WHEREAS:

The 104th Congress is putting the public health and safety at risk through their efforts to weaken environmental laws and regulations; and

WHEREAS:

Congress is considering legislation which would drastically change environmental laws which provide clean drinking water, good indoor and outdoor air quality, and protections for the nation's natural resources; and

WHEREAS:

AFSCME represents environmental workers in several areas of environmental enforcement including waste water treatment plant operators, park rangers, inspectors, asbestos and lead abatement workers and emergency response hazardous waste workers, to name a few; and

WHEREAS:

The weakening of environmental laws would severely threaten the jobs of AFSCME members performing these enforcement activities; and

WHEREAS:

Congress' efforts to drastically alter the federal government's regulatory process will undermine public health and environmental protection and roll back years of progress. Regulatory reform supporters have attempted to prevent the enforcement of strong environmental laws by permitting weak standards and tying up regulations, which are the final step before a law is implemented. These standards and regulations determine whether we have clean air, indoors or outdoors, and clean water for drinking, bathing, and swimming. These standards also determine whether we eat food which is contaminated or children are exposed to lead poisoning in the schools and at home; and

WHEREAS:

The 104th Congress has introduced harmful environmental legislation, like Superfund Reform legislation that seeks to protect the business community from liability when polluting instead of protecting public health; and

WHEREAS:

Budget cuts threaten the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a critically important federal agency which, due to Congressional budget fighting lacks the resources and the manpower to address existing environmental problems like unsafe toxins in our drinking water.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

That AFSCME opposes any effort to weaken environmental laws because of the threat such actions would pose to the job security of AFSCME members who work in the area of environmental enforcement; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That the need for strong environmental laws continues to exist and that the federal government should remain committed to protecting and even strengthening these laws, including the Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Clean Air Act, and Superfund; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME opposes congressional efforts to cripple the federal regulatory process which would result in seriously damaging the environment by weakening important environmental laws; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:

That AFSCME continue to work through its efforts on Capitol Hill and through the grassroots to strengthen environmental laws which are so critical to our environmental workers and to public health.

SUBMITTED BY:

George Popyack, Director
Virginia Diogo, President and Delegate
Steve Myli, Delegate
AFSCME Local 2428, Council 57
California