REP. CALVERT PRAISES PASSAGE OF METHAMPHETAMINE REMEDIATE RESEARCH ACT
April 9, 2009
Press Release
Today, Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Corona) applauds the anticipated House passage of H.R. 798, the Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act. Rep. Calvert was a co-sponsor of H.R. 798, and used his position as co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Methamphetamine to lobby for consideration on the House floor.
"Meth abuse is an epidemic in many parts of our nation and I am happy to report that Congress is moving to combat this problem," said Rep. Calvert. "H.R. 798 addresses the horrific environmental impacts of meth labs by establishing procedures and standards needed to decontaminate a site where a methamphetamine lab is found so our communities can more thoroughly remediate these sites."
Rep. Calvert submitted the following speech for the Congressional Record:
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to have joined Mr. Gordon and Mr. Boehlert as a lead sponsor of this legislation - H.R. 798, the Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act of 2005. I thank Mr. Gordon for bringing this very important issue to the Congress' attention and Mr. Boehlert for steering the bill quickly through the Science Committee. I also thank the Science Committee's Majority and Minority staffs who have diligently worked together for the last two years to develop and revise this legislation.
As a Co-Chairman of the 135 member Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine, I know the growing meth epidemic in our country shows no deference to district or party-line. This is an issue everyone can agree is wreaking havoc on communities across the nation. As mentioned by my colleagues, H.R. 798 focuses its efforts on the procedures and standards needed to decontaminate a site where a methamphetamine lab is found so our communities can more thoroughly remediate these sites. The creation of voluntary, health-based remediation guidelines for former meth labs, crafted by the Environmental Protection Agency, will protect and ensure the health of our citizens and the surrounding environment.
In my area of Riverside, California, methamphetamine production has reached epidemic proportions with many of these labs having the distinction of being labeled superlabs – these are labs that are capable of producing over ten pounds of finished methamphetamine per batch. One such lab which was seized in 2003 operated out of a barn in a rural area of Riverside County and produced over 6,000 pounds of finished product with a street resale value of over $33 million dollars. Over 4 million pounds of contaminated toxic soil had to be removed with heavy equipment, costing in excess of $226,000. Officials from the California Department of Toxic Substance Control have called this the most difficult and costly methamphetamine lab clean up in California's history.
This is a distressing issue with which my region, and quite frankly, most of America is becoming all too familiar. Our state and local agencies need all the resources and tools that we can provide them with in their efforts to address this epidemic. Although we are all aware that much more needs to be done to win the fight against this devastating drug, I am convinced H.R. 789 will be a good start in that fight and will be welcomed by our communities.
I strongly encourage my colleagues to vote yes in favor of H.R. 798 today.
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"Meth abuse is an epidemic in many parts of our nation and I am happy to report that Congress is moving to combat this problem," said Rep. Calvert. "H.R. 798 addresses the horrific environmental impacts of meth labs by establishing procedures and standards needed to decontaminate a site where a methamphetamine lab is found so our communities can more thoroughly remediate these sites."
Rep. Calvert submitted the following speech for the Congressional Record:
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to have joined Mr. Gordon and Mr. Boehlert as a lead sponsor of this legislation - H.R. 798, the Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act of 2005. I thank Mr. Gordon for bringing this very important issue to the Congress' attention and Mr. Boehlert for steering the bill quickly through the Science Committee. I also thank the Science Committee's Majority and Minority staffs who have diligently worked together for the last two years to develop and revise this legislation.
As a Co-Chairman of the 135 member Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine, I know the growing meth epidemic in our country shows no deference to district or party-line. This is an issue everyone can agree is wreaking havoc on communities across the nation. As mentioned by my colleagues, H.R. 798 focuses its efforts on the procedures and standards needed to decontaminate a site where a methamphetamine lab is found so our communities can more thoroughly remediate these sites. The creation of voluntary, health-based remediation guidelines for former meth labs, crafted by the Environmental Protection Agency, will protect and ensure the health of our citizens and the surrounding environment.
In my area of Riverside, California, methamphetamine production has reached epidemic proportions with many of these labs having the distinction of being labeled superlabs – these are labs that are capable of producing over ten pounds of finished methamphetamine per batch. One such lab which was seized in 2003 operated out of a barn in a rural area of Riverside County and produced over 6,000 pounds of finished product with a street resale value of over $33 million dollars. Over 4 million pounds of contaminated toxic soil had to be removed with heavy equipment, costing in excess of $226,000. Officials from the California Department of Toxic Substance Control have called this the most difficult and costly methamphetamine lab clean up in California's history.
This is a distressing issue with which my region, and quite frankly, most of America is becoming all too familiar. Our state and local agencies need all the resources and tools that we can provide them with in their efforts to address this epidemic. Although we are all aware that much more needs to be done to win the fight against this devastating drug, I am convinced H.R. 789 will be a good start in that fight and will be welcomed by our communities.
I strongly encourage my colleagues to vote yes in favor of H.R. 798 today.
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