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For Immediate Release
February 14, 2005
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Senate Approves
White Measure to Fund State Hazardous Sites Cleanup
Program
Harrisburg – The state Senate today approved
legislation sponsored by Sen. Mary Jo White (R-21)
that would continue funding Pennsylvania's Hazardous
Sites Cleanup Fund without the tax increases sought
by the Rendell administration.
Senate Bill 149 directs an amount equal to a
quarter-mill of the Capital Stock and Franchise Tax
-- about $36 million -- from the General Fund to the
Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund (HSCA). The legislation
would use the same revenue stream that funded HSCA
until 2002.
"We recognize this is not a permanent fix, but it
helps address the critical and immediate needs
facing HSCA," said White, who chairs the Senate
Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.
"Administration officials have been traveling the
state telling communities that a lack of HSCA
funding is putting citizens in danger. We have
listened, and fully expect the Administration to
support this infusion of much needed funding."
["Dangerous levels of toxic chemicals are
loose in our environment and the department does not
have the money to protect residents." –
Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen McGinty,
Dec. 9, 2004.]
The only alternative Gov. Rendell has offered is
to impose a new Toxic Release Inventory Tax and
trash disposal tax to partially fund HSCA. There is
clearly little support for this in the General
Assembly; the governor's proposal has not even been
introduced in the Senate in more than a year, said
White.
Additionally, even if the General Assembly passed
the governor's tax increases today, there is no way
the new taxing and funding system could be
implemented in time to avert the "crisis" cited by
DEP, the senator noted.
"DEP has stopped remediation and cleanup efforts;
stopped investigations into illegal contamination of
hazardous sites; threatened to furlough 225
employees beginning April 1, 2005; and stated
publicly to communities facing contamination that
they are in danger," said White. "Given the
rhetoric and actions of the administration, we have
a collective obligation to provide immediate funding
to HSCA."
Senate Bill 149 does not affect the commitment by
Senate Republicans to phase-out the Capital Stock
and Franchise Tax by 2010, or earlier.
The bipartisan "Green Ribbon Commission", created
to address Pennsylvania's environmental funding
needs, met earlier today. The Commission
recommended immediate funding for HSCA. It also
recommended putting an environmental bond question
on the May 17 primary election ballot.
CONTACT: Patrick Henderson (717) 787-9684
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