The Northern Virginia Daily

Article date: June 27, 1996

 Superfund bill unlikely to pass this year

By: Diane Hartson  

A bill aimed at easing reuse of the Avtex Fibers plant in Front Royal is unlikely to be passed before Congress adjourns this year, which will require it to be reintroduced again when the 105th Congress convenes next year, officials say.

The Town Council has adopted a resolution asking two federal lawmakers to push for passage this year of the bill introduced in March by 10th District Rep. Frank R. Wolf as an amendment to a sweeping Superfund reform bill, but the bill is "dead in the water," according to a congressional source who asked not to be identified.

Others agreed.

"It's not very good news on Superfund," David Whitestone, spokesman for Wolf, said Wednesday. "With a limited number of days left this year, we're not going to be able to do much more than the appropriations bills and the budget."

Wolf and Sen. John W. Warner were asked by the council in the resolution adopted Monday night to take action to ensure the bill's passage this year.

The bill mirrors legislation passed by the General Assembly this year and would ease liability problems for nonprofit redevelopment boards seeking to reuse Superfund sites.

The Warren County Redevelopment Corp. sought the measure because it's working to have clean portions of the Avtex site released for redevelopment. Under current federal law, future owners of Superfund sites are liable for past pollution that's discovered after they take ownership but for which they had no responsibility in creating.

The legislators "can't agree on what Superfund reforms should be done and that has tied up all Superfund legislation, including ours,” Whitestone said.

Although it’s unlikely that the Superfund reform bill will pass this year, Whitestone and Eric Ruff, spokesman for Warner, said they haven’t given up hope on getting the Avtex bill through.

“We’re continuing to try to find a way to get this legislation moved,” Ruff said. “It’s non-controversial legislation, that’s good.”

Asked if Warner may try to get the measure through by attaching it as an amendment to another bill, Ruff said, “we won’t rule out any opportunity.”

Whitestone said Wolf will push to have his bill voted on independent of the omnibus Superfund bill.

“There’s nothing we’d like better than to give Front Royal its wish. If it’s not going to be part of Superfund, we want to get it passed as a free-standing bill,” he said. “The problem is getting a day or an hour to get this bill up on the floor of the House.”

Whitestone said he anticipates no opposition if Wolf can maneuver a floor vote on the bill.