§2704 Commonly Found Unregulated Hazardous Substances

Summary

The Secretary of Defense must tell the Secretary of Health and Human Services which hazardous chemicals are the 25 most commonly found but not regulated at Defense facilities. An "unregulated hazardous substance" means a dangerous chemical that has no rules or limits under the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Clean Air Act, or the Clean Water Act, and has no Clean Water Act water quality criteria. The Department of Health and Human Services, through the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), must quickly make toxicology profiles for each named chemical. Those profiles must review and summarize health and exposure information, say if more information is needed, and, when needed, help find safe exposure levels. The Department of Defense must give data, money from its appropriations, and staff to help HHS and must agree with HHS in a written plan about how to do this. At the Defense Department’s request, the EPA must also make health advisories for substances that threaten drinking water at Defense sites, showing safe contaminant levels (including a margin to protect sensitive people) for one-day, 10-day, and longer exposures when data allow. DOD must also support EPA and make a written plan for that work. Section 104(i) of CERCLA (42 U.S.C. 9604(i)) applies to Defense facilities.