[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 212 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]
H.R.212
One Hundred Fourteenth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE FIRST SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
the sixth day of January, two thousand and fifteen
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.
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.--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. ALGAL TOXIN 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 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;
``(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) 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--
(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.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.