cosponsors, including the powerful House Majority whip, Tom DeLay of Texas. Further action in Washington is not likely until congress returns September 7.

In the meantime, industry supporters of the legislation will be activating the grassroots network that was a key to gaining sponsors for the legislation in the last Congress. All but four or those cosponsors continue to serve in Congress. Two have moved on the to Senate where companion legislation will need to be introduced.

More about
the bill...