Congressman John D. Dingell

Washington, D.C. - The House of Representatives today unanimously passed an amendment aimed to force the Environmental Protection Agency to implement a bilateral treaty on the international shipment of garbage. The EPA has failed to enforce the provisions of a 1992 agreement on the shipment of municipal solid waste for more than a decade. Rep. Fred Upton (MI-06), Rep. Bart Stupak (MI-01) and Rep. Mike Rogers (MI-08), Michigan Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, joined Rep. John D. Dingell (MI-15) in offering the amendment, which was attached to the VA-HUD appropriations bill that funds the EPA.

"The citizens of Michigan are awash in foreign trash," Rep. Dingell said. "The EPA has the authority to stop the flow of Canadian garbage but refuses to do so. This amendment will send a clear message to the bureaucrats at EPA - stop stalling and start protecting Michigan."

"This is about securing our borders and ensuring public safety," said Rep. Upton. "For too long, waste has flowed freely across the border with Canada without regard to potential hazard. This legislation will give the EPA the resources necessary to monitor shipments of waste and firm up our borders. We have to stop this trash - period."

"At a hearing earlier this week we heard excuse after excuse from the EPA as to why they are not enforcing the bilateral agreement that was reached with Canada back in 1992. Our amendment provides $1 million to move EPA from excuses into action and we will hold their feet to the fire to be sure their decade of inaction comes to an end," Stupak said.

"Although this doesn't stop Canadian trash from coming into our state, it is an obstacle that slows the threat to the health and safety of Michigan citizens," Rep. Rogers said. "I look forward to working with Mr. Dingell and the rest of the delegation to give Michigan the tools necessary to stop this attack on our citizens’ quality of life."

In 1986, the United States entered into an agreement with Canada on the shipment of transboundary waste. The treaty was amended in 1992 to include municipal solid waste. The treaty requires the Canadian environmental department to notify the EPA for each shipment of waste enters the United States. The EPA then has 30 days to object to the shipment or accept it. Congressman Dingell has urged EPA to implement the agreement. To date the EPA has taken no action to do so.

The bipartisan amendment cuts the EPA's media relations budget by $1 million and adds that money to the enforcement budget, specifically dedicating it to the implementation of the bilateral agreement on municipal solid waste between the US and Canada.