Congressman John D. Dingell

Washington, D.C. - Bureau of Customs and Border Protection head Robert Bonner recently told Congressman John D. Dingell (D-MI), Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) and Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) that he views Canadian trash shipments as a "high risk" and their continued importation is a "major security issue." In response to this candid disclosure from the nation's chief border security officer, the Members of Congress today wrote EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman to press the agency to implement the 1986 bilateral U.S.-Canada Agreement governing municipal solid waste.

"The EPA has ignored this important bilateral agreement for 11 years," Rep. John D. Dingell said. "Customs now tells us that Canadian trash is a security threat. EPA noncompliance is no longer a simple matter of bureaucratic foot-dragging - it's a matter of national security. Further delays are unacceptable and I intend to hold EPA and this administration accountable."

The Members wrote: Due to the obvious constraints in manpower, technology, and feasibility Commissioner Bonner views these trash shipments as a "high risk" and their continued importation as a "major security issue". We appreciate his candor concerning the hazards we face from these shipments, but I recognize the limitations Customs faces in performing its mission. The EPA must utilize its resources to aid Customs and other border agencies in combating this threat. The EPA has a vital Homeland Security role that can no longer be ignored. The continued disregard and avoidance of the terms of the Bilateral Agreement now present an imminent threat, but it can be mitigated if this agreement is enforced.

The Members of Congress asked for a written response no later than Monday, July 7.