Number: RS20106
Title: Interstate Waste Transport: Legislative Issues
Authors: James E. McCarthy, Resources, Science, and Industry Division 
Abstract: This report discusses ten issues raised by proposed legislation to allow controls on interstate commerce in solid waste. Such legislation has been considered in every Congress since 1990. Renewed interest has been generated since late 1998 by developments in New York City, which plans to close its only remaining landfill in 2001, and by legislative actions in states to which New York's waste may be shipped as local disposal is phased out. Issues discussed in the report include whether to presumptively ban new waste shipments, whether to grant authority to states or to local governments, what types of facilities and what types of waste to include in a bill's authority, grandfather provisions, freeze and ratchet authority, fees on out-of-state waste, indirect measures controlling waste imports, whether to include flow control authority, and the desirability of preconditions versus an unconditional grant of authority.
Pages: 6
Date: January 9, 2003