Wishing Isn’t Enough

If there were a toxic dump on the front lawn of the Capitol to match the dumps near the backyards of thousands of American homes, Congress might feel more urgency about enacting new Superfund legislation. The legislators have finally passed a stopgap measure to keep at least the idea of Superfund alive, if not thriving, after April 1. Now it is up to the constituents whom they will meet during the spring recess to demand a permanent bill, adequately financed. Nothing less will do.

The problem, as usual, is money. It’s partly how much should be spent, but more fundamentally how the money should be raised. A Senate bill to overhaul the Superfund calls for spending $7.5 billion during the next five years; the House version is for $10 billion. The Senate would raise the money by extending an existing tax on the oil and chemical industries to other industries on the premise that by using chemicals they contribute to toxic pollution. The House bill by and large would retain the current taxing system.

The Chemical Manufacturers Assn. is distributing a list of 6,000 businesses from 33 fields that the Environmental Protection Agency thinks may have helped create toxic dumping problems. It includes packing companies, metal manufacturers, food processors, breweries and many other firms, buttressing the chemical industry’s view that its burden should be shared.

Congress has been too casual in its approach to extending the Superfund. The Senate passed its bill last September, and the hotly contested House legislation was approved in December. Conferees to resolve the critical differences weren’t appointed until early February, didn’t meet until the end of that month, and may not take up the financial questions until the total cost is determined. Fortunately, Lee M. Thomas, administrator of the environmental agency, has been riding a parallel course, urging at least short-term extension. Last week Congress directed him to borrow $150 million from the Treasury and spend it by May 31.

Throwing a few coins into the well won’t do the job. Toxic dumps are not an abstract matter that can be willed away. It’s time for Congress to stop wishing and start working.