[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5753 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5753
To amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to provide for the assessment and
management of the risk of cyanotoxins in drinking water, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 20, 2014
Mr. Latta introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to provide for the assessment and
management of the risk of cyanotoxins in drinking water, 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 ``Drinking Water Protection Act''.
SEC. 2. AMENDMENT TO THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT.
(a) Amendment.--At the end of part E of the Safe Drinking Water Act
(42 U.S.C. 300j et seq.) add the following new section:
``SEC. 1459. CYANOTOXIN RISK ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT.
``(a) Strategic Plan.--
``(1) 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 cyanotoxins 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 cyanotoxins;
``(B) establish, publish, and update a
comprehensive list of cyanotoxins determined by the
Administrator to be harmful to human health when
present in drinking water provided by public water
systems;
``(C) summarize--
``(i) the known adverse human health
effects of cyanotoxins included on the list
published under subparagraph (B) when present
in drinking water provided by public water
systems; and
``(ii) factors that cause cyanobacteria to
proliferate and express toxins;
``(D) with respect to cyanotoxins included on the
list published under subparagraph (B), determine
whether to--
``(i) publish health advisories pursuant to
section 1412(b)(1)(F) for such cyanotoxins in
drinking water provided by public water
systems;
``(ii) establish guidance regarding
feasible analytical methods to quantify the
presence of cyanotoxins; and
``(iii) establish guidance regarding the
frequency of monitoring necessary to determine
if such cyanotoxins are present in drinking
water provided by public water systems;
``(E) recommend feasible treatment options,
including procedures and equipment, to mitigate any
adverse public health effects of cyanotoxins 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 cyanotoxins 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) Information Coordination.--In carrying out this section the
Administrator shall--
``(1) identify gaps in the Agency's understanding of
cyanobacteria, including--
``(A) the human health effects of cyanotoxins
included on the list published under subsection
(a)(1)(B); and
``(B) methods and means of testing and monitoring
for the presence of harmful cyanotoxins 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
``(ii) address public health concerns
related to harmful algal blooms;
``(B) States;
``(C) operators of public water systems;
``(D) multinational agencies;
``(E) foreign governments; and
``(F) research and academic institutions; and
``(3) assemble and publish information from each Federal
agency that has--
``(A) examined or analyzed cyanobacteria; 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--
(1) an inventory of funds--
(A) expended by the United States, for each of
fiscal years 2010 through 2014, to examine or analyze
cyanobacteria 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.
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