[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2266 Introduced in House (IH)]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2266
To reduce the risk of the accidental release of mercury into the
environment by providing for the temporary storage of private sector
supplies of mercury at facilities of the Department of Defense
currently used for mercury storage, to require the Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency to appoint a task force to develop a
plan for the safe disposal of mercury, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 21, 2001
Mr. Allen (for himself and Mr. Baldacci) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in
addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To reduce the risk of the accidental release of mercury into the
environment by providing for the temporary storage of private sector
supplies of mercury at facilities of the Department of Defense
currently used for mercury storage, to require the Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency to appoint a task force to develop a
plan for the safe disposal of mercury, 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 ``Mercury Storage and Safe Disposal
Act of 2001''.
SEC. 2. AUTHORITY OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TO ACCEPT AND STORE MERCURY
PENDING ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY DEVELOPMENT OF
SAFE DISPOSAL METHOD.
(a) Acceptance of Mercury Acquired by EPA Administrator.--
Subsection (b) of section 2692 of title 10, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(12) The temporary storage of mercury acquired by the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency from
private sector sources pending the development of one or more
disposal methods for mercury that ensure that the health
hazards from mercury are not transferred from one environmental
medium to another and that there is no release of mercury into
the environment. Mercury accepted for storage under this
paragraph shall be stored at Department of Defense
installations used for the storage of mercury owned by the
Department.''.
(b) Duration of Storage.--Subsection (d)(2) of such section is
amended by inserting after the first sentence the following new
sentence: ``In the case of the storage of mercury under subsection
(b)(12), the storage provided shall cease as soon as practicable after
the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency certifies to
the Secretary of Defense that a disposal method for mercury satisfying
the criteria specified in such subsection has been developed.''.
SEC. 3. ACQUISITION OF MERCURY.
The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (in this
Act referred to as the ``Administrator'') shall acquire any store of
mercury held by private sector Chlor-alkali plants, other facilities
who have amounts in excess of 35,000 pounds, and any other sources
identified by the Task Force established under section 4. Such stores
shall be transferred to the Secretary of Defense for storage under
section 2692(b)(12) of title 10, United States Code.
SEC. 4. TASK FORCE.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall establish a Task Force
on Safe Mercury Disposal (in this Act referred to as the ``Task
Force'').
(b) Membership.--The Task Force shall consist of--
(1) one representative each from the Department of Defense,
the Department of Energy, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service;
(2) one representative from the Environmental Council of
States, appointed by the Administrator;
(3) one representative of consumer groups, appointed by the
Administrator;
(4) one representative of Native American communities,
appointed by the Administrator;
(5) one representative of health professionals, appointed
by the Administrator; and
(6) one representative from the environmental community,
appointed by the Administrator.
(c) Functions.--The Task Force shall--
(1) identify the best methods to ensure that mercury is not
released into the environment, after exploration of appropriate
potential options including mercury stabilization, safe mercury
disposal technologies, and long-term storage;
(2) assess such technologies and measures for safety,
efficiency, cost-effectiveness, long-term durability, and
public acceptability; and
(3) identify necessary research, development, and
demonstration of such technologies and measures.
(d) Reports to Congress.--
(1) Interim report.--The Task Force shall transmit to the
Congress, not later than 1 year after its first meeting, a
report on its activities and conclusions.
(2) Final plan.--Not later than January 1, 2003, the Task
Force shall prepare and transmit to the Congress and to the
Administrator a final plan for safe mercury disposal, which
shall provide for the stabilization or other appropriate
methods of retiring the mercury. Such plan shall ensure that
the health hazards from mercury are not transferred from one
environmental medium to another and that there is no release of
mercury into the environment, and shall provide for the
involvement of States and the public.
SEC. 5. EXECUTION OF PLAN.
The Administrator shall carry out research, development, and
demonstration recommended by the Task Force, and shall provide for the
disposal of mercury stored under section 2692(b)(12) of title 10,
United States Code, and other mercury in the possession of the United
States Government, in accordance with the plan prepared under section
4(d)(2).
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