Frank Lautenberg: “All across America toxic time bombs lurk beneath the soil. Many of our families find their futures poisoned by a…”

“All across America toxic time bombs lurk beneath the soil. Many of our families find their futures poisoned by a long-gone industrial past. And sadly we've made our families--especially our children--the canaries in the coal mine. Only after they've been stricken, do we move on the danger. We need to change our emphasis. Mr. President, we should help local communities meet the health threats bubbling up from toxic waste sites. That is why I am today introducing the Environmental Health Protection Act--legislation to require the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry [ASTDR] to actively work with local community health and safety leaders both to design and train local health authorities to better manage a potential toxic hazard and to design site-specific remedies and monitoring systems. Today, the ranking member of the Environmental and Public Works Committee, Senator Baucus, is joining with me in introducing legislation to significantly boost the role that public health considerations play in Superfund decisions.”