BROWNFIELDS APPROPRIATION

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

BROWNFIELDS APPROPRIATION SURVIVES UNSCATHED

Congress has wrapped up work on the fiscal year 1999 Appropriations bill
("VA, HUD..." that contains money for Brownfields programs, with both
houses of Congress approving the Conference Report by large majorities.
If he hasn't already signed it, I expect the President to sign the bill
soon.

Despite language in the original (committee versions) bills in both the
House and Senate that would restrict the use of Brownfields
Appropriations, the final legislation appears to contain no such
restrictions. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong.) EPA appears free to use
the Brownfields money for research and for a remediation revolving fund,
as well as assessment, worker training, and program administration.

Congress approved the administration request of $91 million for EPA's
Brownfields work, and it approved another $25 million for the Department
of Housing and Urban Development's Brownfields redevelopment grants.

The Conference committee commented, however, "there nevertheless remains
concern that this growing program, though very important and worthy, is
draining scarce resources from the equally important and worthy
Superfund response program. In the short-term, the conferees strongly
urge the Agency to fully review this program and make program reductions
wherever feasible which do not adversely impact the integrity of the
program. For the long-term, the conferees request the Agency to review
other possible means of funding this program and report back to the
Committees on Appropriations by April, 1, 1999 on the results of this
review."

Lenny

-- 

Lenny Siegel


Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
c/o PSC, 222B View St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/968-1126
lsiegel@cpeo.org
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