113 HR 4024 IH: Ensuring Access to Clean Water Act of 2014 U.S. House of Representatives 2014-02-10 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
I 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 4024 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 10, 2014 Mrs. Capito introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure A BILL To protect navigable waters from contamination by chemical storage facilities, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Ensuring Access to Clean Water Act of 2014.
2.
Protection of navigable waters from contamination by chemical storage facilities
The Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et. seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: <enum>VII</enum><header>Protection of Navigable Waters from Contamination by Chemical Storage Facilities</header> <section id="HB9ACB8EA75914714885A766121959F09"><enum>701.</enum><header>Definitions</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">In this title:</text> <paragraph id="H76373810CC804156BDAB41761DE9FAAC"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Aboveground storage tank</header> <subparagraph id="HC767D55EE3444D86BDD315DF442B5702"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>For the purposes of this title, the term <term>aboveground storage tank</term> means any container, or set of connected containers, designed to contain fluids located at a covered chemical storage facility, constructed of materials including concrete, steel, plastic or fiberglass reinforced plastic and located on or above the ground surface.</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1E49A9C494DB4EE193C018D3A09BFB5A"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Exclusions</header><text>For the purposes of this title, the term <term>aboveground storage tank</term> does not include—</text> <clause id="H82AE6FE913FA48E281226DF08CE3CB10"><enum>(i)</enum><text>any aboveground storage tank of 1,100 gallons or less capacity, unless that tank is greater than 500 gallons capacity and is located within 500 feet of a navigable water that is designated for use as a domestic water supply under section 303; or</text> </clause><clause id="HB6E79A5A1F13410F80BBA998EC804315"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>any aboveground storage tank that is subject to oversight and inspection requirements under a Federal or State law or regulation that is determined by the Administrator or the State as applicable under section 702(c) to be at least as stringent as the requirements of the program under section 702.</text> </clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H1B39A92285F34D17A069BB0F87BBF53E"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Chemical</header><text>The term <term>chemical</term> means any substance or mixture of substances.</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="H8E39DA909B7843A89C9535D5433C1DC9"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Covered chemical storage facility</header> <subparagraph id="H227115651E864E4F841F979A79E0716B"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The term <term>covered chemical storage facility</term> means a facility at which a chemical is stored and the Administrator or State, as applicable, determines that a release of the chemical from the facility poses a risk of harm to a navigable water that is designated for use as a domestic water supply under section 303.</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="HDBB2632915A840008AE41C73699D1C7B"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Exclusions</header><text>The term <term>covered chemical storage facility</term> does not include a facility that is subject to a procedure, method, or other requirement for equipment to address hazardous substances pursuant to section 311(j)(1)(C).</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="HF054D9AED6D04B9E8E3EB5B08B5B42B2"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Considerations</header><text>In determining risk of harm posed by a chemical storage facility under subparagraph (A), the Administrator or State, as applicable, may consider the requirements of applicable Federal or State laws (including regulations).</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HFD79E8BE14614D6CB769D3B45AA06362"><enum>(4)</enum><header>State program</header><text>The term <term>State program</term> means a chemical storage facility source water protection program established under section 702.</text> </paragraph></section><section id="H3D60528EE12D414E83B941E950866C25"><enum>702.</enum><header>Establishment of State programs</header> <subsection id="H133898C1355142998895C49EB8824817"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this title, the Administrator or each State exercising primary enforcement responsibility under section 702(c), as applicable, shall carry out, directly or through delegation, a chemical storage facility source water protection program to provide for the protection of navigable waters that are designated for use as domestic water sources under section 303 from a release of a chemical from a covered chemical storage facility.</text> </subsection><subsection id="HCEADAE8203114DA688A2D928D92EC013"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Program requirements</header> <paragraph id="H2474DA72F8B14F7B90EB2EC9B4E47EF7"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>A State program under subsection (a) shall provide for oversight and inspection of each covered chemical storage facility in accordance with the requirements described in paragraph (2) to prevent the release of chemicals into a navigable water that is designated for use as a domestic water source under section 303.</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="H0F3B7B15EBA945CCABD54F269C42F2C7"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Minimum requirements</header><text>At a minimum, a State program shall include—</text> <subparagraph id="HFAAC5F654B0546708A09DD3AC8616667"><enum>(A)</enum><text>requirements for covered chemical storage facilities, including—</text> <clause id="HA86EE3C81EC041E2B61A7CB8553DEF47"><enum>(i)</enum><text>acceptable standards of good design, construction, or maintenance;</text> </clause><clause id="HB9695BBF72A2446F8BBFEDD7FAE41509"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>leak detection;</text> </clause><clause id="H3BDCFC299BCE40A996F2321F74D12455"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>spill and overfill control;</text> </clause><clause id="HBCE942862BBE4AC99EF4F6A6B66A169F"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>inventory control;</text> </clause><clause id="HE9B0DE2D27AE4D45B93AC4705D3984E7"><enum>(v)</enum><text>an emergency response and communication plan;</text> </clause><clause id="H13E29E0B69CC456F94A17EF088D616EC"><enum>(vi)</enum><text>an employee training and safety plan;</text> </clause><clause id="H015133F47B9343F1B032821C0BCB2AEA"><enum>(vii)</enum><text>an inspection of the integrity of each covered chemical storage facility;</text> </clause><clause id="HD4D10CDE5413486F9B066F4BDAD42C7B"><enum>(viii)</enum><text>lifecycle maintenance, including corrosion protection;</text> </clause><clause id="H413713DB034B43FC8AFEBDC5F0B4C7C1"><enum>(ix)</enum><text>notice to the Administrator, the appropriate State agency, and applicable operators of public water systems on the navigable water designated for use as a domestic water supply under section 303 of—</text> <subclause id="H5B3809297CC24689A25AFDB2C571F1C5"><enum>(I)</enum><text>the potential toxicity of the stored chemicals to humans and the environment; and</text> </subclause><subclause id="H0EA517FE83E74A1EB384FC1FA45CA58C"><enum>(II)</enum><text>safeguards or other precautions that can be taken to detect, mitigate, or otherwise limit the adverse effects of a release of the stored chemicals; and</text> </subclause></clause><clause id="HDA82CD1274C2430D9B897C7DE32BA504"><enum>(x)</enum><text>financial responsibility requirements, including proof of insurance, bond, or other similar instrument;</text> </clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H5D46865484F747EF88F3D34ACA9981AB"><enum>(B)</enum><text>inspections of aboveground storage tanks at covered chemical storage facilities, which shall occur—</text> <clause id="HE932E532DDBD42D38D1736A81B26B18D"><enum>(i)</enum><text>for a covered chemical storage facility identified in a source water assessment area under section 1453 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/300f">42 U.S.C. 300f et seq.</external-xref>), not less frequently than once every 3 years; and</text> </clause><clause id="H58B4EAFBA9DA4E3C9E18939F2F721156"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>for any other covered chemical storage facility, not less frequently than once every 5 years; and</text> </clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HAAB90B8814D04129849D341F314D4D6A"><enum>(C)</enum><text>a comprehensive inventory of the covered chemical storage facilities in each State.</text> </subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HF1E98C2ABADC4A27B775E5A162C5EBF7"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Administration</header><text>A State program shall be carried out—</text> <paragraph id="H4FF3F48FA2774797BDE832C38BEDC9A6"><enum>(1)</enum><text>if the State exercises primary enforcement responsibility for the issuance of permits under section 402(b), by the State; and</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="HD62665F878AF4EBB8F49216D7ED7330D"><enum>(2)</enum><text>if the State does not exercise primary enforcement responsibility for the issuance of permits under section 402(b) in that State, by the Administrator.</text> </paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H07B731B26F024CC8AE66CA8FF004AB09"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Rule of Construction</header><text>Nothing in this title shall preclude or deny the right of any State or political subdivision thereof or interstate agency to adopt or enforce standards for the oversight and inspection of covered chemical storage facilities that are more stringent than the minimum requirements in this section.</text> </subsection><subsection id="HBA8A40CF982B4CECA502299CCB20858C"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Technical assistance</header><text>Upon the request of a State exercising primary enforcement responsibility under section 702(c)(1), the Administrator may provide technical assistance to a State program in carrying out activities under this title.</text> </subsection><subsection id="HA20D00C8ACF14028BF40BBA2A3868B1C"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Survey of Best Practices</header><text>The Administrator shall within six months of the date in section 702(a)—</text> <paragraph id="HDD35FBF97A3145E683FAF30964CBF2EF"><enum>(1)</enum><text>prepare a report that surveys the State oversight and inspection programs provided for in this section and applicable regulations implementing such programs in place in each State;</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="H0ABA17C01F034F5E82D4EEF4B2462DD8"><enum>(2)</enum><text>submit a copy of this report to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee;</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="H7D4050B95E0D4447A8DEDAD10F56C89D"><enum>(3)</enum><text>make the report available to the public on the Administrator’s Web site; and</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="H88F680273E1A43A58B48901387546091"><enum>(4)</enum><text>provide a copy of the report to each State exercising primary enforcement responsibility under section 702(c)(1).</text> </paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H7D38CA2B0CD04A0DBA52F41950C75193"><enum>703.</enum><header>Emergency powers</header> <subsection id="H2DC91717CFC0436CBCE1A3599390C650"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Corrective action orders</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Administrator under section 702(c)(2) or the State under section 702(c)(1), as applicable, may issue an order to the owner or operator of a covered chemical storage facility to carry out the requirements of this title.</text> </subsection><subsection id="HDEDBE88B53884315B5A9E192F2A95432"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Petitions</header> <paragraph id="H9E2CB67C1C5243F98548279124B55DAE"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In any case in which the Administrator or State as applicable under section 702(c) is authorized to act under subsection (a), the owner or operator of a public water system may—</text> <subparagraph id="H665C20DF6B0F444BBEBA505BE049929C"><enum>(A)</enum><text>commence a civil action for appropriate equitable relief, including a restraining order or permanent or temporary injunction, to address any activity or facility that may present an imminent and substantial endangerment to the health of persons who are supplied by that public water system; or</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="H2B4914EF785C4DE292DC77B2F8F2E024"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">petition the Administrator or State as applicable under section 702(c) to issue an order or commence a civil action under subsection (a).</text> </subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H64EDF77170EC485BA3BCA40769EEE7F2"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Response</header> <subparagraph id="HA4394EA9CC5444568F752DA329005ABD"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Subject to subparagraph (B), not later than 30 days after the date on which the Administrator receives a petition under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall respond to the petition and initiate such action as the Administrator determines to be appropriate.</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="HDB1E86F7E3CE4590BCEB47EB8BDBEF21"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Special rule for emergencies</header><text>If the owner or operator of a public water system submits the petition under paragraph (1) in response to an emergency, the Administrator shall respond not later than 72 hours after receipt of the petition.</text> </subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H968CFF423928465F8ED958923CEA531B"><enum>704.</enum><header>Cost recovery</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">If costs have been incurred by the Administrator or the State, as applicable, for undertaking a response action under this title relating to the release of a chemical, the owner or operator of the covered chemical storage facility shall be liable to the Administrator or the State for those costs.</text> </section><section id="HBA9EAD3AE93E417DBBBE3532DBF9FDE2"><enum>705.</enum><header>Transfer of covered chemical storage facilities</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Notwithstanding the inspection schedule under section 702(b)(2)(B), no person shall transfer a covered chemical storage facility unless—</text> <paragraph id="HF58A963C08B24754A1E36FDD322590A7"><enum>(1)</enum><text>prior to the closing or completion of the transfer, the transferor submits to the transferee the results of a pre-transfer inspection of the integrity of the covered chemical storage facility, which shall be conducted pursuant to any requirements set by the Administrator under section 702(c)(2) or the State under section 702(c)(1), as applicable; and</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="HC770BD5E5391479DA11C18880ECFEA14"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the transferor or the transferee agrees to take appropriate measures to address the results of the pre-transfer inspection prior to the date that is 30 days after the date on which the covered chemical storage facility closes or is transferred.</text> </paragraph></section><section id="H91A332367DDE4ED6ABFDF2649A7A6B30"><enum>706.</enum><header>Information sharing</header> <subsection id="H9F5EF364EBC345F7826AD7561C0F97E3"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Information for operators of domestic water systems on navigable waters</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Administrator or State, as applicable, shall provide operators of domestic water systems on a navigable water that is designated for use as a domestic water source under section 303 with information relating to—</text> <paragraph id="H03695201F6494EC28A2EFC9A12FC8C60"><enum>(1)</enum><text>emergency response plans for covered chemical storage facilities located within the same watershed as the domestic water system; and</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="HD2EEE21CB738476E9D9D552DA4697FAF"><enum>(2)</enum><text>an inventory of each chemical held at the covered chemical storage facilities described in paragraph (1).</text> </paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HFEB499C9BBCD49BD936269B57A6295E1"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Emergency response plans</header><text>A copy of each emergency response plan submitted under section 702(b)(2)(A) shall be provided to—</text> <paragraph id="HD64A0D5848EA46DC92CE39253F5CFCD3"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the Administrator (if the State exercises primary responsibility under section 702(c)(1)); and</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="HBEF2367571E848F9BD937AC061B00D18"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the Secretary of Homeland Security.</text> </paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HCA7A4334C73547658028480ED48EFD6A"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Information</header> <paragraph id="H8BB5768EA0A142C9821B2764CA41EDFC"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Administrator or a State, as applicable, may keep confidential information the Administrator or the State determines to be sensitive or present a security risk to a covered chemical storage facility.</text> </paragraph><paragraph id="H58750CD357A44403AED981F653F8FE0A"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Exceptions</header><text>Paragraph (1) shall not—</text> <subparagraph id="H01D80D41BBE34FDC8DD2D72852BDA7CB"><enum>(A)</enum><text>apply to public health information; or</text> </subparagraph><subparagraph id="HD0CB81DE02414A4CA126DB761F3854B2"><enum>(B)</enum><text>prevent the sharing of information with the Administrator, the Secretary of Homeland Security, a public water system, or a public agency involved in emergency response.</text> </subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H6FA790A8028342C3AE1B6BE69BBBFB3D"><enum>707.</enum><header>Penalties for violations</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Any person owning or operating a covered chemical storage facility who violates any applicable requirement or who fails or refuses to comply with an order issued by the Administrator or the State as applicable under this title, may, in an action brought in the appropriate United States District Court, be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $15,000 for each day in which such violation occurs or failure to comply continues.</text></section>.