Tire Pile Improvement and Remediation Effectiveness Act

Summary: Tire Pile Improvement and Remediation Effectiveness Act - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to provide State grants for fire lane construction in, and removal of, certain scrap tire piles.  Gives priority to piles near community water systems, schools or retirement communities, or National Priorities List facilities. 
Authorizes appropriations.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Tire Pile Improvement and 
Remediation Effectiveness Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The Solid Waste Disposal Act does not provide for the 
        current stabilization and removal of tire piles.
            (2) There are currently 3,000,000,000 scrap tires located 
        in tire piles in the United States, and 250,000,000 tires are 
        added to tire piles each year.
            (3) Tires, once burning, are difficult to extinguish 
        because tires contain oil (providing fuel), and the 
        interstitial spaces between the tires trap air (providing a 
        source of oxygen).
            (4) Tire pile fires can burn at 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit 
        and put a column of black smoke tens of thousands of feet in 
        the air.
            (5) Burning tires may produce oil as a byproduct of 
        combustion, and it is estimated that one tire can produce one 
        quart of light fraction oil, an extremely toxic form of oil 
        containing toxic substances such as benzene, toluene, and 
        xylene, which are listed as hazardous air pollutants under the 
        Clean Air Act.
            (6) At any site where there is a pile of millions of tires, 
        there is a potential for a large amount of oil and other 
        pollutants to be released, presenting a profound threat to 
        public health and the environment. In the past such piles have 
        caught fire, causing extensive damage to property and the 
        environment.
            (7) Tire piles containing more than 5,000,000 tires pose an 
        immediate potential threat to public health and the environment 
        and should be stabilized and removed with all practicable 
        speed.

SEC. 3. STABILIZATION AND REMOVAL OF SCRAP TIRE PILES.

    Section 2004 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act (42 U.S.C. 6914) is 
amended--
            (1) by striking out the heading and designation for both 
        the section and subsection (a) of the section and inserting in 
        lieu thereof the following:

``SEC. 2004. TIRE GRANTS.

    ``(a) Grants for Discarded Tire Disposal.--(1)'';
            (2) by striking out ``(b) Authorization.--'' and inserting 
        in lieu thereof ``(2)''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(b) Grants for Tire Pile Stabilization and Removal.--
            ``(1) Grants.--The Administrator shall make available 
        grants to States for purposes of constructing fire lanes in, 
        and removing, tire piles containing 1,000,000 or more tires.
            ``(2) Priority.--
                    ``(A) Fire lane construction in piles containing 
                5,000,000 or more tires.--In awarding grants under this 
                subsection, the Administrator shall give first priority 
                to grants for the construction of fire lanes in tire 
                piles that contain 5,000,000 or more tires and that 
                meet the following criteria:
                            ``(i) The tire pile is located within 10 
                        miles of a community water system, as defined 
                        by section 1401 of the Public Health Service 
                        Act (42 U.S.C. 300f).
                            ``(ii) The tire pile is located near an 
                        area or building, such as a senior retirement 
                        community or school, populated by persons who 
                        are more sensitive to environmental 
                        contaminants.
                            ``(iii) The tire pile is on or adjacent to 
                        a facility listed on the National Priorities 
                        List under this Act.
                    ``(B) Fire lane construction in piles containing 
                between 1,000,000 and 5,000,000 tires.--In awarding 
                grants under this subsection, the Administrator shall 
                give second priority to grants for the construction of 
                fire lanes in tire piles that contain 1,000,000 or more 
                tires but less than 5,000,000 tires and that meet the 
                criteria listed under subparagraph (A).
            ``(3) Compliance with guidelines.--Fire lanes constructed 
        using a grant under this subsection shall be in compliance with 
        the guidelines of the National Fire Prevention Association.
            ``(4) Supplement to existing state programs.--A grant 
        provided under this subsection shall be in addition to, not in 
        lieu of, any State funding provided for tire pile stabilization 
        and removal through a State tire program existing on the date 
        of the enactment of this subsection.
            ``(5) Application.--A grant may not be awarded under this 
        subsection unless an application is submitted to, and approved 
        by, the Administrator. Such an application shall be submitted 
        in such form and manner, and contain such information, as the 
        Administrator by regulation prescribes.
            ``(6) Regulations.--The Administrator shall promulgate 
        regulations to administer grants under this subsection.
            ``(7) Authorization.--There is authorized to be 
        appropriated $25,000,000 for fiscal year 1998 to provide grants 
        under this subsection.''.