Bob Smith on Environment Republican Sr Senator (NH; retired 2002)

ESA: more recovery & delisting; more State & private role

[I support] strengthening the ESA to:
• require use of the best scientific data available for listing and delisting of a species
• require more effective recovery plans
• provide a greater State role
• and provide incentives to landowners who seek to preserve endangered species on their land.

Protect environment andprotect property rights

Clarify jurisdiction to allow property-taking disputes

Superfund: involve communities in brownfield cleanup

As Chairman of the Superfund Subcommittee, [I worked towards] a bill that would:
• cleanup thousands of brownfields sites nationwide which would bring economic revitalization to our nation’s inner cities
• protect innocent landowners whose property has been contaminated by an adjacent site
• protect land purchasers who exercised due diligence in acquiring property later found to be contaminated
• provide States and communities a greater role in deciding how sites should be cleaned

Pro-community & pro-schools trumps pro-environment

Voted YES on confirming Gale Norton as Secretary of Interior.

Voted YES on more funding for forest roads and fish habitat.

Voted YES on transportation demo projects.

Voted NO on reducing funds for road-building in National Forests.

Voted NO on continuing desert protection in California.

Voted YES on requiring EPA risk assessments.

Reduce liability for hazardous waste cleanup.

Title: To provide relief for small businesses from liability under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA). Summary:
• Amends CERCLA to provide that persons shall be liable for response [cleanup] costs as non-owners or operators only if the total of material containing a hazardous substance was greater than 110 gallons of liquid material or 200 pounds of solid material.

• Applies this exemption only to activities taking place before April 1, 2001.

• Exempts a person from liability for response costs for municipal solid waste (MSW) as a non-owner or operator if the person is an owner, operator, or lessee of residential property from which all of the person's MSW was generated, or a certain small business or small charitable tax-exempt organization that generated all its MSW.

• Makes nongovernmental entities that commence a contribution action liable to the defendant for all reasonable costs of defending the action if the defendant is not liable based on the above-described exemptions.

• Adds to the list of parties eligible for de minimis [inconsequential] final settlements certain persons and businesses that demonstrate an inability or limited ability to pay response costs.

End commercial whaling and illegal trade in whale meat.

Expresses the sense of the Senate that the United States:
• at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the International Whaling Commission, should remain firmly opposed to commercial whaling,
• should initiate and support efforts to ensure that all activities conducted under reservations to the Commission's moratorium or sanctuaries are ceased,
• should oppose the lethal taking of whales for scientific purposes unless it is specifically authorized by the Scientific Committee of the Commission,
• should seek the Commission's support for specific efforts by member nations to end illegal trade in whale meat, and
• should support the permanent protection of whale populations through the establishment of whale sanctuaries in which commercial whaling is prohibited;
• At the 12th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, should oppose all efforts to reopen international trade in whale meat or to downlist any whale population; and
• should make full use of all appropriate diplomatic mechanisms, relevant international laws and agreements, and other appropriate mechanisms to implement these goals.