[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 365 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]
\Alpha3\E\HSEENR\h365--enr.xml [file 1 of 1]
H.R.365
One Hundred Tenth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE FIRST SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Thursday,
the fourth day of January, two thousand and seven
An Act
To provide for a research program for remediation of closed
methamphetamine production laboratories, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Methamphetamine Remediation Research
Act of 2007''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) Methamphetamine use and production is growing rapidly
throughout the United States.
(2) Materials and residues remaining from the production of
methamphetamine pose novel environmental problems in locations
where methamphetamine laboratories have been closed.
(3) There has been little standardization of measures for
determining when the site of a closed methamphetamine laboratory
has been successfully remediated.
(4) Initial cleanup actions are generally limited to removal of
hazardous substances and contaminated materials that pose an
immediate threat to public health or the environment. It is not
uncommon for significant levels of contamination to be found
throughout residential structures after a methamphetamine
laboratory has closed, partially because of a lack of knowledge of
how to achieve an effective cleanup.
(5) Data on methamphetamine laboratory-related contaminants of
concern are very limited, and cleanup standards do not currently
exist. In addition, procedures for sampling and analysis of
contaminants need to be researched and developed.
(6) Many States are struggling with establishing remediation
guidelines and programs to address the rapidly expanding number of
methamphetamine laboratories being closed each year.
SEC. 3. VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES.
(a) Establishment of Voluntary Guidelines.--Not later than one year
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency (in this Act referred to as the
``Administrator''), in consultation with the National Institute of
Standards and Technology, shall establish voluntary guidelines, based
on the best currently available scientific knowledge, for the
remediation of former methamphetamine laboratories, including
guidelines regarding preliminary site assessment and the remediation of
residual contaminants.
(b) Considerations.--In developing the voluntary guidelines under
subsection (a), the Administrator shall consider, at a minimum--
(1) relevant standards, guidelines, and requirements found in
Federal, State, and local laws and regulations;
(2) the varying types and locations of former methamphetamine
laboratories; and
(3) the expected cost of carrying out any proposed guidelines.
(c) States.--The voluntary guidelines should be designed to assist
State and local governments in the development and the implementation
of legislation and other policies to apply state-of-the-art knowledge
and research results to the remediation of former methamphetamine
laboratories. The Administrator shall work with State and local
governments and other relevant non-Federal agencies and organizations,
including through the conference described in section 5, to promote and
encourage the appropriate adoption of the voluntary guidelines.
(d) Updating the Guidelines.--The Administrator shall periodically
update the voluntary guidelines as the Administrator, in consultation
with States and other interested parties, determines to be necessary
and appropriate to incorporate research findings and other new
knowledge.
SEC. 4. RESEARCH PROGRAM.
The Administrator shall establish a program of research to support
the development and revision of the voluntary guidelines described in
section 3. Such research shall--
(1) identify methamphetamine laboratory-related chemicals of
concern;
(2) assess the types and levels of exposure to chemicals of
concern identified under paragraph (1), including routine and
accidental exposures, that may present a significant risk of
adverse biological effects, and the research necessary to better
address biological effects and to minimize adverse human exposures;
(3) evaluate the performance of various methamphetamine
laboratory cleanup and remediation techniques; and
(4) support other research priorities identified by the
Administrator in consultation with States and other interested
parties.
SEC. 5. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CONFERENCE.
(a) Conference.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment
of this Act, and at least every third year thereafter, the
Administrator shall convene a conference of appropriate State agencies,
as well as individuals or organizations involved in research and other
activities directly related to the environmental, or biological impacts
of former methamphetamine laboratories. The conference should be a
forum for the Administrator to provide information on the guidelines
developed under section 3 and on the latest findings from the research
program described in section 4, and for the non-Federal participants to
provide information on the problems and needs of States and localities
and their experience with guidelines developed under section 3.
(b) Report.--Not later than 3 months after each conference, the
Administrator shall submit a report to the Congress that summarizes the
proceedings of the conference, including a summary of any
recommendations or concerns raised by the non-Federal participants and
how the Administrator intends to respond to them. The report shall also
be made widely available to the general public.
SEC. 6. RESIDUAL EFFECTS STUDY.
(a) Study.--Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Administrator shall enter into an arrangement with the
National Academy of Sciences for a study of the status and quality of
research on the residual effects of methamphetamine laboratories. The
study shall identify research gaps and recommend an agenda for the
research program described in section 4. The study shall pay particular
attention to the need for research on the impacts of methamphetamine
laboratories on--
(1) the residents of buildings where such laboratories are, or
were, located, with particular emphasis given to biological impacts
on children; and
(2) first responders.
(b) Report.--Not later than 3 months after the completion of the
study, the Administrator shall transmit to Congress a report on how the
Administrator will use the results of the study to carry out the
activities described in sections 3 and 4.
SEC. 7. METHAMPHETAMINE DETECTION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
The Director of National Institute of Standards and Technology, in
consultation with the Administrator, shall support a research program
to develop--
(1) new methamphetamine detection technologies, with emphasis
on field test kits and site detection; and
(2) appropriate standard reference materials and validation
procedures for methamphetamine detection testing.
SEC. 8. SAVINGS CLAUSE.
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to affect or limit the
application of, or any obligation to comply with, any State or Federal
environmental law or regulation, including the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42
U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) and the Solid Waste Disposal Act (42 U.S.C. 6901
et seq.).
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Environmental Protection Agency.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Environmental Protection Agency to carry out this
Act $1,750,000 for each of the fiscal years 2007 and 2008.
(b) National Institute of Standards and Technology.--There are
authorized to be appropriated to the National Institute of Standards
and Technology to carry out this Act $750,000 for each of the fiscal
years 2007 and 2008.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.