Even though President Obama released his $3 trillion deficit-busting plan yesterday to significant criticism from Republicans on Capitol Hill, the package includes at least one environmental proposal that is likely to garner bipartisan applause.

Buried in the plan -- which calls for generating $1.5 trillion through a host of new tax provisions -- is a call for establishing an electronic manifest system to track hazardous materials.

The measure is nearly identical to legislation approved unanimously by the Senate in August.

Currently, EPA requires carbon copy manifests to accompany hazardous materials when they are moved for storage or disposal, as mandated by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA).

Obama's proposal would establish an electronic manifest to eliminate those carbon copy records. The White House called for collecting fees from users of the system beginning in 2014.

"Currently, the tracking system relies on paper copies that are not frequently digitized for data analysis or quality control," the White House said. "Use of electronic records will allow EPA to more efficiently monitor and analyze future waste shipments."

But despite the fees, the plan said a fully implemented, effective electronic manifest system could reduce industry reporting costs under RCRA by $77 million to $126 million per year. Over 10 years, Obama said the program would save the government $31 million.

The proposal is virtually a carbon copy of legislation from Sen. John Thune (D-S.D.). Thune's measure (S. 710) was touted as a common sense and fiscally sound solution to an outdated problem.

"With an over $14 trillion national debt, Congress ought to be looking for ways to streamline and modernize federal government programs to save taxpayer dollars, while improving the overall effectiveness of these programs," Thune said earlier this year.

Thune's office pointed out that the carbon-copy manifests are commonly referred to as "cradle to the grave" documentation. Nearly 140,000 businesses submit between 2.5 million and 5 million hazardous waste manifests every year. That costs businesses between $200 million and $500 million per year, according to Thune's office.

The Senate passed the legislation at the beginning of August by unanimous consent before it adjourned for the August recess (E&E Daily, Aug. 3).

The bill is co-sponsored by Democratic Sens. Ben Cardin of Maryland, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey and Senate Environment and Public Works Chairwoman Barbara Boxer of California. Environment and Public Works Committee ranking member James Inhofe (R-Okla.) also signed on to the measure.

Thune introduced the same measure last year and it also passed the Senate. The bill never came up for a vote in the House, however.