Two statements pasted below:
Opening Statement of Senator Jim Jeffords, I-Vt.
Committee on Environment and Public Works
Business Meeting
May 23, 2006 Mr. Chairman, thank you for holding today’s business meeting. I am looking forward to moving quickly through today’s agenda. With respect to Ms. O'Neill, I will vote for her nomination to head EPA's Office of Environmental Information, but I still have serious concerns about EPA's misguided proposal to weaken the Toxic Release Inventory program. The House of Representatives voted last week to suspend funding for EPA's proposals because they would significantly undermine the ability of communities to learn about toxic releases in their neighborhoods. I hope EPA will reconsider these rule changes. I would like to thank the Chairman for including S. 1509, the Captive Primate Safety Act on today's agenda. This bill will help to protect human and animal welfare by prohibiting the interstate commerce of nonhuman primates as pets, thereby curbing the dangerous practice of untrained, private citizens raising these animals in their homes. I am pleased to offer my support for the Great Lakes Coordination and Oversight Act of 2006, which includes a critical provision requiring the coordination of Great Lakes and Lake Champlain restoration activities. I am also pleased that today we are considering Senate Resolution 301, recognizing the National Audubon Society for 100 years of commitment to protecting wildlife and our ecological heritage. The Audubon Society has been instrumental in my home state of Vermont and around the country in raising our awareness about the importance of our feathered friends. I will say more about wastewater security when we take up S. 2781, but I want to mention now how disappointed I am that we are again faced with an impasse regarding the means by which we can work to ensure that our nation’s wastewater systems are secure. - 30 - Statement of Senator Jim Jeffords, I-Vt.
Jeffords Amendment #2
Wastewater Treatment Works Security Act, S. 2781
Committee on Environment and Public Works
May 23, 2006 Mr. Chairman, I would like to call up Jeffords amendment #2 to S. 2781, the Wastewater Treatment Works Security Act. Mr. Chairman, my amendment ensures that wastewater treatment facilities are secure against terrorist attacks and natural disasters, unlike the bill we are considering. My amendment takes three key actions to increase security at wastewater facilities. First, my amendment requires all wastewater facilities to complete vulnerability assessments, emergency response plans, and site security plans and submit them to EPA. This will ensure that facilities identify vulnerabilities, fix them, and develop emergency response procedures. My amendment authorizes $250 million for these purposes. Second, my amendment would require that the highest risk facilities transition away from toxic chemicals such as chlorine, and choose among safer technologies such as ultraviolet, ozone, or bleach. My amendment authorizes $625 million for grants for this purpose. In March 2006, the GAO found that 41 percent of the 206 large wastewater systems it surveyed still use chlorine gas for water disinfection. If released, chlorine gas can be deadly if inhaled and, at lower doses, can burn the eyes, skin, and lungs. Third, my amendment authorizes funding for training, research, and cooperative partnerships to meet the goals of this Act. How does my proposal compare to the underlying bill? S. 2781 does not require the completion of vulnerability assessments, site security plans or emergency response plans, in spite of the fact that GAO found in March that only about half of the facilities surveyed completed vulnerability assessments and few had addressed the number one vulnerability identified by GAO in 2005 – collection system security. Five years after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 this gap in our nation’s security is reckless. S. 2781 does not address the transition to safer technologies which is, in my view, irresponsible, given what we know about available alternatives. S. 2781 also sets up a distinct, and vastly different set of rules for wastewater facilities than drinking water facilities, 40 percent of which are co-located, according to GAO. This simply does not make sense. Congress has a duty to provide for the security of our nation. My amendment takes serious action to harden our nation’s wastewater facilities against security threats. S. 2781, the underlying bill, simply does not. I urge the adoption of my amendment.
Committee on Environment and Public Works
Business Meeting
May 23, 2006 Mr. Chairman, thank you for holding today’s business meeting. I am looking forward to moving quickly through today’s agenda. With respect to Ms. O'Neill, I will vote for her nomination to head EPA's Office of Environmental Information, but I still have serious concerns about EPA's misguided proposal to weaken the Toxic Release Inventory program. The House of Representatives voted last week to suspend funding for EPA's proposals because they would significantly undermine the ability of communities to learn about toxic releases in their neighborhoods. I hope EPA will reconsider these rule changes. I would like to thank the Chairman for including S. 1509, the Captive Primate Safety Act on today's agenda. This bill will help to protect human and animal welfare by prohibiting the interstate commerce of nonhuman primates as pets, thereby curbing the dangerous practice of untrained, private citizens raising these animals in their homes. I am pleased to offer my support for the Great Lakes Coordination and Oversight Act of 2006, which includes a critical provision requiring the coordination of Great Lakes and Lake Champlain restoration activities. I am also pleased that today we are considering Senate Resolution 301, recognizing the National Audubon Society for 100 years of commitment to protecting wildlife and our ecological heritage. The Audubon Society has been instrumental in my home state of Vermont and around the country in raising our awareness about the importance of our feathered friends. I will say more about wastewater security when we take up S. 2781, but I want to mention now how disappointed I am that we are again faced with an impasse regarding the means by which we can work to ensure that our nation’s wastewater systems are secure. - 30 - Statement of Senator Jim Jeffords, I-Vt.
Jeffords Amendment #2
Wastewater Treatment Works Security Act, S. 2781
Committee on Environment and Public Works
May 23, 2006 Mr. Chairman, I would like to call up Jeffords amendment #2 to S. 2781, the Wastewater Treatment Works Security Act. Mr. Chairman, my amendment ensures that wastewater treatment facilities are secure against terrorist attacks and natural disasters, unlike the bill we are considering. My amendment takes three key actions to increase security at wastewater facilities. First, my amendment requires all wastewater facilities to complete vulnerability assessments, emergency response plans, and site security plans and submit them to EPA. This will ensure that facilities identify vulnerabilities, fix them, and develop emergency response procedures. My amendment authorizes $250 million for these purposes. Second, my amendment would require that the highest risk facilities transition away from toxic chemicals such as chlorine, and choose among safer technologies such as ultraviolet, ozone, or bleach. My amendment authorizes $625 million for grants for this purpose. In March 2006, the GAO found that 41 percent of the 206 large wastewater systems it surveyed still use chlorine gas for water disinfection. If released, chlorine gas can be deadly if inhaled and, at lower doses, can burn the eyes, skin, and lungs. Third, my amendment authorizes funding for training, research, and cooperative partnerships to meet the goals of this Act. How does my proposal compare to the underlying bill? S. 2781 does not require the completion of vulnerability assessments, site security plans or emergency response plans, in spite of the fact that GAO found in March that only about half of the facilities surveyed completed vulnerability assessments and few had addressed the number one vulnerability identified by GAO in 2005 – collection system security. Five years after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 this gap in our nation’s security is reckless. S. 2781 does not address the transition to safer technologies which is, in my view, irresponsible, given what we know about available alternatives. S. 2781 also sets up a distinct, and vastly different set of rules for wastewater facilities than drinking water facilities, 40 percent of which are co-located, according to GAO. This simply does not make sense. Congress has a duty to provide for the security of our nation. My amendment takes serious action to harden our nation’s wastewater facilities against security threats. S. 2781, the underlying bill, simply does not. I urge the adoption of my amendment.