The Senate this week approved by a vote of 36 to 14 a proposal to fund the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Program by using revenues from the Realty Transfer Tax earmarked for the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund.

Senate Bill 913, which would generate about $40 million annually for the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund, would replace a temporary funding scheme for the program that took $50 million out of the Environmental Stewardship (Growing Greener) Fund that finances watershed restoration and abandoned mine reclamation projects over the last two years to finance the Hazardous Sites Program.

Gov. Rendell has proposed a $2.25/ton fee on municipal waste disposed in Pennsylvania to fund the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Program that was included in House Bill 1206 (Surra-D-Elk) that was reported out of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee last week by one vote and is now pending in the House Rules Committee.

Last year Gov. Rendell proposed and the General Assembly approved taking all of the $75 million in Realty Transfer Tax revenue earmarked for the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund and divert it on a one-time basis to the General Fund.

The Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund is used for several other critical purposes, including:

· Finances cleanup projects at abandoned industrial facilities and contaminated sites where the responsible party is either unknown or financially unable to conduct the necessary work;

· Ensures a statewide emergency response network and enables DEP to provide interim cleanup actions to remove contaminants and stabilize serious environmental releases;

· Provides the Commonwealth's 25 percent match for the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the federal hazardous waste program, and the state's 10 percent match for the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation Liability Act, commonly called Superfund;

· Finances the investigation of illegal hazardous waste disposal sites, and provides relocation expenses for residents and businesses affected by the release of hazardous substances; and

· Supports DEP's Household Hazardous Waste Program, including electronics recycling and mercury diversion to prevent hazardous chemicals from entering state landfills.

6/29/2007