ELLSWORTH, HOUSE BACK BILL ON METH RESEARCH

TERRE HAUTE -- The U.S. House of Representatives has taken an
initiative to help battle a drug that has plagued much of the United
States and saturated the Wabash Valley.

On Wednesday the House almost unanimously passed House Bill 365, the
Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act of 2007, said Rep. Brad
Ellsworth, D-Evansville.

The bill establishes a program in which the Environmental Protection
Agency would research meth production residues and its long-term
health affects on children and first responders who are often exposed
to the chemicals used in the manufacturing process.

The EPA would collaborate with state and local officials to develop
the best procedures in dismantling, recovering and remediation of
labs. It authorizes $750,000 for the development of meth detection field kits.

"We're just finding so many labs where they're cooking in one room
and there's young children in the next," Ellsworth said.

"For many years, first responders were forced to roll the dice and
hope for the best when it came to their safety in these
environments," Ellsworth stated. "This legislation empowers them to
assess and minimize the risk to their health and safety as they
complete the critical work of cleaning up our communities."

The bill will go to the Senate, then, if passed, would go to the president.

"With the methamphetamine problem across country, I would suspect
this would sail through," Ellsworth said.

In 2006, Indiana State Police reported a decrease in the number of
dismantled meth labs from 989 in 2005 to 740 in 2006, though the
problem persists.

"The fight against meth is going to have many spokes, and it's going
to go from prevention to law enforcement; into the treatment and also
into the cleanup," Ellsworth said.

Ellsworth, a former Vanderburgh County sheriff, said he knows from
experience that police procedures vary for handling
meth-manufacturing chemicals, such as anhydrous ammonia.

"We've seen such an increase in the minilabs or what we refer to as
the 'bathtub crank' ... and then what the cookers are doing is just
leaving this stuff," Ellsworth said. "They're going down the side of
the road and throwing the toxic materials out the side of the car.
When we locate those, you can't just pour it in the ditch."

Terre Haute Police Chief George Ralston said the city also has seen a
reduction in the number of meth labs over the past two years. In
2004, city police busted 166 labs; in 2005, 66 labs; and in 2006, 32.

"We need tools that would bring to bear assistance for local and
state authorities," Ralston said.

Though the bill would be an excellent start, Ralston added, he
believes more attention needs to be given prevention and addiction.
He would like aid for agencies helping recovery efforts and people
suffering from addiction.

"A lot of people are suffering from addiction and don't have the
resources to get help," Ralston said. "This bill will certainly help
us. At least it's a step in the right direction."

Vigo County Sheriff Jon Marvel is on the same page as Ellsworth in
the fight against meth, Marvel said.

"The states are ahead of the federal government when it comes to the
fight against meth," Marvel said. "We still have meth labs in our
area. They have been greatly reduced, ... but we are still fighting
the meth fight.

"It's like a monster," Marvel said, "and there's so many tentacles
coming out from meth addiction."