Resource Conservation and Recycling Incentives Act

Resource Conservation and Recycling Incentives Act - Title I: Formal Provisions - Declares that it is the purpose of this Act to: (1) eliminate discriminatory transportation rates charged by regulated carriers for the movement in commerce of recovered wastes; (2) mandate environmentally protective purchasing policies for all agencies of the Federal Government; and (3) protect public health, living organisms, and the environment through guidelines, standards, and regulations with respect to the treatment and disposal of waste. Sets forth the definitions of terms used in this Act. Title II: Transportation Policy - Directs the Interstate Commerce Commission and the Federal Maritime Commission, to effect changes in the rate structure of the country to promote the freedom of movement by common carriers of recovered materials at the lowest possible lawful rates compatible with the maintenance of adequate transportation service. Directs the Commission to undertake studies of the feasibility of establishing a transportation rate policy for all recovered materials based only on the type, size, and kind of transportation equipment used, the characteristics of movement, services, and facilities provided and the weight and/or volume of the shipment. Makes it unlawful for any railroad, common carrier by water, or motor carrier in interstate or foreign commerce to demand, charge, or collect any rate or charge for the transportation of recovered materials which are unreasonable or unjustly discriminatory when compared with the charge demanded for the transportation of virgin natural resources. Penalizes violations of this provision. Title III: Federal Procurement and Measurement - Provides that with respect to each purchase and contract for property, which exceeds $5,000, no procurement shall be made of any procurement item which is not composed of the greatest percentage, or to the maximum extent feasible, of recovered materials. Title IV: Product Standards and Regulation - Provides for the enforcement, with criminal and civil penalties, of the provisions of this title. Directs the Administrator to promulgate standards regulating the manufacture and distribution of products in commerce as he determines necessary to protect health or the environment against unreasonable burdens and risks associated with the disposal of such products. States that any product condemned under this title shall, be disposed of by destruction or by sale. Provides that no product and no sale of a product shall be deemed in violation of this title if it is intended solely for export to any foreign nation except that no product may be exported if the Administrator by regulation finds that the product as exported and disposed of will, directly or indirectly, pose an unreasonable threat to the health of persons within the United States or the environment of the United States. Directs the Administrator to conduct a sutdy of possible methods of regulating the design, use, reuse, and recycling of products to reduce the generation of solid waste, reduce the consumption of virgin materials resources, or to reduce burdens on the environment associated with the manufacture, utilization, or disposal of such products. Title V: Unsafe Disposal Practices - Directs the Administrator to issue regulations: (1) identifying unsafe disposal practices; (2) identifying hazardous wastes; and (3) establishing standards for the control of unsafe disposal practices. Requires that within 18 months after promulgation of final regulations, each State shall establish an implementation plan to regulate disposal practices and submit such plan to the Administrator for approval. Provides for Federal enforcement of violations of requirements and standards under this title. Provides for inspections by the Environmental Protection Agency or State or political subdivision, of the records of any person who stores, treats, transports, disposes of, or otherwise handles hazardous wastes. Authorizes the Administrator to make grants to appropriate States, agencies and local governments, not to exceed 60 percent, to assist them in the administration, enforcement, training, public information, or analytical services relating to: collection, and disposal of hazardous waste, control of disposal practices and recovery of energy resources. Directs the Administrator to conduct studies relating to enumerated areas of waste management. Title VI: Energy Recovery - Directs the Administrator, alone or in conjunction with the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, to conduct research, into the means of increasing the recovery of energy in usable forms. Authorizes the Administrator to make loans and guarantee loans under this title. Authorizes to be appropriated to the Administrator an amount not to exceed $50,000,000 to pay interest on, and the principal balance of, any obligation guaranteed by the Administrator as to which the obligor has defaulted. Establishes an independent agency to be known as the Council on Environmental Representation to provide support for legal representation and assistance in proceedings, for matters relating to the quality of the environment as described in this title. Enumerates the functions of the Council, including: the establishment of programs to provide legal assistance to and grants to eligible clients for the purpose of securing adequate representation to such clients before Federal, State, and local legislative bodies, administrative agencies and courts in matters dealing with the environment of such clients. Authorizes to be appropriated for the purpose of carrying out the activities of the Council under this title, $25,000,000 for fiscal year 1974; $50,000,000 for fiscal year 1975; and $75,000,000 for fiscal year 1976. Title VII: National Commission On Environmental Costs - Establishes a National Commission on Environmental Costs. Enumerates the duties of the Commission, including to conduct studies on: (1) the feasibility, practicality, and value of the establishment of a system of national disposal cost charges on all products, other than consumables; (2) the means of reducing the wasteful use of materials in the production of goods; and (3) the means of mitigating damage done by sources of pollution and internalizing the costs of such pollution. Authorizes to be appropriated to the Commission such sums as may be necessary not to exceed $1,500,000. Title VIII: General Provisions - Prescribes jurisdictional provisions for civil actions by citizens under this Act. Sets forth the record, reporting and informational requirements to be met by each manufacturer of a product under title IV of this Act. Provides that in addition to specific authorizations for appropriations in this Act, there are authorized to be appropriated for purposes of carrying out this Act such sums as are necessary.

Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in Senate" stage on November 28, 1973. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.

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