Hilda L. Solis: “I would like to commend the work of the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps) on this important issue that not only…”

“I would like to commend the work of the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps) on this important issue that not only affects California but the entire country. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of the motion to instruct conferees on the MTBE provision in the House energy bill. I adamantly oppose the language in the House bill passed which would give a free ride to manufacturers of MTBE, leaving taxpayers across the country holding the bag for cleanup. This is not an issue where a deal can be struck. The industry, the only supporters of these deals, has been spreading false statements about the cleanup of MTBE being paid for by responsible parties and wants us to believe that future cleanup will be paid for. But who ends up paying that? The taxpayers. These groups are ignoring two important items. One is that the leaking underground storage tank program which the manufacturers believe will bail them out is not appropriately funded right now. They are not cleaning anything up as they should be and many of the State programs are broke. Right now EPA oversees 700,000 leaking underground storage sites. Of the 700,000 underground storage sites, 136,000 are currently leaking, and they are not being cleaned up. EPA anticipates that over the next 10 years, 120,000 new leaks will occur. Despite the need for cleanup funds and the growing inability of the funds needed to clean these up, we know that this administration cut back by 8 percent that fund.…”