§2695c — Title 15 Commerce and Trade | U.S. Code

Summary

Within 2 years after December 19, 2007, the Administrator must issue voluntary guidelines states can use to create and run school environmental health programs. The Administrator must work with the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and other agencies. The guidelines must consider federal work and studies and explain how school buildings affect student and staff health, safety, learning, and students with disabilities. They must cover hazards like lead in drinking water and products, asbestos, radon, mercury, pollutant emissions, and any other risks. They must also cover building features and operations such as daylight, ventilation, heating and cooling, moisture and mold, cleaning and pest control, acoustics, and other comfort and health issues. The guidelines must give technical help on where to locate, how to design, and how to run school facilities (including those for students with disabilities), work with pediatric environmental health centers for on-site investigations, help states and the public understand and improve children’s environmental health, and consider higher risks to children in low-income and minority communities. The Federal Director and Commercial Director must, as much as possible, make sure the public clearinghouse created under section 423 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17083) gets and shares the Administrator’s report information and information on children’s exposure to hazards in school buildings.

Title 15, §2695c

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Not later than 2 years after December 19, 2007, the Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and other relevant agencies, shall issue voluntary guidelines for use by the State in developing and implementing an environmental health program for schools that—

(1)takes into account the status and findings of Federal initiatives established under this subchapter or subtitle C of title IV of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 [42 U.S.C. 17091 et seq.] and other relevant Federal law with respect to school facilities, including relevant updates on trends in the field, such as the impact of school facility environments on student and staff—

(A)health, safety, and productivity; and

(B)disabilities or special needs;

(2)takes into account studies using relevant tools identified or developed in accordance with section 492 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 [42 U.S.C. 17122];

(3)takes into account, with respect to school facilities, each of—

(A)environmental problems, contaminants, hazardous substances, and pollutant emissions, including—

(i)lead from drinking water;

(ii)lead from materials and products;

(iii)asbestos;

(iv)radon;

(v)the presence of elemental mercury releases from products and containers;

(vi)pollutant emissions from materials and products; and

(vii)any other environmental problem, contaminant, hazardous substance, or pollutant emission that present or may present a risk to the health of occupants of the school facilities or environment;

(B)natural day lighting;

(C)ventilation choices and technologies;

(D)heating and cooling choices and technologies;

(E)moisture control and mold;

(F)maintenance, cleaning, and pest control activities;

(G)acoustics; and

(H)other issues relating to the health, comfort, productivity, and performance of occupants of the school facilities;

(4)provides technical assistance on siting, design, management, and operation of school facilities, including facilities used by students with disabilities or special needs;

(5)collaborates with federally funded pediatric environmental health centers to assist in on-site school environmental investigations;

(6)assists States and the public in better understanding and improving the environmental health of children; and

(7)takes into account the special vulnerability of children in low-income and minority communities to exposures from contaminants, hazardous substances, and pollutant emissions.

(b)The Federal Director and Commercial Director shall ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that the public clearinghouse established under section 423 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 [42 U.S.C. 17083] receives and makes available—

(1)information from the Administrator that is contained in the report described in section 2695b(a) of this title; and

(2)information on the exposure of children to environmental hazards in school facilities, as provided by the Administrator.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, referred to in subsec. (a)(1), is Pub. L. 110–140, Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1492. Subtitle C of title IV of the Act enacted part C (§ 17091 et seq.) of subchapter III of chapter 152 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, amended section 6832, 6834, 8253, and 8254 of Title 42, and enacted provisions set out as a note under section 6834 of Title 42. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 17001 of Title 42 and Tables.

§2695c Environmental health program