Alan B. Mollohan: “Mr. Chairman, the Superfund program is funded at $1.2 billion, which is barely enough. It is at the President's request…”

“Mr. Chairman, the Superfund program is funded at $1.2 billion, which is barely enough. It is at the President's request, and barely enough to cover the responsibilities which Superfund is charged to cover. We are talking about toxic waste cleanup; we are talking about carcinogenic substances that are real hazards to people. ... A needs survey conducted by the American Society of Civil Engineers estimates our wastewater needs to be approximately $12 billion annually to replace aging facilities and comply with existing and future Federal water regulations. The funding in this bill does not even begin to touch that need. Controlling sewer overflows continues to be a priority mandate imposed on communities by the EPA regulatory and enforcement programs, and it will continue to be a financing issue that communities around the country will have to confront. It is terribly difficult for communities to even begin to contemplate being able to marshall the resources to solve this problem.”