I 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7284 

To require the Director of the United States Geological Survey to perform 

a nationwide survey of perfluorinated compounds, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 12, 2018 

Mr. KILDEE (for himself, Mr. BERGMAN, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. 

WELCH, and Mr. HUFFMAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To require the Director of the United States Geological Survey to perform a nationwide survey of perfluorinated 

compounds, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘PFAS Detection Act 

5 of 2018’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 


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1 (1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis2 trator’’ means the Administrator of the Environ3 mental Protection Agency. 

4 (2) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 

5 the Director of the United States Geological Survey. 

6 (3) PERFLUORINATED COMPOUND.— 

7 (A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘per8 fluorinated compound’’ means a perfluoroalkyl 

9 substance or a polyfluoroalkyl substance that is 

10 manmade with at least 1 fully fluorinated car11 bon atom. 

12 (B) DEFINITIONS.—In this definition: 

13 (i) FULLY FLUORINATED CARBON

14 ATOM.—The term ‘‘fully fluorinated carbon 

15 atom’’ means a carbon atom on which all 

16 the hydrogen substituents have been re17 placed by fluorine. 

18 (ii) NON-FLUORINATED CARBON

19 ATOM.—The term ‘‘nonfluorinated carbon 

20 atom’’ means a carbon atom on which no 

21 hydrogen substituents have been replaced 

22 by fluorine. 

23 (iii) PARTIALLY FLUORINATED CAR24 BON ATOM.—The term ‘‘partially fluo25 rinated carbon atom’’ means a carbon 


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1 atom on which some, but not all, of the hy2 drogen substituents have been replaced by 

3 fluorine. 

4 (iv) PERFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCE.— 

5 The term ‘‘perfluoroalkyl substance’’ 

6 means a manmade chemical of which all of 

7 the carbon atoms are fully fluorinated car8 bon atoms. 

9 (v) POLYFLUOROALKYL SUB10 STANCE.—The term ‘‘polyfluoroalkyl sub11 stance’’ means a manmade chemical con12 taining a mix of fully fluorinated carbon 

13 atoms, partially fluorinated carbon atoms, 

14 and nonfluorinated carbon atoms. 

15 SEC. 3. PERFORMANCE STANDARD FOR THE DETECTION 

16 OF PERFLUORINATED COMPOUNDS. 

17 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall establish a per18 formance standard for the detection of perfluorinated 

19 compounds. 

20 (b) EMPHASIS.— 

21 (1) IN GENERAL.—In developing the perform22 ance standard under subsection (a), the Director 

23 shall emphasize the ability to detect as many 

24 perfluorinated compounds present in the environVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:56 Dec 15, 2018 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7284.IH H7284

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1 ment as possible using analytical methods that are 

2 as sensitive as is feasible and practicable. 

3 (2) REQUIREMENT.—In developing the per4 formance standard under subsection (a), the Direc5 tor may— 

6 (A) develop methods to detect different 

7 perfluorinated compounds simultaneously; 

8 (B) develop methods to detect specific 

9 perfluorinated compounds, if the specific 

10 perfluorinated compound is difficult to detect 

11 using a method under subparagraph (A); and 

12 (C) coordinate as necessary with the Ad13 ministrator. 

14 SEC. 4. NATIONWIDE SAMPLING. 

15 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall carry out a na16 tionwide sampling to determine the concentration of 

17 perfluorinated compounds in estuaries, lakes, streams, 

18 springs, wells, wetlands, rivers, aquifers, air, and soil 

19 using the performance standard developed under section 

20 3(a). 

21 (b) REQUIREMENTS.—In carrying out the sampling 

22 under subsection (a), the Director shall— 

23 (1) first carry out the sampling at sources of 

24 drinking water near locations with known or sus25 pected releases of perfluorinated compounds; 


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1 (2) when carrying out sampling of sources of 

2 drinking water under paragraph (1), carry out the 

3 sampling prior to any treatment of the water; 

4 (3) survey for ecological exposure to 

5 perfluorinated compounds, with a priority in deter6 mining direct human exposure through drinking 

7 water; and 

8 (4) consult with— 

9 (A) States to determine areas that are a 

10 priority for sampling; and 

11 (B) the Administrator— 

12 (i) to enhance coverage of the sam13 pling; and 

14 (ii) to avoid unnecessary duplication. 

15 (c) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after the com16 pletion of the sampling under subsection (a), the Director 

17 shall prepare a report describing the results of the sam18 pling and submit the report to— 

19 (1) the Committee on Environment and Public 

20 Works and the Committee on Energy and Natural 

21 Resources of the Senate; 

22 (2) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of 

23 the House of Representatives; 

24 (3) the Senators of each State in which the Di25 rector carried out the sampling; and 


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1 (4) each Member of the House of Representa2 tives that represents a district in which the Director 

3 carried out the sampling. 

4 SEC. 5. DATA USAGE. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Director shall provide the 

6 sampling data collected under section 4 to— 

7 (1) the Administrator of the Environmental 

8 Protection Agency; and 

9 (2) other Federal and State regulatory agencies 

10 on request. 

11 (b) USAGE.—The sampling data provided under sub12 section (a) shall be used to inform and enhance assess13 ments of exposure, likely health and environmental im14 pacts, and remediation priorities. 

15 SEC. 6. COLLABORATION. 

16 In carrying out this Act, the Director shall collabo17 rate with— 

18 (1) appropriate Federal and State regulators; 

19 (2) institutions of higher education; and 

20 (3) research institutions. 

21 SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro23 priated to the Director to carry out this Act— 

24 (1) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2019; and 


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1 (2) $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 

2 through 2023. 

3 (b) PERFORMANCE STANDARD FOR THE DETECTION

4 OF PERFLUORINATED COMPOUNDS.—In addition to the 

5 amounts authorized to be appropriated by subsection (a), 

6 there is authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000 for each 

7 of fiscal years 2019 through 2023 to carry out section 3. 

Æ 


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