14.C 73/7:96-124 ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACT HEARINGS BEFORE THE 96-2 COMMITTEE ON/COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION UNITED STATES SENATE NINETY-SIXTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION ON S. 1480 TO PROVIDE FOR LIABILITY, COMPENSATION, CLEANUP, AND CONTENTS Page CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF WITNESSES Benkert, Rear Adm. W. M., USCG (Ret.), president, American Institute of Merchant Shipping, accompanied by Barbara Burke, director, public and Cannon, Daniel W., director, environmental affairs, National Association of Manufacturers, accompanied by Jan Amundson, assistant general counsel; and Mark Griffiths, associate director of environmental affairs.. Dempsey, William H., president, Association of American Railroads, accompa- Downey, Hon. Mortimer L., Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs, Department of Transportation, accompanied by Ken Pierson, Director, Bureau of Motor Carrier Safety, Federal Highway Administration; Grady Cothen, Federal Railroad Administration; Capt. Charles Corbett, Coast Guard; David Ortez, Research and Special Programs Administration, DOT; Harvison, Clifford, National Tank Truck Carriers, Inc., American Trucking Associations, accompanied by Dick Doyle, hazardous materials specialist; and Samual F. Niness, executive vice president, Chemical Leaman Tank Kopsick, Joseph, vice president, National Association of Independent In- surers.. 160 Alter, Dr. Harvey, manager, accompanied by Linda A. Woolley, associate director, Resources and Environmental Quality Division, Chamber of Com- Browning, Jackson, corporate director, health, safety, and environmental af- fairs, Union Carbide Corp., representing the Chemical Manufacturers Asso- ciation, accompanied by Edmund B. Frost, vice president and general coun- sel, Chemical Manufacturers Association; and Clinton H. Vescelius, direc- Haxby, L. P., manager, regulatory and environmental affairs, Shell Oil Co., representing the American Petroleum Institute, accompanied by Charles Levy, Max M., vice president, Columbia LNG Corp., representing American Gas Association, accompanied by Jerome J. McGrath, president, Interstate Stark, Melvin L., consultant, government affairs, representing the Hartford Insurance Group; Myra Tobin, vice president, Marsh & McLennan, Inc., accompanied by Beth Kravetz, counsel and director of government rela- tions, National Association of Insurance Brokers; and Richard H. Hobbie III, pollution underwriting manager, Aig Oil Rig, Inc., accompa- nied by Michael Cohen, manager, public affairs, American Interna- ADDITIONAL ARTICLES, LETTERS, AND STATEMENTS Magnuson, Hon. Warren G., U.S. Senator from Washington, statement. ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACT THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1980 U.S. SENATE, COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION, Washington, D.C. The committee met at 9:30 a.m. in room 235, Russell Senate Office Building, Hon. Howard W. Cannon (chairman of the committee) presiding. OPENING STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRMAN The CHAIRMAN. The committee will come to order. This morning the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is convening to receive testimony on matters addressed by S. 1480, the Environmental Emergency Response Act, which fall within the jurisdiction of the committee. S. 1480 was reported by the Committee on Environment and Public Works on July 11, 1980, and is intended to provide for liability, compensation, cleanup, and emergency response for hazardous substances released into the environment and the cleanup of inactive hazardous waste disposal sites. While the Commerce Committee fully supports the efforts represented by S. 1480 that deal with very real and difficult problems, we are concerned that this very broad and comprehensive piece of legislation may have serious adverse effects on matters within the jurisdiction of the Commerce Committee which may not have been either intended or considered by the Public Works Committee. As a result, we have on several occasions requested the Public Works Committee to agree with us to a unanimous consent agreement referring the bill to this committee for a time certain, so that we may review those provisions having impact on matters within our jurisdiction. While no such agreement has been reached to date, we are continuing our efforts in this regard. Regardless of whether the Commerce Committee ultimately receives the formal referral of the bill, we have an obligation to make sure that the bill does not impose unintended or unnecessary burdens on transportation and commerce. Therefore, we have scheduled hearings for today and tomorrow to receive testimony on the bill and its effects on these matters. In addition, we welcome any comments relating to amendment No. 1958, Senator Magnuson's amendment relating to oil spill liability. I want to restate that we are fully supportive of efforts to deal with the urgent problems resulting from releases of hazardous substances. It is our hope and expectation that review of this legislation by the committee will result in a bill which does not have unintended detrimental effects on commerce, and that enactment of this legislation will thereby be facilitated. [The bill follows:] |