YEARS TO MINE ON. YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE?
           THEY OWN IT. WE GAVE IT TO THEM FOR $2.50 AN ACRE. A DEED, AND
           THEY OWN IT, AND THESE REGULATIONS DO NOT APPLY TO PEOPLE WHO
           OWN THEIR OWN LAND. THE STATES REGULATE THAT. AND ONE OTHER

           POINT I WANT TO MAKE IS THAT -- I BELIEVE AS THE SENATOR FROM
           IDAHO INDICATED SOMETHING ABOUT MY POLITICAL POSITION AND MY
           MOTTLE CAL BASE -- NOW, NUMBER ONE, THERE IS NO POLITICAL BASE
           ON MINING IN MY STATE. THERE IS A POLITICAL BASE FOR BEING ON
           THE INSIDE OF KEEPING THE ENVIRONMENT AS CLEAN AS POSSIBLE, BUT
           THAT'S NOT UNIQUE TO MY STATE. I ASSUME THAT THERE ARE SOME
           PEOPLE, EVEN IN IDAHO AND ALASKA, WHO WANT TO KEEP THE

           ENVIRONMENT AS CLEAN AS POSSIBLE. THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY IN THE VAST
           MINORITY. BUT THE RIVER IN CURE DID A LEAN -- LET ME SAY THIS.
           AS THE SENATORS TICK OFF ALL THE LAWS THAT THE MINING INDUSTRY
           HAS TO COMPLY WITH -- CLEAN ACRES CLEAN WATER, YOU NAME IT,
           RECLAMATION -- TELL US, WHICH ONE OF THOSE YOU WANT TO REPEAL?
           IN 1972 WHEN THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT WAS PASSED
           IN THIS CONGRESS, YOU OUGHT TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE SPEECHES

           THAT WERE GIVEN AND GIVEN AGAIN TODAY ABOUT WHAT A TERRIBLE
           DISASTER THIS WILL BE IF WE PASS THIS BILL AND MAKE PEOPLE
           COMPLY WITH THESE NONSENSICAL, CRAZY REGULATIONS. IT'S JUST
           ANOTHER CASE OF THE OLD FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TELLING US HOW TO
           RUN OUR LIVES. AND YOU KNOW THE REASON THE KOEUR D 'ALENE RIVER
           IS CLEAN NOW?
           BECAUSE OF THE CLEAN WATER BILL AND BECAUSE OF THE NATIONAL

           ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT. I APPLAUD THE PEOPLE OF IDAHO WHO I
           ASSUME DIDN'T WANT THAT RIVER TO BE POLLUTED ANY FURTHER. BUT I
           CAN TELL YOU, IT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE HPENED  IT HADN'T BEEN FOR
           THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S INTERVENTION. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT
           BEAUTIFUL RIVER IN MY STATE, THE BUFFALO, WOULD BE RIGHT NOW IF
           WE HADN'T MADE IT A NATIONAL RIVER AND STOPPED THE DISASTROUS
           POLLUTION OF THE RIVER. MR. PRESIDENT, IN 1972 WHEN THE

           NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT WAS PASSED, 65% OF THE
           STREAMS AND RIVERS AND LAKES IN THIS COUNTRY WERE NEITHER
           FISHABLE OR SWIMMABLE. THAT'S BEEN A SHORT 26 YEARS AGO. 65% OF
           THE RIVERS AND STREAMS OF THIS COUNTRY WERE NEITHER FISHABLE OR
           SWIMMABLE. AND BECAUSE OF THAT TERRIBLE OLD FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
           AND ALL THEIR REGULATIONS AND IMPOSING ON THE BUSINESS
           COMMUNITY OF THIS COUNTRY, TODAY IT'S REVERSED. 65% OF THE

           STREAMS AND LAKES AND RIVERS OF THIS COUNTRY ARE FISHABLE, ARE
           SWIMMABLE. AND HOW I WISH I COULD LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO SEE THAT
           FIGURE AT 100%. IT IS EXPENSIVE. IT IS EXPENSIVE TO UNDO A MESS
           MESS. I SAID ON THE SENATE FLOOR IN A DIFFERENT CONTEXT, BUT IT
           BEARS REPEATING HERE. THERE'S NOTHING MORE UTTERLY IMPOSSIBLE

           THAN UNDOING THAT THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN UNDONE. YOU THINK BILL
           CLINTON WOULDN'T LIKE TO UNDO SOME OF HIS PAST?
           YOU THINK PEOPLE IN MY STATE WOULDN'T LIKE TO UNDO SOME OF THE
           SURFACE MINING, THE STRIP MINING THAT WE ALLOWED TO TAKE PLACE,
           WHERE THEY JUST DUG OUT THE EARTH, PILED IT UP IN BIG LAYERS
           AND LEFT IT, TOOK THE COAL AND LEFT IT?
           AND IT'S NOT EVEN HALF OVER. AND YOU CONSIDER THE FACT THAT

           MINES OF FIVE ACRES AND LESS AREN'T EVEN REGULATED, AREN'T EVEN
           REGULATED. AND WHEN YOU THINK OF L THE 3.2 MILLION ACRES OF
           LAND WE'VE GIVEN TO THE MINING INDUSTRY -- NOT INCLUDED. SO
           WHAT DO WE HAVE?
           THE SENATOR FROM IDAHO SAID, SENATOR BUMPERS IS ALL THERE
           TELLING YOU WILL ABOUT ALL THOSE THINGS THAT HAPPENED YEARS AGO
           -- TELLING YOU ALL ABOUT ALL THOSE THINGS THAT HAPPENED YEARS
           AGO. THE SUMMITVILLE MINE COST THE TAXPAYERS $30,000 A DAY
           YEARS AGO. THAT DISASTER OCCURRED. AND WHAT DID THEY DO?

           THEY POLLUTED 17 MILES OF RIVER RIVER. IT IS NOW A SUPERFUND
           SITE -- ONE OF THE 59 MINING SUPERFUND SITES. HOW FAR AGO WAS
           THAT?
           ZORTMAN, LANDUSKY -- HOW ABOUT 1998 IN MONTANA. GOING BROKE.
           YEAH, THE TAXPAYERS WILL GET TO PICK UP THE TAB WHILE WE DO
           ANOTHER STUDY BY THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. AND YOU CAN
           GO HOME AND SAY, YEAH, I'M FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. I THINK THE

           NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES ALL THE TO STUDY THESE THINGS. AS
           THE DISASTERS PILE UP. 1998 IN SOUTH DAKOTA, THEY'RE NOT QUITE
           BROKE YET. THEY'RE IN FINANCIAL DIFFICULTY DIFFICULTY. THEY
           HAVE A $6 MILLION BOND AND THE MINIMUM CLEANUP ANYTHING IS NOW
           ESTIMATED AT $10 MILLION. WHO PICKS UP THE DIFFERENCE?
           YOU KNOW WHO PICKS UP E DIFFERENCE. AND OF THE 557,000 --

           REPEAT, 557,000 -- MINE SITES THAT ARE ABANDONED TODAY, 59 OF
           THEM ARE ON THE SUPERFUND LIST AND THE COST TO THE POOR
           TAXPAYERS TAXPAYERS. LOOK AT THE FIGURES. $34 BILLION TO $71
           BILLION BECAUSE THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS STOOD AND ENGAGED IN
           SOFESTRY, SPECIOUS ARGUMENTS AS THE POLLUTION WENT ON, AS THE

           UNRECLAIMED LIVES -- MINES WERE LEFT FOR THE TAXPAYERS TO PICK
           UP THE TAB FOR. YOU THINK ABOUT 2,000 SITES IN OUR NATIONAL
           PARKS -- IN OUR NATIONAL PARKS -- THAT HAVE TO BE RECLAIMED.
           12,000 MILES OF RIVERS POLLUTED POLLUTED. AND THEY SAY WE NEED
           ANOTHER 27 MONTHS TO STUDY IT. WELL, MR. PRESIDENT, I DON'T
           KNOW MUCH OF ANYTHING ELSE I CAN SAY ABOUT THIS. I'M GOING TO

           HAVE A LOT MORE TO SAY TOMORROW WHEN I OFFER YET ANOTHER
           AMENDMENT ON MINING MINING, AND THEN THE SENATOR FROM ALASKA
           AND THE SENATOR FROM IDAHO CAN HAVE A BIG PARTY AND SAY, THAT
           MEAN OLD SENATOR FROM ARKANSAS. WE'VE HEARD THE LAST OF HIM --
           BECAUSE YOU WILL HAVE. I'VE BEEN ON THIS SUBJECT NOW FOR NINE
           YEARS. JUST A FEW MARGINAL SUCCESSES -- MARGINAL. AND SO, AS I

           PICK UP THE PAPER IN 1999 -- HOPEFULLY A FEW YEARS AGO AFTER
           THAT -- HOPEFULLY A FEW YEARS AFTER THAT -- AND WATCH HOW
           THINGS HAVE GONE, I'LL BE A DETACHED TAXPAYER, STILL STRONG
           FEELINGS ABOUT IT. AND ALL I CAN SAY IS, I DID MY BEST TO TRY
           TO SAVE THIS PLANET FOR MY CHILDREN AND MY GRANDCHILDREN AND
           YOURS. AND LET ME REPEAT ONE MORE TIME TIME, WHEN YOU CONSIDER

           THE MINE RECLAMATION ACT THAT WE PASSED IN 1978, WHEN YOU
           CONSIDER THE NATIONAL FOREST MANAGEMENT ACT, WHEN YOU CONSIDER
           THE FEDERAL LANDS MANAGEMENT POLICY ACT, THE VERY BILL WE'RE
           TALK ABOUT, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE CLEAN AIR ACT AND THE CLEAN
           WATER ACT, I INVITE YOU TO TELL US, WHICH ONES WOULD YOU
           STRIKE, WHICH ONES WOULD YOU REPEAL?
           IT REMINDS ME AS A SOUTHERNER WHAT A TOUGH TIME WE HAD COMING

           TO GRIPS WITH CIVIL RIGHTS. MONDAY MORNING I'M GOING TO SPEAK
           AT A CEREMONY AT CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL IN LITTLE ROCK WHERE 31
           YEARS AGO -- WHERE 31 YEARS AGO WE CALLED OUT THE NATIONAL
           GUARD TO KEEP MY CHILDREN FROM GOING TO SCHOOL THERE. AND THE
           ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT -- I MEAN, THE "ARKANSAS GAZETTE," AT THAT

           TIME THE OLDEST NEWSPAPER WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI, TOOK A
           STRONG STAND AGAINST THE GOVERNOR WHO CALLED OUT THE NATIONAL
           GUARD TO KEEP THOSE CHILDREN FROM GOING TO SCHOOL AT LITTLE
           ROCK CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL. THEY LOST CIRCULATION DOWN TO ABOUT
           82,000, JUST ALMOST WENT UNDER. AND THE GOVERNOR WAS ELECTED --
           THE FIRST GOVERNOR EVER ELECTED TO A FOURTH TERM. ONLY ONE HAD
           EVER LISTEN ELECTED TO A THIRD TERM. AND WHO TODAY WOULD TAKE
           THAT SIDE OF THAT QUESTION?

           WELL, THERE ARE A FEW, OF COURSE. WHO TODAY WOULD WANT TO GO
           BACK TO CHARGING PEOPLE TO VOTE, WHICH THEY DID WHEN I WAS A
           YOUNG MAN?
           YOU HAD TO GO DOWN TO THE COURTHOUSE AND PAY $1 FOR A POLL TAX. WHO'D GO BACK TO THAT?
           IF I WERE TO START TALKING ABOUT THE LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF
           THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE IN THIS COUNTRY THAT WERE TERRIBLY
           UNPOPULAR, I CAN REMEMBER WHEN EVERY DOCTOR IN AMERICA SAID YOU
           PASS THAT MEDICARE BILL AND YOU'LL BE SORRY; IT WILL BE THE END

           OF HEALTH CARE IN THIS COUNTRY. YOU FIND ME SOMEBODY TODAY THAT
           DOESN'T LIKE MEDICARE -- INCLUDING THE MEDICAL PROFESSION. YES,
           IN 1972 -- GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE SPEECHES THAT WERE MADE WHEN
           WE PASSED THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT. I NEVER READ
           AS MANY DOOM SAYING SPEECHES IN MY LIFE. AND WHO WOULD GO BACK
           TO THE TIME WHEN WE DIDN'T HAVE NEPA?
           AND WHO WOULD WANT TO GO BACK TO THE TIME WHERE WE EMPTIED OUR

           GARBAGE OUT INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE BUFFALO RIVER IN PLASTIC
           BAGS?
           SOMETIMES IT'S A LONG TIME COMING, AND THE DISASTEROUS PART OF
           IT IS, SO MUCH OF IT IS IRREVERSIBLE. YOU CANNOT PUT IT BACK.
           THE WAY GOD GAVE IT TO US. DON'T WANT TO GET TOO HEAVY ON AN
           ISSUE LIKE THIS, BUT I'M TELLING YOU, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE
           STATISTICS AT HOW MANY ABANDONED MINE SITES THERE ARE RIGHT
           NOW, WHEN YOU PLOOK AT THE FACT THAT WE KNOW WHAT THIS IS --
           THERE'S NOTHING MORE -- THIS IS NOTHING MORE THAN A DILATORY

           FAK PARTICULAR -- A DILATORY TACTIC. IT IS A SIMPLE DELAYING
           TACTIC. SO, MR. PRESIDENT, I YIELD THE FLOOR AND YIELD BACK THE

           BALANCE OF MY TIME. MR. MURKOWSKI: MR. PRESIDENT?
           
           

           MR. BUMPERS: OH, MR. PRESIDENT, I WILL NOT YIELD BACK THE
           BALANCE OF MY TIME. I THINK SENATOR LANDRIEU MAY BE IN A MOMENT
           AND WISH TO SPEAK. I'D LIKE TO RESERVE THE BALANCE OF MY TIME
           FOR HER.
           

           MR. MURKOWSKI: MAY I ASK THE PRESIDENT TO INDICATE HOW MUCH
           TIME REMAINS ON BOTH SIDES?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR ALASKA'S TIME IS 13 MINUTES,
           THE SENATOR FROM ARKANSAS, 5 MINUTES, 30 SECONDS.
           

           MR. MURKOWSKI: I THANK THE CHAIR. MR. PRESIDENT, LET ME BY
           UNANIMOUS CONSENT ASK THAT A STATEMENT BY SENATOR HATCH IN
           OPPOSITION TO THE BUMPERS'S AMENDMENT BE -- IN OPPOSITION TO
           THE BUMPERS AMENDMENT BE MADE PART OF THE RECORD.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION.
           

           MR. MURKOWSKI: I AM GOING TO ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT ON BEHALF OF
           THE LEADER FOR PERMISSION FOR SOME COMMITTEES TO MEET, SEVEN
           UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUESTS FOR COMMITTEES TO MEET DURING TODAY
           GS -- DURING TODAY'S SESSION OF THE SENATE. I WOULD ASK
           UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THESE REQUESTS BE AGREED TO EN BLOC AND
           THAT EACH REQUEST BE PRINTED IN THE RECORD.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION.
           

           MR. MURKOWSKI: MR. PRESIDENT, FOLLOWING THE CURRENT DEBATE, LET
           ME POINT POUT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I THINK THE SENATOR FROM
           ARKANSAS MAY HAVE OVERLOOKED WITH REGARD TO HIS CONTENTION AND
           THE GENERAL STATEMENT THAT WE HAVE 557,000 SITES AND MINES
           MINES. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE WHAT WE HAVE DONE.
           WE HAVE A SYSTEM. THIS SYSTEM IS WORKING. LESS THAN 3% OF THAT

           557,000 ARE CONSIDERED TO BE OF A SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL
           MATTER OF IMMEDIATE CONCERN. SURFACE WATER CONTAMINATION,
           GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION IN THE SUPERFUND MAKE UP ABOUT 3%.
           THE OTHERS -- AND ITS INTERESTING TO NOTE -- 34% OR 194,000
           HAVE BEEN RECLAIMED AND ARE CONSIDERED BENIGN. 231,000 OR 41%
           HAVE A SURFACE DISTURBANCE. OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU'RE GOING TO MINE
           AN OPEN, AN OPEN PIT, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A SURFACE

           DISTURBANCE. BUT THAT CAN BE RESOLVED IN THE RECLAMATION
           PROCESS. THE TREES CAN GROW BACK. I WOULD ADVISE ANYONE TO
           RECOGNIZE THE TECHNIQUES THAT WERE USED WITH THE GOLD DREDGES,
           WHERE THEY BASICALLY BUILT THIS DREDGE IN A POND AND THE DREDGE
           DUG AHEAD OF ITSELF AND DEPOSITED THE TAILINGS, SOCIETY POND
           WAS NOT ANY BIGGER.
{END: 1998/09/15 TIME: 12-15 , Tue.  105TH SENATE, SECOND SESSION}