March 16, 2000
Monday, the local Drug Enforcement Agency learned the federal fund used to clean up the majority of meth labs in Utah is completely gone.
So who will foot the bill for meth labs that cost thousands to clean up?
Crime Specialist Karen Scullin has some answers.
A working meth lab found this morning will cost $4,000 to clean up.
That bill would normally be paid with federal money, but that fund is completely dry.
So what happens now?
Good question.
Meth labs need to be cleaned up immediately.
They're extremely toxic, and potentially explosive.
But cleanup is expensive.
A lab in Salt Lake will cost $4,000.
But another one in Draper was $12,000.
These bills used to be paid with federal money, but now that's not an option.
Don Mendrala/D.E.A.: IF DEA IS NOT THE LEAD AGENCY ON ONE OF THESE, IN THEORY OR TECHNICALLY, IT'S GOING TO BE THE LOCAL AGENCY'S RESPONSIBLITY. AND THAT COULD BE FINANCIALLY DEVASTATING FOR ONE OF THESE SMALLER AGENCIES.
The federal money used to come out of the Community Oriented Policing, or COPS bill.
Last year, $5.6-million was available for the nation to clean up meth labs.
Utah alone used $1-million of that, and now there's nothing left.
Don Mendrala: WE THOUGHT THE COPS MONEY WOULD LAST A LOT LONGER THAN IT DID. RIGHT NOW, WE'RE WORKING OFF OF ASSET FORFEITURE MONEY.
But when you've got a $4,000 tab and the assets seized
amount to a little cash and
a few guns, that doesn't cover the bill. And the small fund won't last long.
Karen Scullin/Eyewitness News: BUT THERE IS SOME GOOD NEWS. UTAH IS UNIQUE. WE HAVE THE ONLY AGENCY IN THE NATION THAT HAS LOCAL POLICE OFFICERS ON LOAN TO HELP OUT FEDERAL DRUG AGENTS. BECAUSE OF THAT, MENDRALA SAYS THEY'LL DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO HELP OUT THE VARIOUS JURISDICTIONS.
Don Mendrala: WE'RE TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO REASSURE THEM WE'RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO OPERATE AND NOT CAUSE THEM TO GO INTO FINANCIAL HARDSHIP.
Senator Orrin Hatch did forsee the problem and has apparently allocated $1-million for meth lab cleanup this year.
Problem is, no one took responsibility to get the money here.
And when the funding will be in place is, for now, an unknown.
