[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 48 (Wednesday, April 4, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3450-S3451]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. BOXER (for herself and Mr. Reid):
  S. 698. A bill to amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to designate 
chromium-6 as a contaminant, to establish a maximum contaminant level 
for chromium-6, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Environment 
and Public Works.
  Ms. BOXER. Mr. President, today Senator Harry Reid and I are 
introducing a bill for the first time ever will require the Environment 
Protection Agency, EPA, to set a federal standard for chromium 6 in 
drinking water.
  The recent movie, ``Erin Brockovich'' made front page news of the 
substance hexavalent chromium, otherwise known as chromium 6, that 
until last year had only received attention from the scientific 
community. But Hinkley, California, the town depicted in the movie, is 
not the only place where chromium 6 has been found in the drinking 
water supply.
  For example, last September, PG&E National Energy Group agreed to 
close down five unlined wastewater basins and two landfills at its 
power plants in Massachusetts because they were being sued for dumping 
waste contaminated with chromium 6 into these basins and landfills, 
endangering the safety of the groundwater.
  Over one year ago in Painesville Township, Ohio, large amounts of 
chromium 6 were removed from a construction site. Workers at the site 
were replacing 2,000 feet of pipe in the sewer main when they 
encountered the contaminated water, which was described as 
``phosphorescent yellow-green liquid.''
  Chromium 6 is a chemical that is used by a variety of industries 
throughout the country. When improperly disposed of, chromium 6 can 
contaminate ground water, which is the

[[Page S3451]]

very same water that many communities use to supply their drinking 
water.
  We now know for a fact that chromium 6 causes a host of serious 
health problems, including cancer, liver damage, kidney damage, immune 
system suppression, respiratory illness, skin rashes, nose bleeds and 
neurological damage. What we do not know is the level at which chromium 
6 in drinking water causes these problems.
  That is why I am introducing this bill today with my colleague 
Senator Harry Reid. Our bill will require the National Academy of 
Sciences to study the health effects of chromium 6 in drinking water 
and to make recommendations to the EPA on an appropriate maximum 
contaminant level goal. The EPA, based on these recommendations, will 
then list chromium 6 as a regulated contaminant under the Safe Drinking 
Water Act and set a federal standard for the levels of chromium 6 that 
can safely be found in drinking water.
  This bill will also ensure that communities are able to get 
information about the chromium 6 levels in their drinking water from 
their local water supplies by applying existing right-to-know laws and 
will provide funding to state and local water authorities to help 
defray the cost of cleaning up chromium 6.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues to secure passage of 
this vitally important health safety measure.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 698

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. MAXIMUM CONTAMINANT LEVEL FOR CHROMIUM-6.

       (a) In General.--Section 1412(b)(12) of the Safe Drinking 
     Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300g-1(b)(12)) is amended by adding at 
     the end the following:
       ``(C) Chromium-6.--
       ``(i) Declaration of chromium-6 as contaminant.--Congress 
     declares that chromium-6 is a contaminant subject to 
     regulation under this title.
       ``(ii) Study.--

       ``(I) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
     enactment of this subparagraph, the Administrator shall enter 
     into a contract with the National Academy of Sciences under 
     which the National Academy of Sciences, not later than 1 year 
     after the date of enactment of this subparagraph, shall 
     complete a study to determine, and shall recommend to the 
     Administrator, an appropriate maximum contaminant level goal 
     for chromium-6.
       ``(II) Establishment of mcl.--Not later than 30 days after 
     the date on which the Administrator receives the 
     recommendation of the National Academy of Sciences under 
     subclause (I), the Administrator shall establish a maximum 
     contaminant level for chromium-6 at a level consistent with 
     that recommendation.
       ``(III) Report.--Not later than 30 days after the date on 
     which the Administrator receives the recommendation of the 
     National Academy of Sciences under subclause (I), the 
     Administrator shall submit to Congress a report that 
     describes the results of the study.

       ``(iii) Applicability of other law.--Chapter 7, and 
     subchapter II of chapter 5, of title 5, United States Code, 
     shall not apply to any action of the Administrator under this 
     clause.
       ``(iv) Regulation.--On and after the date of completion of 
     the study under clause (ii), the Administrator shall regulate 
     chromium-6 as an inorganic contaminant in accordance with 
     part 141 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (or a 
     successor regulation).''.
       (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 1452 of the 
     Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-12) is amended by 
     striking subsection (m) and inserting the following:
       ``(m) Authorization of Appropriations.--
       ``(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
     to carry out this section, to remain available until 
     expended--
       ``(A) $599,000,000 for fiscal year 1994; and
       ``(B) $1,000,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1995 through 
     2005.
       ``(2) Subsequent authorizations.--To the extent that any 
     amount authorized to be appropriated under this subsection 
     for any fiscal year is not appropriated for the fiscal year, 
     the amount--
       ``(A) is authorized to be appropriated in any subsequent 
     fiscal year before fiscal year 2004; and
       ``(B) shall remain available until expended.
       ``(3) Chromium-6 compliance.--Of the funds made available 
     under paragraph (1)(B) for each of fiscal years 2002 through 
     2005, such sums as are necessary shall be made available to 
     the Administrator to provide grants in accordance with this 
     section to States and community water systems for use in 
     carrying out activities to comply with section 
     1412(b)(12)(C).''.
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