H.R.212 - To amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to provide for the assessment and management of the risk of algal toxins in drinking water, and for other purposes.114th Congress (2015-2016)

Text: H.R.212 — 114th Congress (2015-2016)All Information (Except Text)

Shown Here:
Public Law No: 114-45 (08/07/2015)

[114th Congress Public Law 45]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 129 STAT. 473]]

Public Law 114-45
114th Congress

                                 An Act


 
 To amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to provide for the assessment and 
management of the risk of algal toxins in drinking water, and for other 
             purposes. <<NOTE: Aug. 7, 2015 -  [H.R. 212]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Drinking Water 
Protection Act. 42 USC 201 note.>> 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Drinking Water Protection Act''.
SEC. 2. AMENDMENT TO THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT.

    (a) Amendment.--Part E of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 
300j et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``SEC. 1459. <<NOTE: 42 USC 300j-19.>>  ALGAL TOXIN RISK 
                          ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT.

    ``(a) Strategic Plan.--
            ``(1) <<NOTE: Deadline. Health and health care.>>  
        Development.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment 
        of this section, the Administrator shall develop and submit to 
        Congress a strategic plan for assessing and managing risks 
        associated with algal toxins in drinking water provided by 
        public water systems. The strategic plan shall include steps and 
        timelines to--
                    ``(A) evaluate the risk to human health from 
                drinking water provided by public water systems 
                contaminated with algal toxins;
                    ``(B) establish, publish, and update a comprehensive 
                list of algal toxins which the Administrator determines 
                may have an adverse effect on human health when present 
                in drinking water provided by public water systems, 
                taking into account likely exposure levels;
                    ``(C) summarize--
                          ``(i) the known adverse human health effects 
                      of algal toxins included on the list published 
                      under subparagraph (B) when present in drinking 
                      water provided by public water systems; and
                          ``(ii) factors that cause toxin-producing 
                      cyanobacteria and algae to proliferate and express 
                      toxins;
                    ``(D) with respect to algal toxins included on the 
                list published under subparagraph (B), determine whether 
                to--
                          ``(i) publish health advisories pursuant to 
                      section 1412(b)(1)(F) for such algal toxins in 
                      drinking water provided by public water systems;

[[Page 129 STAT. 474]]

                          ``(ii) establish guidance regarding feasible 
                      analytical methods to quantify the presence of 
                      algal toxins; and
                          ``(iii) establish guidance regarding the 
                      frequency of monitoring necessary to determine if 
                      such algal toxins are present in drinking water 
                      provided by public water systems;
                    ``(E) recommend feasible treatment options, 
                including procedures, equipment, and source water 
                protection practices, to mitigate any adverse public 
                health effects of algal toxins included on the list 
                published under subparagraph (B); and
                    ``(F) enter into cooperative agreements with, and 
                provide technical assistance to, affected States and 
                public water systems, as identified by the 
                Administrator, for the purpose of managing risks 
                associated with algal toxins included on the list 
                published under subparagraph (B).
            ``(2) Updates.--The Administrator shall, as appropriate, 
        update and submit to Congress the strategic plan developed under 
        paragraph (1).

    ``(b) <<NOTE: Health and health care.>>  Information Coordination.--
In carrying out this section the Administrator shall--
            ``(1) identify gaps in the Agency's understanding of algal 
        toxins, including--
                    ``(A) the human health effects of algal toxins 
                included on the list published under subsection 
                (a)(1)(B); and
                    ``(B) methods and means of testing and monitoring 
                for the presence of harmful algal toxins in source water 
                of, or drinking water provided by, public water systems;
            ``(2) as appropriate, consult with--
                    ``(A) other Federal agencies that--
                          ``(i) examine or analyze cyanobacteria or 
                      algal toxins; or
                          ``(ii) address public health concerns related 
                      to harmful algal blooms;
                    ``(B) States;
                    ``(C) operators of public water systems;
                    ``(D) multinational agencies;
                    ``(E) foreign governments;
                    ``(F) research and academic institutions; and
                    ``(G) companies that provide relevant drinking water 
                treatment options; and
            ``(3) assemble and publish information from each Federal 
        agency that has--
                    ``(A) examined or analyzed cyanobacteria or algal 
                toxins; or
                    ``(B) addressed public health concerns related to 
                harmful algal blooms.

    ``(c) Use of Science.--The Administrator shall carry out this 
section in accordance with the requirements described in section 
1412(b)(3)(A), as applicable.
    ``(d) Feasible.--For purposes of this section, the term `feasible' 
has the meaning given such term in section 1412(b)(4)(D).''.
    (b) Report to Congress.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall prepare and submit to Congress a report that includes--

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            (1) an inventory of funds--
                    (A) expended by the United States, for each of 
                fiscal years 2010 through 2014, to examine or analyze 
                toxin-producing cyanobacteria and algae or address 
                public health concerns related to harmful algal blooms; 
                and
                    (B) that includes the specific purpose for which the 
                funds were made available, the law under which the funds 
                were authorized, and the Federal agency that received or 
                spent the funds; and
            (2) recommended steps to reduce any duplication, and improve 
        interagency coordination, of such expenditures.

    Approved August 7, 2015.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 212:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 114-26 (Comm. on Energy and Commerce).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 161 (2015):
            Feb. 24, considered and passed House.
            Aug. 5, considered and passed Senate.

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