A bill to amend the Solid Waste Disposal Act to authorize the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to carry out certain authorities relating to the importation of municipal solid waste under the Agreement Concerning the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste between the United States and Canada.

Mr. President, I am pleased to join with Senator Levin in reintroducing this bill to address the growing problem of Canadian waste shipments to Michigan.

In 2001, Michigan imported almost 3.6 million tons of municipal solid waste, more than double the amount that was imported in 1999. This gives Michigan the unwelcome distinction of being the third largest importer of waste in the United States.

My colleagues may be surprised to know that the biggest source of this waste was not another state, but our neighbor to the north, Canada. More than half the waste that was shipped to Michigan in 2001 was from Ontario, Canada, and these imports are growing rapidly. On January 1, 2003, as another Ontario landfill closed its doors, the city of Toronto switched from shipping two-thirds of its trash, to shipping all of its trash, 1.1 million tons, to Michigan landfills. Experts predict that soon there will be virtually no local disposal capacity in Ontario, which could mean even more waste being shipped across the border to Michigan.

Not only does this waste dramatically decrease Michigan's own landfill capacity, but it has a tremendous negative impact on Michigan's environment and the public health of its citizens. The Canadian waste also hampers the effectiveness of Michigan's State and local recycling efforts, since Ontario does not have a bottle law requiring recycling.

Currently, 110-130 truckloads of waste come into Michigan each day from Canada. These trucks cross the Ambassador Bridge and Blue Water Bridge and travel through the busiest parts of Metro Detroit, causing traffic delays, and filling our air with the stench of exhaust and garbage. These trucks also present a security risk at our Michigan- Canadian border, since by their nature trucks full of garbage are harder for Customs agents to inspect than traditional cargo.

Michigan already has protections contained in an international agreement between the United States and Canada, but they are being ignored. Under the Agreement Concerning the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste, which was entered into in 1986, shipments of waste across the Canadian-U.S. border require government-to-government notification. The Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, as the designated authority for the United States would receive the notification and then would have 30 days to consent or object to the shipment. Not only have these notification provisions not been enforced, but the EPA has indicated that they would not object to the municipal waste shipments.

This legislation will give Michigan residents the protection they are entitled to under this bilateral treaty. The bill would give EPA the authority to implement and enforce this treaty, and would create civil penalties for those who ship waste in violation of the treaty. In addition, it would create criteria for the EPA's determination of whether or not to consent to a shipment, such as the State's views on the shipment, and the shipment's impact on landfill capacity, air emissions, public health and the environment. These waste shipments should no longer be accepted without an examination of how it will affect the health and welfare of Michigan families.

Again, I thank my colleague, Senator Levin, for introducing this bill and I look forward to working with him to move it through the Senate.

Mr. President, I rise today with Senators Stabenow and Santorum to introduce the New Homestead Economic Opportunity Act. This legislation will create a single-family housing tax credit for developers who build in low income areas, and allow more Americans to reach their dreams of homeownership. It will also encourage developers of single family units to invest in low income areas and improve our communities.

Currently, there are no tax credits available to developers of new or rehabilitated, affordable single-family housing. The low-income housing tax credit provides tax credits to owners of low-income rental units, but does not provide a solution to the problem of a lack of affordable homes. The quality of life in distressed neighborhoods can be improved dramatically by increasing home ownership. Existing buildings in these neighborhoods often need extensive renovation before they can provide decent owner-occupied housing. It is also difficult for renovations to occur because the costs involved exceed the prices at which the housing units could be sold. Similarly, the costs of new construction may exceed its market value. Properties sit vacant and neighborhoods remain devastated. The New Homestead Economic Opportunity Act bridges the gap between development costs and market prices and will revitalize these areas.

Our legislation will create a single-family housing tax credit of $1.75 per resident which will be made available annually to States. In my home State of Oregon, the most recent Census estimates State or local housing credit agencies will award these credits to housing units, including condominiums and cooperatives planned for development of single-family housing in census tracts with median incomes of 80 percent or less of area median income. The value of the credits could not exceed 50 percent of the qualifying cost of the unit. Rules similar to the current law rules for the Low Income Housing Tax Credit will apply to determine eligible costs of individual units.

The owner of the housing unit being sold to a qualified buyer will be eligible to claim the single-family housing tax credit over a 5-year period beginning on that date. Eligible home buyers must have incomes at 80 percent or less of applicable median family income. They would not have to be first time homebuyers, and rules similar to the mortgage revenue bond provisions will apply to determine applicable median family income.

In Oregon, rising housing costs are prohibiting working families from being able to afford homes. With a lack of affordable housing, costs are rising, and families are unable to gain the stability and equity homeownership provides. In its first year, the New Homestead Economic Opportunity Act would support more than 360 new affordable homes, probably more if credits are used in connection with less costly rehabilitations. A family of three or more with an income of $30,000 will be a qualified buyer in Oregon. This legislation will affect real working Americans.

I am proud to sponsor this legislation that will further the dream of so many Americans through homeownership. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the New Homestead Economic Opportunity Act.

I ask unanimous consent that the New Homestead Economic Opportunity Act be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Canadian Waste bill be printed in the Record.