[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4636 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4636

  To provide for research on and standards for remediation of closed 
    methamphetamine production laboratories, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 22, 2004

  Mr. Gordon (for himself, Mr. Calvert, and Mr. Baird) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, and in 
 addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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 provide for research on and standards 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 Act of 
2004''.

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 clean-up 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.
            (5) Data on methamphetamine laboratory-related contaminants 
        of concern are very limited, and clean-up standards do not 
        currently exist. In addition, the applicability of procedures 
        commonly used for sampling and analysis of contaminants at 
        traditional hazardous release sites to investigations at 
        residences contaminated by methamphetamine production is not 
        well understood.
            (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. ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION RESEARCH AND STANDARDIZATION.

    (a) Research Program.--The Environmental Protection Agency shall 
establish a research program to--
            (1) identify methamphetamine laboratory-related chemicals 
        of concern; and
            (2) support the development of standards to determine when 
        a former methamphetamine laboratory is safe for human 
        habitation.
    (b) Model Guidelines and Procedures.--The Environmental Protection 
Agency, in consultation with the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology, shall establish, not later than 6 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, practical and cost-effective model guidelines 
and procedures for--
            (1) preliminary site assessment criteria for former 
        methamphetamine laboratories, including development of a sample 
        and analysis plan that incorporates quality assurance and 
        quality control principles; and
            (2) clean-up and remediation.

SEC. 4. METHAMPHETAMINE DETECTION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

    The National Institute of Standards and Technology 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. 5. PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF FORMER METHAMPHETAMINE LABORATORIES.

    Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Drug Enforcement Agency shall make available to the public, through 
a regularly updated internet-accessible database, a listing of all 
methamphetamine laboratories that have undergone clean-up treatment 
under the Drug Enforcement Agency's Clandestine Drug Laboratory Clean-
up Program.

SEC. 6. RESIDUAL EFFECTS STUDY.

     Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Environmental Protection Agency shall enter into an arrangement 
with the National Academy of Sciences for a study on the residual 
effects of methamphetamine laboratories on residents of buildings where 
such laboratories are located, with particular emphasis given to health 
effects on children.

SEC. 7. SOCIAL COSTS REPORT.

    The National Science Foundation shall enter into an arrangement 
with the National Academy of Sciences for a report on the societal 
costs of methamphetamine production and abuse. This report shall 
include a cost/benefit analysis comparing human impairment, child 
services, incarceration, and environmental costs of methamphetamine 
production and abuse to a proactive program to reduce methamphetamine 
production and abuse which includes a comprehensive treatment 
component.
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