The BE SAFE Network, a joint project of several national, state,
and local environmental groups, is organizing community events
in 26 states to highlight how the Bush administration is using
tax dollars to clean up contaminated sites, rather than follow
the traditional practice of collecting fees from corporate
polluters. Despite federal law mandating that the polluters
should pay, the public is underwriting toxic cleanups.[1]

A new tax analysis by U.S. PIRG, a member of the Be Safe
network, has determined that taxpayers will spend upwards of
$1.27 billion for toxics cleanups this year, compared to $303
million in 1995. In Ohio, for example, the state paid $9.9
million towards cleanup of 29 Superfund sites in 1995; in 2004,
Ohio will pay nearly $41.3 million. Pennsylvania, with 92
Superfund sites, will spend nearly $50.7 million in 2004,
compared to $12.2 million in 1995.[2]

"On Tax Day, Americans are especially concerned about how their
tax dollars are being spent. Unfortunately, with the Superfund
toxic waste program, the Bush administration is using tax
dollars instead of making corporate polluters pay to clean up
their toxic messes," said Carl Pope, executive director of the
Sierra Club, another member of the network. "Americans are
paying twice: once with their health and again with their
taxes."

Local groups are distributing "polluter pay" stickers at over 40
events around the country, for taxpayers to place on their
envelopes to the IRS. "We're reaching out to our neighbors this
Tax Day," said Kendra Kimbirauskas of the Sierra Club in Oregon,
"to let people know that whether or not there is a Superfund
site in your backyard like we have in Portland, all taxpayers
are now footing the bill for toxic waste cleanups."[3]

As reported by BushGreenwatch (Mar. 1, 2004), Congress
established Superfund in 1980. It empowered the Environmental
Protection Agency to order polluters to clean up sites
contaminated by their business activities or other ventures.
Polluters also funded a trust to pay for cleanup of sites where
a responsible polluter could not afford to pay, could not be
found, or was no longer in existence. These mandates constitute
the "polluter pays principle."

The Bush administration is opposed to restoring industry fees to
Superfund. U.S. PIRG and Sierra Club report that under the Bush
administration, funding to the program has dropped by 25% in the
last three years compared to levels during the 1990s; the rate
of cleanups has fallen by over 50%; and, the number of sites
being listed has declined from an average of 30 per year from
1993-2000 to an average of 23.[4]

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TAKE ACTION
Send a letter to the editor or your senators through Be Safe or
attend a Polluter Pay Tax Day event in your area.

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SOURCES:
[1] Sierra Club Press Release, April 14, 2004.
[2] U.S. PIRG, Cost of Superfund to Taxpayers 2004.
[3] Sierra Club Press Release, op. cit.
[4] BushGreenwatch, Mar. 1, 2004.