WASHINGTON – Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) joined thirteen fellow members of the Michigan congressional delegation this week in calling for consideration of legislation to implement a treaty between the United States and Canada on trash importation. 

In a letter to the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Dennis Hastert (R-IL), the bipartisan group of Michigan legislators wrote, “The issue of waste coming into Michigan from Ontario, Canada is one of great concern to the people we represent.  Currently, hundreds of trash trucks come across the bridge into Michigan each day.”

“This is a bill that’s time has come,” Stupak said.  “Since I was elected in 1992, I have been working to see this issue resolved so Michigan does not become the landfill of the northern border region.”

The letter notes that the bill, H.R. 2491, passed both the House Energy and Commerce Committee and that Committee’s Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials by voice vote.  Voice votes are reserved for the least controversial pieces of legislation.   The bill would implement the Agreement Concerning the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste, a treaty that the United States and Canada extended in 1992 to cover solid waste, but which has never been implemented.

The letter went on to note that unregulated importation of Canadian trash poses homeland security issues, citing a January report by the Department of Homeland Security which found that U.S. Customs does not have an effective method to screen and inspect the 350 truckloads of municipal solid waste that enter Michigan daily from Canada.

“In addition to the environmental issues, there are serious national security issues here,” Stupak said.  “These trucks could potentially be used to smuggle weapons or other contraband into our country.”

The letter was signed by fourteen Michigan members of the U.S. House.  Full text of the letter is below.  The legislators also wrote to Speaker Hastert in November of 2005 to request floor consideration of the bill.  

# # #

May 16, 2006

The Honorable Dennis Hastert

Speaker

United States House of Representatives

H232 Capitol

Washington, DC 20515

Dear Mr. Speaker,

            We write again today to request that HR 2491, the International Solid Waste Importation and Management Act of 2005, be brought to the floor for consideration as expeditiously as possible.  You will remember that we wrote you in November 2005 with the same request.  Unfortunately, the bill did not make it to the floor by the end of last year as we had urged in our last letter.

            In June, HR 2491 passed both the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials and the full Committee by voice vote.  As you know, voice votes are traditionally saved for only the most non-controversial bills.

            The issue of waste coming into Michigan from Ontario, Canada for disposal is one of great concern to the people we represent.  Currently, hundreds of trash trucks come across the bridge into Michigan each day.  Just recently, human waste was spilled onto a Michigan road from a Canadian trash truck.  This is the second such incident since March 2005.  

            This is also a national security issue.  In January, the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General issued a report - originally labeled “For Official Use Only” - which found that U.S. Customs “does not have an effective method to screen and inspect the 350 truckloads of municipal solid waste that enter the U.S. daily through the Detroit and Port Huron ports of entry.”  The report was released to the public by Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Chairman Norm Coleman and Ranking Member Carl Levin.

The goal of HR 2491 simply is to implement and enforce an existing bilateral agreement that has been too long ignored and to give states tools to manage foreign municipal solid waste being disposed of within its borders. 

            As you know, HR 2491 is the bipartisan product of hard work and tough negotiations.  We made every attempt to provide the people of Michigan, as well as other states, with some relief while not affecting or amending any prior law relating to the need for consistency with international trade agreements.  HR 2491 is a good bill that meets the needs of all concerned.

            Thank you for you attention to this matter and we look forward to expeditious floor consideration.

                                                                        Sincerely,

John D. Dingell

Sander Levin

Dale Kildee

John Conyers

Dave Camp

Bart Stupak

Joe Schwarz

Vern Ehlers

Mike Rogers

Carolyn C. Kilpatrick

Fred Upton

Joe Knollenberg

Thaddeus McCotter

Pete Hoekstra