Congressional Research Service Reports - 105 Matching Results

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The Environmental Protection Agency's Brownfields Program: Scope, Authorities, and Implementation

Description: The federal role in assisting states and communities to clean up brownfield sites -- real property affected by the potential presence of environmental contamination -- has been an ongoing issue for more than a decade. While there appears to be a broad consensus that a federal role in the cleanup and redevelopment of brownfields is desirable, issues regarding the degree of financial assistance and overall program effectiveness have been raised.
Date: October 7, 2008
Creator: Ramseur, Jonathan L.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Exemptions from Environmental Law for the Department of Defense

Description: Whether broader expansions from federal environmental laws are needed to preserve military readiness has been an issue. Questions have been raised as to whether environmental requirements have limited military training activities to the point that readiness would be compromised. The potential impacts of broader exemptions on environmental quality have raised additional questions. Although certain exemptions the Department of Defense (DOD) first requested in FY2003 have been enacted into law, Co… more
Date: May 1, 2008
Creator: Bearden, David M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal and State Authority to Regulate Radioactive Waste Disposal and Transportation

Description: There appears to be a growing controversy concerning whether a state has the authority to prevent the federal government from disposing of nuclear wastes within it and transporting nuclear wastes through it. Several states have statutes purporting to veto the federal government's action in these areas. This report investigates whether these state statutes may be unconstitutional and preempted by federal statutes and regulations.
Date: May 11, 1982
Creator: Seitzinger, Michael V.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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High-Level Nuclear Waste Disposal - A Fact Sheet

Description: The Federal government's high-level waste disposal program is designed to build a permanent repository for highly radioactive waste from nuclear power plants and defense facilities. The Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (NWPA) created an office in the Department of Energy (DOE) to develop this repository, to be paid for by a fee on nuclear-generated electricity.
Date: November 4, 1993
Creator: Holt, Mark
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Hurricane-Damaged Drinking Water and Wastewater Facilities: Impacts, Needs, and Response

Description: This report describes information that has been gathered about impacts of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on drinking water and wastewater treatment facilities and on ongoing efforts to assess damages and needs to repair and reconstruct damaged systems.
Date: March 22, 2006
Creator: Copeland, Claudia
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Hurricane-Damaged Drinking Water and Wastewater Facilities: Impacts, Needs, and Response

Description: This report describes information that has been gathered about impacts of the August 29 hurricane (Hurricane Katrina) on drinking water and wastewater treatment facilities, and on ongoing efforts to assess damages and needs to repair and reconstruct damaged systems.
Date: October 19, 2005
Creator: Copeland, Claudia
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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"Innocent Landowners" and "Prospective Purchasers" in the Superfund Act

Description: The Superfund Act contains several devices that eliminate the liability or reduce the transaction costs normally incurred under the Act by persons that acquire contaminated land. This report focuses on three of them, two addressed in the recently enacted brownfields law (P.L. 107-118). The first device is the innocent-landowner defense, available to persons who acquire land after the hazardous substance is put there, and who (among other things) find no contamination before acquisition despite … more
Date: March 6, 2002
Creator: Meltz, Robert
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Interstate Waste Transport: Legislative Issues

Description: This report discusses ten issues raised by proposed legislation to allow controls on interstate commerce in solid waste. Such legislation has been considered in every Congress since 1990.
Date: June 16, 1999
Creator: McCarthy, James E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Issues in International Trade Law: Restricting Exports of Electronic Waste

Description: Electronic waste (e-waste) is a term that loosely refers to obsolete, broken, or irreparable electronic devices. Because e-waste is generated in high volumes in the United States and contains hazardous materials, it is a growing area of domestic concern. Currently, e-waste is essentially unregulated at the federal level and can be disposed of with common household garbage in municipal solid waste landfills or incinerators. Recently, momentum has developed for domestic legislation restricting U.… more
Date: February 24, 2012
Creator: Barbour, Emily C.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Liability Exemptions in the Senate Brownfields Bill (S. 350)

Description: This report deals solely with the liability provisions of S. 350, found in Title II of the bill. (The manager’s amendment does not concern these.) These provisions cover three types of innocent parties: (1) owners of properties contaminated from contiguous properties, (2) prospective purchasers, and (3) innocent landowners.
Date: June 15, 2001
Creator: Meltz, Robert
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Managing Disaster Debris: Overview of Regulatory Requirements, Agency Roles, and Selected Challenges

Description: This report addresses debris resulting from a "major disaster" or "emergency" declared by the President. First, it discusses the types of debris commonly generated during and after a disaster and selected factors that can make "debris removal"2 such a costly, complex operation. Second, it discusses the roles of federal, state, and local agencies after a disaster has been declared--with regard to both funding debris removal and the actual physical process of removal.
Date: March 17, 2010
Creator: Luther, Linda
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Managing Disaster Debris: Overview of Regulatory Requirements, Agency Roles, and Selected Challenges

Description: This report addresses debris resulting from a “major disaster” or “emergency” declared by the President. First, it discusses the types of debris commonly generated during and after a disaster and selected factors that can make “debris removal” such a costly, complex operation. Second, it discusses the roles of federal, state, and local agencies after a disaster has been declared — with regard to both funding debris removal and the actual physical process of removal.
Date: July 15, 2008
Creator: Luther, Linda
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Managing Electronic Waste: An Analysis of State E-Waste Legislation

Description: As more states propose e-waste legislation, potentially regulated stakeholders (particularly electronics manufacturers and retailers) have expressed concern that they will be required to comply with a patchwork of state requirements throughout the United States. This concern has led to an increased call for federal legislation regarding e-waste management. To help policy makers better understand the impact of state e-waste legislation, this report discusses issues that have led to state action,… more
Date: September 10, 2007
Creator: Luther, Linda
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Managing Electronic Waste: An Analysis of State E-Waste Legislation

Description: In 2005, two congressional hearings were held to explore issues associated with e-waste, and the Congressional E-Waste Working Group was formed. One goal common to both the hearings and the establishment of the working group was to explore potential national solutions to the e-waste management issue. With increased legislative activity in the states, it is anticipated that stakeholders will increase their call for federal legislation regarding e-waste management. To illustrate the issues associ… more
Date: August 29, 2007
Creator: Luther, Linda
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Managing Electronic Waste: Issues with Exporting E-Waste

Description: Electronic waste (e-waste) is a term that is used loosely to refer to obsolete, broken, or irreparable electronic devices like televisions, computer central processing units (CPUs), and computer monitors. There are various issues of concern with regard to e-waste disposal and recycling. This report looks at issues specifically related to its export for recycling. Particularly, it discusses documented impacts to human health and the environment that have been tied to unsafe recycling practices i… more
Date: September 27, 2010
Creator: Luther, Linda
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Nuclear Energy Policy

Description: This report discusses nuclear energy issues currently facing Congress, such as federal incentives for new commercial reactors, radioactive waste management policy, research and development priorities, power plant safety and regulation, nuclear weapons proliferation, and security against terrorist attacks.
Date: September 19, 2013
Creator: Holt, Mark
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Nuclear Energy Policy

Description: This report discusses nuclear energy issues currently facing Congress, such as federal incentives for new commercial reactors, radioactive waste management policy, research and development priorities, power plant safety and regulation, nuclear weapons proliferation, and security against terrorist attacks.
Date: October 21, 2010
Creator: Holt, Mark
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Nuclear Energy Policy

Description: This report discusses nuclear energy issues currently facing Congress, such as federal incentives for new commercial reactors, radioactive waste management policy, research and development priorities, power plant safety and regulation, nuclear weapons proliferation, and security against terrorist attacks.
Date: May 10, 2011
Creator: Holt, Mark
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Nuclear Energy Policy

Description: This report discusses nuclear energy issues currently facing Congress, such as federal incentives for new commercial reactors, radioactive waste management policy, research and development priorities, power plant safety and regulation, nuclear weapons proliferation, and security against terrorist attacks.
Date: June 20, 2012
Creator: Holt, Mark
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Nuclear Energy Policy

Description: This report discusses the nuclear energy policy issues facing Congress, which include the implementation of federal incentives for new commercial reactors, radioactive waste management policy, research and development priorities, power plant safety and regulation, and security against terrorist attacks.
Date: July 20, 2006
Creator: Holt, Mark
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Nuclear Energy Policy

Description: This report discusses nuclear energy issues currently facing Congress, such as federal incentives for new commercial reactors, radioactive waste management policy, research and development priorities, power plant safety and regulation, nuclear weapons proliferation, and security against terrorist attacks.
Date: October 15, 2014
Creator: Holt, Mark
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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