Sunday, March 05, 2006
Canadian trash bad for Michigan?
WZZM 13 Grand Rapids
Lansing - State legislators Wednesday passed a bill that would ban the importation of foreign trash, but only if Congress gives them authority.
Now Democrats are urging Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to release a recent DHS report. The report assessed the process for screening and inspecting trash trucks that cross the border between Michigan and Canada.
Democrats Levin, Stabenow and Dingell all agree, “The report from the DHS-OIG, which is labeled ‘For Official Use Only,' confirms exactly what we suspected. Municipal waste trucks that come into the United States from Canada cannot be adequately inspected.”
The report was prepared pursuant to a 2003 request by the members who argued that, for national security reasons, these shipments must be screened as effectively as other types of cargo.
Republicans agreed by saying, “The legislation steps toward helping Michigan solve its problems with garbage trucked into the state from Canada.”
Levin, Stabenow and Dingell say, “This problem is a threat to our security, since there is no practical way to adequately inspect these trash trucks, we simply should not allow them into this country.”
The state Senate passed the bill Wednesday by a 37-0 vote. The House of Representatives passed the legislation by a 70-4 vote later in the afternoon.
Although Michigan is a large importer of Canadian trash, state landfills generate a lot of money from the business. Trash companies and landfills have argured they will will have to raise fees if Canadian trash is outlawed.
Now Democrats are urging Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to release a recent DHS report. The report assessed the process for screening and inspecting trash trucks that cross the border between Michigan and Canada.
Democrats Levin, Stabenow and Dingell all agree, “The report from the DHS-OIG, which is labeled ‘For Official Use Only,' confirms exactly what we suspected. Municipal waste trucks that come into the United States from Canada cannot be adequately inspected.”
The report was prepared pursuant to a 2003 request by the members who argued that, for national security reasons, these shipments must be screened as effectively as other types of cargo.
Republicans agreed by saying, “The legislation steps toward helping Michigan solve its problems with garbage trucked into the state from Canada.”
Levin, Stabenow and Dingell say, “This problem is a threat to our security, since there is no practical way to adequately inspect these trash trucks, we simply should not allow them into this country.”
The state Senate passed the bill Wednesday by a 37-0 vote. The House of Representatives passed the legislation by a 70-4 vote later in the afternoon.
Although Michigan is a large importer of Canadian trash, state landfills generate a lot of money from the business. Trash companies and landfills have argured they will will have to raise fees if Canadian trash is outlawed.
