Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, April 6, 1990 TAG: 9004060520
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
The measure now goes to the House floor, where it is likely to come up for debate early next month.
The committee cleared the legislation by a vote of 42-1. Rep. William E. Dannemeyer, R-Calif., was the sole dissenter.
Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., the committee chairman, called the bill "significantly better" in protecting the environment than a version approved by the Senate earlier in the week.
The committee moved swiftly to approve the legislation after giving the nod to a compromise agreement aimed at easing concerns from Midwest congressmen over the high cost of acid rain controls.
The acid rain compromise, worked out during three days of closed-door negotiations among committee members and staff, was approved by a 39-4 vote, erasing the last major roadblock to committee passage of the bill.
The lopsided committee vote following Senate approval of its own clean air bill by an 89-11 margin earlier in the week put clean air legislation on track for congressional approval this year.
Both bills call for sweeping emission controls on factories, automobiles and electric power plants by the end of the decade. The Bush administration has estimated the Senate legislation would cost $21.5 billion to the economy yearly when all provisions go into effect. The House bill has been said to be slightly cheaper.
House Speaker Tom Foley, D-Wash., had indicated that he wanted to begin floor action on the legislation in early May.
The acid rain issue had dominated the three days of closed-door bargaining among members of Dingell's committee as members and staff worked under a deadline to try to complete action on the entire bill before Congress departs for its Easter recess today.
"A lot of blood was spilled in these debates," said Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn., who vigorously opposed a cost sharing provision to help the Midwest. However, he supported the compromise.
As a way to help Midwest states pay for cleaning up dirty utility plants, the measure included a "pollution allowance" system and a 1-year extension for initial compliance under some circumstances.
by CNB