Greg Ganske on Environment
Reduce liability for hazardous waste cleanup.
Ganske sponsored an amendment to CERCLA:
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.
Source: House Resolution Sponsorship 01-HR1831 on May 15, 2001
Supports grants for brownfields remediation.
Ganske adopted the Republican Main Street Partnership agenda item:
H.R. 2941 Brownfields Redevelopment Enhancement Act.
Republican Main Street Partnership Congresswomen Marge Roukema (NJ), Sue Kelly (NY), and Melissa Hart (PA) as well as Congressman Paul Gillmor (PA) have introduced legislation providing a new source of funding for improving former industrial sites. H.R. 2941 reauthorizes the Brownfields Remediation Grant Program as well as creating a new loan program for brownfields redevelopment. The pilot program encourages cities to tap private loans for civic improvements by using the federal grants as collateral. The bill allows for Community Development Block Grants to be used in industrial site clean up as well.
Source: Republican Main Street Partnership Legislative Agenda 02-RMSP2 on May 24, 2002
Make EPA into a Cabinet department.
Ganske adopted the Republican Main Street Partnership agenda item:
H.R. 2438/H.R. 2694 Department of Environmental Protection Act.
Republican Main Street Partnership members Sherwood Boehlert (NY) and Steve Horn (CA) each have introduced legislation that would elevate the position of Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to that of cabinet level. Initially, the EPA served as a regulatory agency, but as a result of numerous statutes enacted by Congress, the agency's jurisdiction has swelled. Each bill would redesignate the EPA as the Department of Environmental Protection. RMSP supports the efforts of Congressman Vern Ehlers to include a deputy administrator for science within the department.
Source: Republican Main Street Partnership Legislative Agenda 02-RMSP3 on May 24, 2002
Focus on results, not regulation.
Ganske adopted the Republican Main Street Partnership issue stance:
First Steps: - Legislatively provide the EPA with a clear mission statement
- Simplify environmental reporting requirements to focus on results, not regulations
- Establish environmental improvement pilot programs at the state level
- Devote increased resources to researching the causes and effects of global warming
- Better understand -- and begin addressing -- the causes of and remedies to global warming
Source: Republican Main Street Partnership Issue Paper: Environment 98-RMSP1 on Sep 9, 1998