§8952 Research and coordination plan for enhanced response on emerging contaminants

Summary

The Administrator must review federal work to find, track, and help develop treatments for new drinking water contaminants and must make a strategic plan with public water system owners, States, and other stakeholders to improve that work. Not later than 180 days after December 20, 2019, the Administrator and the Secretary of Health and Human Services must create a Working Group to coordinate federal study of the health effects of these drinking water contaminants. The Working Group will include EPA, NIH, CDC, ATSDR, USGS, and any other federal agencies needed. The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy must, not later than 180 days after December 20, 2019, set up the National Emerging Contaminant Research Initiative to use the Federal research strategy to improve identification, analysis, monitoring, and treatments and to set up joint review, cofunding, and information sharing. That initiative will involve agencies such as the National Science Foundation, NIH, EPA, NIST, USGS, and others, and will consult with state, local, and non‑government science groups. Within 1 year after the initiative is set up, those agencies must request research proposals and award grants based on merit. States, public institutions, private companies, and nonprofits may apply. Not later than 1 year after December 20, 2019, the Administrator must study how to give more technical help to States for testing drinking water for emerging contaminants, including treatment options, ways to improve risk communication, access to qualified contract labs, and use of federal labs. The Administrator must report the study results to Congress not later than 18 months after December 20, 2019, and must create a program, not later than 3 years after December 20, 2019, to provide testing and technical support to eligible States. Applications will be judged on merit and factors like lab capacity, methods, contaminant severity, and prevalence, with priority for areas in financially distressed communities and emergency waivers allowed. The Administrator must keep a searchable database on the EPA website listing qualified contract labs and federal lab resources and must add it to the Water Contaminant Information Tool. The Administrator may use up to $15,000,000 in a fiscal year for this work. The Administrator must report to Congress at least once every 2 years until 2029 on progress. Nothing here changes State, local, or Tribal duties for treating, testing, or monitoring drinking water.