Looking at lobbying for Q4

By Editorial Staff, Resource Recycling

Federal lobbying records have been released for the last quarter of 2011, revealing that the companies tracked by Resource Recycling largely continued paying the same amounts of money to the same lobbyists to attempt to influence the federal government on the same issues as they did the previous quarter.

The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries spent $120,000 to hire the Podesta Group, the same lobbying firm it hired last quarter for $110,000, to attempt to influence Congress on the same wide range of issues.

The trade association continued to push back against the Responsible Electronics Recycling Act, a bill that would ban the export of e-scrap from the U.S. ISRI also lobbied Congress on the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, a law that gives the Environmental Protection Agency a mandate to oversee the handling of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes, as well as reauthorization of the Toxic Substance Control Act, which could apply to "certain recycling residues." [see this story for more news on the measure]

According to ISRI's filing, Scott Horne, ISRI's vice president of government affairs and general counsel, also had discussions with members of Congress and officials at the EPA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding the National Vehicle Mercury Switch Recovery Program, a federal initiative to recover 80 to 90 percent of all available mercury switches from scrap automobiles.

Additionally, records show Horne made contact with federal officials on EPA regulations regarding the recovery of chlorofluorcarbons from end-of-life white goods and vehicles. Horne was also in touch with members of Congress on alleged anti-competitive behavior of railroads and raised issues regarding the EPA's definition of solid waste and "its inappropriate application to certain recyclable and recycled materials." Horne was also interested in issues of trade, metal theft and the "application of voluntary operational standards for electronics recyclers." Using crumb rubber from scrap tires in the construction of asphalt roads was also an issue Horne brought up.

ISRI also spent less than $5,000 on law firm K&L Gates LLP for unspecified reasons.

Waste Management spent virtually the same amount of money in the fourth quarter of 2011 as it did the previous quarter. It spent $30,000 on lobbyist James Boland to attempt to influence lawmakers on issues of coal residuals and tax incentives for the use of natural gas vehicles.

The Houston-based company also spent $30,000 on lobbying firm Bracewell & Giuliani, LLP to influence legislation on taxes, climate change, waste to energy and electronic waste. The waste-and-recycling giant also shelled out $80,000 to Gephardt Group Government Affairs, headed by former House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, on congressional appropriations, the EPA Regulatory Relief Act of 2011 and other issues. The waste giant spent the same amount the previous quarter for all three firms.

The Glass Packaging Institute spent $30,000 at Pace, LLLP (the same amount as last quarter) to lobby Congress on issues of energy, greenhouse gas emissions, appropriations, extended producer responsibility, lower taxes for beer brewers and something about an "enhanced recycling study." Filings from this quarter also show that the GPI was interested in "Residential and Commercial Recycling" and "Improved Recycling Data."

The Aluminum Association spent $20,000 during the fourth quarter on Nutter & Harris, Inc., the same amount of money it spent at the same lobbying firm last quarter, to attempt to influence lawmakers on the same issues of climate change and trade legislation. Karen Bowden, the association's vice president, was also present on Capitol Hill, talking about energy efficiency in manufacturing and an open world market for the trade of aluminum.

The National Solid Wastes Management Association spent $10,000 on lobbyist Richard Goodstein, the same lobbyist the organization hired last quarter for the same amount, to lobby on nearly the same issues of electronics waste and interstate waste legislation.

Republic Services spent $50,000 during the fourth quarter of 2011 on Blank Rome Government Relations, the same firm as last quarter for the same amount, to lobby on issues of waste management, climate legislation and other issues.

Covanta Energy Corporation's lobbying activities in the fourth quarter were nearly identical to those of the previous quarter, spending $160,000 on two lobbying firms to push for more municipal waste-to-energy facilities. The company was also pushing to get the form of energy production classified as renewable.

The Consumer Electronics Association spent over $100,000 — the same as the last quarter — on a handful of lobbying firms for issues regarding trade, a law that would prohibit the export of e-scrap, patent and copyright issues as well as the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act.

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