The consequences of meth manufacture and use are tragic wherever they happen, but in rural Minnesota, with its smaller tax base and population, the illegal drug's impact hits a bit harder than in more wealthy areas. Just about everyone has a story of a friend, neighbor or family member hit by the scourge.
That being the case, we speculate that Representative Tim Walz is once more bringing his constituents' concern forward. This just in from the DC office, which tells us that a vote on the bill is coming up today:
Rep. Walz Works to Clean Up Meth Problem in Minnesota
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In order to help communities across Minnesota clean up methamphetamine labs and the toxic mess they leave behind, U.S. Rep. Tim Walz is co-sponsoring H.R. 365, the Methamphetamine Remediation Act.
Today, Rep. Walz added his support to H.R. 365, a bill that charges the Environmental Protection Agency with the development of health-based guidelines to assist state and local authorities in cleaning up former meth lab sites.
"We must work, not only to end addiction to meth, but also to responsibly clean up the toxic sites left by its manufacture," said Walz. "Abandoned and raided labs leave a volatile mess of chemicals and dangerous equipment, many of them where our children live and play."
"While Minnesota has already mandated and funded meth lab cleanup, this measure finally gives state and local officials the tools and health-based guidelines needed to clean these facilities," Walz said.
In addition to establishing those guidelines, the bill would also:
· Direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology to consult with EPA in developing technologies to detect meth labs, emphasizing in field test kits for law enforcement.
· Require the National Academy of Sciences to study the long-term health impacts of meth exposure on first-responders and on children taken from meth lab sites.
The Drug Enforcement Administration reports that more than 88 meth labs were seized in Minnesota in 2005.
According to a 2006 National Drug Threat Survey of state and local law enforcement agencies across the nation, meth was named most often as the greatest drug threat in communities.
"This is just one of many steps needed to safeguard our communities against this terrible drug," Walz stated.
Rep. Walz also delivered the following statement in support of H.R. 365 on the floor of the House of Representatives today:
Mr./Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 365, the Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act of 2007. In Minnesota, methamphetamine usage has increased dramatically over the last decade. That being said, legislators, law enforcement agencies, and concerned citizens are all taking necessary steps to protect our communities from the threat of methamphetamine production and usage.
This legislation addresses the difficult problem of meth lab remediation. Meth production, which often occurs in residential homes, leaves behind dangerous, toxic waste. In fact, according to the Minnesota Department of Health, meth production leaves behind 5 to 7 pounds of chemical waste for every 1 pound of meth produced. This waste presents a health risk to future residents and an environmental risk to the surrounding area. In 2005, the Drug Enforcement Administration discovered 88 meth labs in Minnesota, each of which presented such a risk. Although Minnesota has strong local and state guidelines for dealing with meth lab remediation, the federal government can still play an important role in making the remediation process easier for local communities.
H.R. 365 will direct the EPA to research and establish important voluntary guidelines for meth lab remediation. Furthermore, the bill will bring together local and state agencies, organizations, and individuals to share their best strategies for cleaning up meth labs and determining when they are inhabitable.
Mr./Madam Speaker, this legislation is a necessary step toward improving the meth lab remediation process nationwide. It will help local, state, and federal law enforcement safely move forward after discovering a meth lab and it will make local communities dealing with the methamphetamine problem cleaner and healthier.
Thank you.
Among Minnesota's congressional delegation, Oberstar and Peterson have also signed on as co-sponsors.
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