Congressman Sherwood Boehlert
THE TR 10: A MODERATE REPUBLICAN EARTH DAY AGENDA FOR THE 106TH CONGRESS
April 13, 2000
1) The Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA, H.R. 701)
We
support the passage of CARA, preferably with the amendment being drafted
by Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-N.Y.). The bill would provide permanent,
off-budget funding of the LWCF, which provides financing to protect open
spaces at the federal and state level. Republicans, led by Chairman Don
Young (R-Alaska), are pushing for this landmark change in federal lands
policy, which would spend almost $3 billion on conservation programs. The
Boehlert amendment would make the distribution of funding more equitable
and would ensure that the bill accomplishes its environmental
purposes.
2) Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA)/ Everglades
Restoration
We support the authorization of environmentally
friendly flood control and water projects, particularly work to restore
the Everglades. Such projects are expected to be included in the WRDA
bill, which will be drafted by the House Subcommittee on Water Resources
and Environment, chaired by Congressman Sherry Boehlert. Boehlert is also
heading up an effort to increase funding for water infrastructure by
beefing up the state revolving funds under the Clean Water Act.
3) Environmentally Sound Electric Deregulation
We support
efforts to ensure that electric deregulation benefits the environment.
Done properly, electric deregulation can improve the environment while
lowering utility rates. But deregulation must include provisions to limit
emissions from coal plants and to encourage the use of renewable sources
of energy. Congressmen Rick Lazio (R-N.Y.), Jim Greenwood (R-Pa.) and
Sherry Boehlert are leading the effort to ensure that such provisions are
included in any deregulation bill. Congressmen Sherry Boehlert and John
Sweeney (R-N.Y.) have introduced legislation to reduce limits on sulfur
dioxide and nitrogen oxides to prevent acid rain. Boehlert is also
pressing to control all four utility pollutants.
4) Credit for Voluntary Action (H.R. 2520)
We support
Congressman Rick Lazio's bill to create credits for companies that are
reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. Credits would encourage voluntary
reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and could be used as part of any
future regulatory regime.
5) Beaches Environmental Assessment, Clean Up and Health Act (H.R.
999)
We support legislation to ensure that our coastal waters do
not pose a health threat to bathers, boaters and surfers. This bill,
introduced by Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-CA) and approved by the House, would
require states to update their water quality standards to protect human
health in coastal recreation waters. The bill would provide grants to
states to implement the program.
6) The Estuary Habitat Restoration Partnership Act (H.R. 1775)
We support legislation introduced by Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-Md.)
that would restore and protect our nation's estuaries, which harbor
ecosystems that are vital to environmental health and the fishing
industry.
7) The Long Island Sound Restoration Act (H.R. 3313)
We
support legislation, introduced by Reps. Nancy Johnson (R-Conn.) and Rick
Lazio, which would authorize additional funds to clean up the pollution in
the Long Island Sound, a critical estuary and one of the nation's most
populous coastal areas. The bill addresses the non-point source pollution
that may be causing the dramatic decreases in lobster and other shellfish
populations in the Sound.
8) Promoting cleaner, more efficient transportation
We
support efforts to promote fuel efficiency and to reduce auto emissions.
Congressmen Sherry Boehlert and Jim Greenwood are circulating a letter,
urging the President to work with the Congress to tighten Corporate
Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs).
In addition, Congressman Brian Bilbray has a bill (H.R. 1976) requiring
labeling on automobiles so that consumers know the emission levels of the
cars they are purchasing.
9) Promoting alternative-fueled vehicles
We support efforts
to promote alternative-fueled vehicles. As part of AIR-21, the President
signed into a law a measure introduced by Congressman Sherry Boehlert that
will provide grants for airports in non-attainment areas to purchase clean
vehicles, such as natural gas and hybrid-electric buses. This builds on
alternative fuel vehicle programs that were included in "TEA-21." Boehlert
also worked with the U.S. Postal Service, Ford Motor Co. and Baker
Electromotive to engineer the largest purchase of electric vehicles in
history -- up to 6,000 vehicles. Additional bills are being drafted to
help more municipalities purchase clean vehicles.
10) Superfund Reform/Brownfields Redevelopment
We support
broad Superfund reform that will eliminate needless litigation that has
delayed the clean-up of Superfund sites and prevented the redevelopment of
brownfields. Superfund must have a rational liability system that exempts
small businesses that contributed little to Supefund sites and must
facilitate the redevelopment of brownfields, which are a blight in so many
of our cities. One moderate approach to this bill is embodied in
Congressman Sherry Boehlert's H.R. 1300, the Recycle America's Land Act,
which has support from a wide range of groups including the National
Association of Manufacturers and the U.S. Conference of Mayors.