Thomas Daschle: “I am fortunate to come from a State with sparsely populated expanses of some of the most beautiful land in this country.…”

“I am fortunate to come from a State with sparsely populated expanses of some of the most beautiful land in this country. States like South Dakota have a special interest in the legislation before the Senate today, as it will directly affect their future. The legislation, S. 534, amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to provide important authority for States and local governments to better control the transportation of municipal solid waste between and within States. The time has come to enact this legislation. States and local government are facing increasing challenges in the responsible regulation of municipal waste management. Interstate shipments of waste have been growing in recent years. Between 1990 and 1992, interstate shipments of waste grew by 4 million tons--a 25% increase. Currently, about 15 million tons of municipal waste is transported between States for treatment and disposal, much of it from densely populated regions to less populated areas. Moreover, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that unless Congress acts on this issue, States and local governments can have no meaningful role in controlling the movement of waste into and within their borders.”