NOTE TO EDITORS RE: GROWING GREENER
FROM SENATE REPUBLICANS

It is important for all members of the media and public to understand how Gov. Rendell proposes to pay for his $800 million environmental bond.  

Several newspapers (see below) continue to report that money generated from the governor’s Toxic Release Inventory tax would be used to finance the bond.  This is not accurate.

The governor proposes an array of new trash taxes on municipal and residual waste, a portion of which would be utilized for bond debt service.  None of the emissions tax revenue will be used to pay off the bond.

Inaccurate accounts of this important issue have appeared in the following newspapers:

“Rendell wants to spend $800 million over four years and pay for it with higher tipping fees and a charge on toxic emissions from factories.”

-- Beaver County Times
February 2, 2005

“Rendell’s Grower Greener II bond would be repaid from modest increased fees on polluting industries, including a $5 hike in the per-ton charge to dump trash in the state and a new tax on industrial pollution.”

-- Philadelphia Inquirer
January 30, 2005

 “At least Rendell’s Growing Greener II initiative has a well-defined method of repaying the $800 million bond -- through new fees on landfills, business waste disposal, emissions and pollutants.”

-- York Dispatch
January 28, 2005

“Green PA differs from Rendell's Growing Greener II plan in that the governor wants to spend $800 million over four years and pay for it with higher tipping fees and a charge on toxic emissions from factories.”

--- Bucks County Courier Times
January 27, 2005

“To pay the debt service on Gov. Rendell's proposed ‘Growing Greener’ environmental bond, the state would…impose a fee of 15 cents a pound on toxic-waste emissions that are within the state's environmental standards.”

-- York Daily Record/Sunday News
January 26, 2005

“…Growing Greener funds will be raised by increasing fees paid by landfill owners. In addition, companies that release toxic emissions will be charged 15 cents per ton of pollution.”

-- The Citizens’ Voice
January 19, 2005

None of the money generated from the proposed 15-cents-per-pound Toxic Release Inventory tax would be used to finance the governor’s environmental bond.  This revenue would be directed to a separate environmental program known as the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund. ** These facts are reflected in the governor’s official 2004-2005 budget proposal (pg. A3.12), the language contained in the governor’s legislative proposal (HB 2010, pgs. 6 & 10) and in the governor’s staff’s verbal presentations to the legislature.

Senate Republicans expect to unveil legislation that would replenish the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund in the coming weeks.