To prohibit the importation into the United States of paper products that are not manufactured in accordance with requirements that are at least as stringent as the requirements under the Clean Air Act and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.

Prohibits importing or delivering for importation into the United States any paper product if: (1) its labeling does not include an official certification that it was manufactured in accordance with air and water pollution requirements that are at least as stringent as those under the Clean Air Act and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act), respectively; or (2) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finds that it was not manufactured in accordance with such requirements.

Provides for a civil penalty of up to $10 million per transgression for violations. Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Administrator to enforce this Act.

[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6285 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6285

 To prohibit the importation into the United States of paper products 
 that are not manufactured in accordance with requirements that are at 
least as stringent as the requirements under the Clean Air Act and the 
                  Federal Water Pollution Control Act.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 29, 2010

Mr. Kagen (for himself and Mr. DeFazio) introduced the following bill; 
         which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To prohibit the importation into the United States of paper products 
 that are not manufactured in accordance with requirements that are at 
least as stringent as the requirements under the Clean Air Act and the 
                  Federal Water Pollution Control Act.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. PROHIBITION ON IMPORTATION OF PAPER PRODUCTS NOT 
              MANUFACTURED IN ACCORDANCE WITH REQUIREMENTS AT LEAST AS 
              STRINGENT AS REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE CLEAN AIR ACT AND 
              FEDERAL WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ACT.

    (a) Prohibition.--It is unlawful for any person to import or 
deliver for importation into the United States any paper product if--
            (1) the product's labeling does not include an official 
        certification from each manufacturer of the product certifying 
        that said paper product was manufactured in accordance with--
                    (A) requirements relating to air pollution that are 
                at least as stringent as the requirements under the 
                Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401); and
                    (B) requirements relating to water pollution that 
                are at least as stringent as the requirements under the 
                Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et 
                seq.); or
            (2) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
        Agency finds that the product was not manufactured in 
        accordance with the requirements described in subparagraph (A) 
        or (B) of paragraph (1).
    (b) Penalties and Enforcement.--Any person who violates any 
provision of this section or any regulation issued under this section 
may, in addition to any other civil or criminal penalty that may be 
imposed under title, United States Code, or any other provision of law, 
be assessed a civil penalty of not more than $10,000,000 per 
transgression. The Secretary of Homeland Security and the Administrator 
of the Environmental Protection Agency shall enforce the provisions of 
this section.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section--
            (1) the term ``paper product'' means an article classified 
        under any heading or subheading of chapter 47 or 48 of the 
        Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States; and
            (2) the term ``United States'' means the customs territory 
        of the United States, as defined in general note 2 of the 
        Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States.
                                 <all>