Letter to Chairman Calvert and Ranking Member McCollum - Fund Superfund Cleanup

Letter

Dear Chairman Calvert & Ranking Member McCollum,

As your Subcommittee considers the Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19) Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, we respectfully request you to include $1.35 billion in funding for the Hazardous Substance Superfund Account. This account has not received a budget increase since FY 2010, when it was enacted at $1.31 billion. The proposed FY 2019 budget decreases funding to $1.09 billion. Meanwhile, the number of Superfund sites has grown from 1,282 to 1,341 in the past eight years.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designates Superfund sites as any land in the United States that has been contaminated by hazardous waste, and is a risk to human health and the environment. These sites are placed on the National Priorities List (NPL). The NPL has over 1,100 sites in the U.S. with known releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants. The long-term health challenges, business disruption and displacement costs are harmful to residents and U.S. small businesses affected by hazardous contamination. Revitalizing contaminated land improves the quality of life for communities around the United States and is part of EPA's core mission.

We look forward to working with you both to ensure adequate funding for the Hazardous Substance Superfund Account and successfully revitalize contaminated areas of our country.

Sincerely,