Service Station Exemptions From Superfund to Be Examined in Congress Next Year

Legislation is expected to be introduced in the new 109th Congress next year that would exempt service stations and automobile dealers that recycle oil, as well as companies that transport recycled oil, from cleanup liability under the nation's Superfund law ad. Currently, service stations are exempt from Superfund dating back to March 1993. Senior staff to chairman Jim Inhofe, Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, has indicated that expanding this exemption back to 1985 is a key priority for the senator. During the current Congress, Inhofe was unsuccessful in moving the same Superfund exemption in the midst of opposition from environmental groups and Democrats.

From From AAIA’s Capitol Report

WASHINGTON — Legislation is expected to be introduced in the new 109th Congress next year that would exempt service stations and automobile dealers that recycle oil, as well as companies that transport recycled oil, from cleanup liability under the nation’s Superfund law ad. Currently, service stations are exempt from Superfund dating back to March 1993. Senior staff to chairman Jim Inhofe, Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, has indicated that expanding this exemption back to 1985 is a key priority for the senator. During the current Congress, Inhofe was unsuccessful in moving the same Superfund exemption in the midst of opposition from environmental groups and Democrats.

On the regulatory side, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working on providing service station dealers with a workable and user-friendly ability to obtain the exemption. Over the summer, the agency modified its exemption application from 15 to five questions. AAIA provided comments to EPA on its exemption application.

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