Restoration of Funding for Clandestine Laboratory Cleanup
Submitted by: Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Committee
ndd.014.A11

WHEREAS, despite legislative efforts such as the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act aimed at decreasing illegal methamphetamine production, law enforcement agencies continue to confront problems concerning clandestine chemical laboratories used for the illegal production of methamphetamine; and

WHEREAS, state, local and tribal law enforcement conduct the overwhelming number of clandestine laboratory seizures within the United States. According to the National Seizure System (NSS) that tracks clandestine laboratory seizures, in calendar year (CY) 2010, state, local and tribal police conducted 11,278 clandestine laboratory seizures, more than 99 percent of which were categorized as methamphetamine and/or amphetamine laboratories; and

WHEREAS, clandestine laboratories pose unique, difficult and costly challenges for law enforcement because they involve hazardous waste disposal and environmental contamination cleanup, and require increased public safety measures to protect against fires, explosions, and poisonous gas; and

WHEREAS, in CY 2010, state and local police reported to the NSS 17 incidents of clandestine laboratories that used explosives and/or booby traps, 899 incidents during which children were affected (i.e., present or injured), and 27 incidents where law enforcement officers were injured; and

WHEREAS, state and local law enforcement and other government agencies must oversee the dismantling of clandestine laboratories and the removal of dangerous chemicals in compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other federal and state regulations; and

WHEREAS, providing a coordinated, effective response to these challenges requires specialized law enforcement training; and

WHEREAS, the cost of cleaning up and removing these chemicals in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements is extremely expensive and significantly exceeds state and local law enforcement agency resources; and

WHEREAS, between Fiscal Years (FYs) 1998 and 2010, the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program provided $184 million to DEA to take the lead role in assisting state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies with the proper removal and disposal of hazardous materials at clandestine methamphetamine laboratories, including funds for training, technical assistance, and for the purchase of equipment. During this period, DEA oversaw the cleanup of over 71,000 clandestine laboratories for state and local agencies; and

WHEREAS, for FY 2011, the monies COPS received from Congressional appropriations to transfer to DEA for clandestine laboratory cleanups was only $8.2 million, despite an estimated $22 million in expected cleanup costs for FY 2011. As a result of the budget shortfall, DEA is unable to fund fully the cleanup of all clandestine laboratories uncovered by state, local and tribal law enforcement personnel in FY 2011; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police, duly assembled at its 118th Annual Conference in Chicago, Illinois, urges Congress to appropriate sufficient funds so that state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies may continue their essential role in the proper removal and disposal of hazardous materials at clandestine laboratories.