Sponsors (2)
Allowing up to two years of onsite hazardous-waste storage helps remote generators maintain operations and coordinate safer shipments, but raises local health/environmental risks and potential costs for governments, businesses, and taxpayers.
Rural generators and small-business owners can store hazardous waste onsite for up to two years, allowing continued operations when transport is seasonal or impossible.
Rural communities and state regulators get more time to plan and coordinate safe accumulation and shipments, which can reduce illegal dumping or unsafe offsite shipments.
Recognizing access constraints in remote communities may improve overall environmental compliance by providing a realistic option for lawful accumulation rather than forcing risky alternatives.
People living near storage sites (including people with disabilities) face higher local exposure and environmental/health risks if facilities or procedures are inadequate during longer onsite storage periods.
State and local governments may incur higher oversight, emergency response, and cleanup costs if accidental releases occur during extended onsite accumulation.
Businesses and taxpayers could face increased insurance, remediation liabilities, and other costs if longer onsite storage leads to contamination incidents.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Allows hazardous waste generators lacking year‑round surface transport access to store waste onsite for up to two years if they comply with applicable laws and regulations.
Allows businesses and other hazardous waste generators in areas without year‑round road access to keep hazardous waste onsite for up to two years if they follow applicable laws and regulations. The change amends the federal hazardous waste statute to add a two‑year onsite accumulation exception for generators that cannot reach treatment, storage, or disposal facilities year‑round by surface transportation. The provision is narrowly targeted to a specific class of remote generators and does not change other regulatory requirements; EPA and other applicable laws and regulations still apply to how waste is accumulated and managed during that period.
Official title: Amend the Solid Waste Disposal Act to provide for onsite storage in certain remote areas.
Introduced June 23, 2026 by Daniel Scott Sullivan · Last progress June 23, 2026