FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                         ENR
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1995                        (202) 616-2771
                                               TDD (202) 514-1888


    ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL SCHIFFER BLASTS HOUSE SUPERFUND
PROPOSAL
                                 
         CITES FUNDAMENTAL FLAWS OF LIABILITY PROVISIONS
                                 
     WASHINGTON, DC -- In testimony before a House panel this
morning, Lois Schiffer, Assistant Attorney General in charge of
the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources
Division, sharply criticized provisions of H.R. 2500,
controversial legislation to overhaul Superfund, the national
hazardous waste cleanup program.  

     "At a time when we are all trying to balance the budget and
reduce the deficit, I believe this proposal is more than unfair,
it's downright irresponsible," Schiffer told the committee. "Just
last month, proponents of this bill said that, with respect to
Superfund funding, you would not jump into an empty swimming
pool.  Well, as best I can tell, this bill is a swan dive and you
are headed for a very hard landing."

     Assistant Attorney General Schiffer focused her testimony on
sections of the proposed legislation that would change the
current liability structure of Superfund.  If enacted, Ms.
Schiffer said, these provisions would result in a financial
windfall -- at taxpayer expense -- for polluters, bring ongoing
Superfund cleanups to a halt and hamper the government's ability
to get polluters to clean up sites in the future.  

     Copies of Ms. Schiffer's testimony are available through the
Public Affairs office in room 1228 of the Justice Department. 

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95-553