House Delays Renewal Vote on Superfund

The House, divided over how to finance a $10-billion, five-year renewal of the Superfund to clean up the nation’s worst toxic dumps, decided Friday to postpone a vote until next week.

Environmentalists contended that oil and chemical interests sought the delay to gain more time to lobby members before a final roll call. An aide to Rep. Thomas J. Downey (D-N.Y.), who is co-sponsoring a proposal to make petroleum and chemical companies finance the bulk of the program, said the congressman expects his plan to pass next week by a strong margin.

The oil and chemical industries want Congress to establish a broad-based tax on manufactured goods to pay for the cleanup program. Proponents argue that more than half the lethal waste disposed of each year comes from industries other than oil and chemical.

But manufacturers have waged a strong campaign against a proposed federal excise tax, contending it would be regressive and difficult to administer.

The Superfund legislation would increase the size of the program more than sixfold. During the last five years, Superfund spent $1.6 billion and cleaned up six dumps, one of which is now leaking toxic substances and must be cleaned again.