COM 0852.000 1996-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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APB-30-98 THU 1:40 PIt KAUAI COUNTY CLERK FAY 10. 1 808 2416349 P. 5 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES (NACo) 1998 LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE Washington Hilton & Towers, Washington, D.C. February 28, 1998 4 Environment, Energy, and Land Use Steering Committee The Environment, Energy, and Land Use Steering Committee of NACo reported on the following Issues: E19chi al Utilities Re-Sfructud e-is -proposed- legislation by Senator DAmsto (S. 621) to repeal the PubRG-Uji(itim Holding Act, which is being pushed by the various utility companies. The U.S. House of Representatives Is opposed to this proposal, and House Resolution 655 supports requiring every state to allow customers to choose their power supplier by the year 2000. NACo opposes the date certain of the Year 2000, and would prefer to leave this matter to individual State legislatures. 1998 Safe Water Dnnkirm NACo supported-passage-of-this. act.-which requires the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to promulgate rules and target sources of water pollution, with a "crack- down" on water utilities. There is also a requirement to produce a consumer "Confidence report," which is on annual report by private water utilities that details chemicals and concentrations of chemicals in drinking water. Wetlands it was reported that there will be no comprehensive m-authorization of the Clean Water - - - - --AcL-- fdso;-a-narrower wetlands definition bill is being proposed in Congress;-in-1997-the--------- courts also struck down some key wetlands regulations. jwlean Air Act In Congress, HR 1984 and S. 1084 are being considered, but are currently stalled; these bills would delay the Implementation of ozone standards in order to allow for additional testing for setting standards. Representative Inhofe of Oklahoma is also proposing to amend the Intennodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) bill (S. 1173) - reloting-to EM-regulation of-PA (particle monitoring) standards in order to: (1) ensure necessary federal funding to construct and operate a new fine particle monitoring network; and (2) allow States to collect a minimum of three years of fine particle baseline data collection before deciding which areas of the country will be subject to more stringent requirements N not meeting the new fine particle standard. uaerfund (EPA) NACo and the EPA have been working together on final EPA policy for local governments on superfund sites regarding contributory lawsuits. A "Cap" on focal government liability of $5.30 per ton has been proposed, which must be requested by local governments in order for EPA to cover any amount above the cap level on contributory lawsuits.