[CPEO-MEF] Congressional Approval of Fines

[Pauline Simon <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

[posted by Lenny Siegel]

The following came from a friend at the Department of Defense, who
points out that Section 8149 does not outlaw the paying of environmental
fines. It just requires Congressional approval. He argues that the
impact of the legislation will not be as great as I and others have
suggested:

"The requirement, as I read it, is essentially the same as the one we've
used for cleanup-related fines for a few years. The only difference is
that it has been extended to all fines in other media. All I know is
that hasn't stopped us from paying them. We list them in the next budget
and pay when authorized. Yes, there is a delay rather than immediate
payment, but this has an advantage in that HQ, political leadership, the
public, and Congress gets to see where we blew it."

-- 


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
http://www.cpeo.org



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