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For Immediate Release
September 13, 2007
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Senators Pileggi, White Propose Funding for Hazardous Sites
Cleanup Act
Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Chester) and Senator Mary Jo White
(R-Venango), chairman of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy
Committee, today announced that they are introducing legislation to provide
funding for the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act Fund (HSCA).
Funding for HSCA, a vital program which finances cleanups at contaminated
sites and the investigation of illegal hazardous waste disposals, was not
included in the final state budget adopted by the General Assembly in July. The
Department of Environmental Protection has indicated that the HSCA program will
be shut down if a funding solution is not found.
"We would have preferred to avert this crisis by addressing HSCA in the
budget," said Sen. Pileggi. "But this proposal is a common-sense approach that
meets our obligation to the communities which rely on this important program."
For the current fiscal year, the legislation allocates $15 million from
existing legislative accounts to HSCA. DEP has indicated that it already has
sufficient funding for the program through the end of December.
Under the legislation, $40 million in existing revenues from the Capital
Stock and Franchise Tax will be earmarked for HSCA beginning in fiscal year
2008-2009. This proposal will not affect or delay the scheduled phase-out of the
Capital Stock and Franchise Tax, which is scheduled to end as of Dec. 31, 2010.
"Budgeting is about priorities, and HSCA funding has consistently been a
priority for Senate Republicans," said Sen. White. "This proposal provides
valuable time to find a permanent funding solution for HSCA, and it does so
without raising taxes on Pennsylvania residents and businesses."
Contacts:
Erik Arneson,
Sen. Pileggi
(717) 787-4712
Patrick
Henderson, Sen. White
(717) 787-9684
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