For Release: May 21, 2001
Contact: David Gillies: 202-225-5661

COSTELLO BACKS SMALL BUSINESS SUPERFUND RELIEF

Washington - U.S. Congressman Jerry Costello (D-IL) today led a bipartisan effort on the floor of the House of Representatives to pass small business relief from potential Superfund lawsuits. Since its creation in 1980, the Superfund hazardous-waste cleanup program has resulted in hundreds of successful projects, but has also been marred by extensive litigation.

Small businesses have often been sued for simply sending their garbage to the local landfill. H.R. 1831, the Small Business Superfund Liability Protection Act, would exempt businesses with 100 employees or less from liability for disposing or transporting ordinary household garbage in or to a Superfund site. It also protects all businesses that disposed or transported less than 110 gallons of liquid or 200 pounds of solid waste before April 1, 2001.

The bill protects businesses from both EPA and third party lawsuits. Costello is a cosponsor of the legislation and managed the bill on the floor for House Democrats. He has been working on this issue for the past few years as a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which had jurisdiction over the bill.

"Today, we are taking a critical step to ending a nightmare for small businesses, " Costello said on the House floor. "At too many sites across the country, polluters at Superfund sites have engaged in abusive practices of literally suing every business in the phone book as a way of spreading out their costs....This legislation when signed into law will take care of that abuse."

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