From May 22, 2006
Key Vote
Won to Save Toxics Release Inventory
(Beyond
Pesticides, May 22, 2006) On
May 18, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to prevent the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) from rolling back reporting requirements to
the Toxics Release Inventory. EPA introduced proposals back in September
2005 that would let thousands of large industrial facilities stop reporting
their pollution emissions, cutting off access to vital health and safety
data that are used by emergency planners, researchers, medical professionals,
and others who work for a healthier and safer environment.
The vote was on the Pallone-Solis Toxic Right-To-Know Amendment to the Interior Appropriations Bill. The amendment prohibits EPA from spending any money to finalize its proposals that roll back toxic chemical reporting requirements. The amendment passed by a wide margin of 231 to 187.
More than 100,000 public comments to EPA back in January and thousands of emails to congress leading up to the vote, played a key role in getting congress involved and ensuring congress voted YES to protect public right to know.
Additional information on the campaign to Save the TRI can be found at OMB Watch's TRI Center.