PUBLIC LAW 110–143—DEC. 21, 2007 121 STAT. 1809 

Public Law 110–143 

110th Congress 

An Act 

To provide for a research program for remediation of closed methamphetamine 

production laboratories, and for other purposes. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 

the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Methamphetamine Remediation 

Research Act of 2007’’. 

SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

The Congress finds the following: 

(1) Methamphetamine use and production is growing rapidly throughout the United States. 

(2) Materials and residues remaining from the production 

of methamphetamine pose novel environmental problems in 

locations where methamphetamine laboratories have been 

closed. 

(3) There has been little standardization of measures for 

determining when the site of a closed methamphetamine laboratory has been successfully remediated. 

(4) Initial cleanup actions are generally limited to removal 

of hazardous substances and contaminated materials that pose 

an immediate threat to public health or the environment. It 

is not uncommon for significant levels of contamination to 

be found throughout residential structures after a methamphetamine laboratory has closed, partially because of a lack of 

knowledge of how to achieve an effective cleanup. 

(5) Data on methamphetamine laboratory-related contaminants of concern are very limited, and cleanup standards do 

not currently exist. In addition, procedures for sampling and 

analysis of contaminants need to be researched and developed. 

(6) Many States are struggling with establishing remediation guidelines and programs to address the rapidly expanding 

number of methamphetamine laboratories being closed each 

year. 

SEC. 3. VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES. 

(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES.—Not later 

than one year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (in this Act referred 

to as the ‘‘Administrator’’), in consultation with the National 

Institute of Standards and Technology, shall establish voluntary 

guidelines, based on the best currently available scientific knowledge, for the remediation of former methamphetamine laboratories, 

Deadline. 

Methamphetamine 

Remediation 

Research Act 

of 2007. 

42 USC 9660 

note. 

Dec. 21, 2007 

[H.R. 365] 


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121 STAT. 1810 PUBLIC LAW 110–143—DEC. 21, 2007 

including guidelines regarding preliminary site assessment and the 

remediation of residual contaminants. 

(b) CONSIDERATIONS.—In developing the voluntary guidelines 

under subsection (a), the Administrator shall consider, at a minimum— 

(1) relevant standards, guidelines, and requirements found 

in Federal, State, and local laws and regulations; 

(2) the varying types and locations of former methamphetamine laboratories; and 

(3) the expected cost of carrying out any proposed guidelines. 

(c) STATES.—The voluntary guidelines should be designed to 

assist State and local governments in the development and the 

implementation of legislation and other policies to apply stateof-the-art knowledge and research results to the remediation of 

former methamphetamine laboratories. The Administrator shall 

work with State and local governments and other relevant nonFederal agencies and organizations, including through the conference described in section 5, to promote and encourage the appropriate adoption of the voluntary guidelines. 

(d) UPDATING THE GUIDELINES.—The Administrator shall 

periodically update the voluntary guidelines as the Administrator, 

in consultation with States and other interested parties, determines 

to be necessary and appropriate to incorporate research findings 

and other new knowledge. 

SEC. 4. RESEARCH PROGRAM. 

The Administrator shall establish a program of research to 

support the development and revision of the voluntary guidelines 

described in section 3. Such research shall— 

(1) identify methamphetamine laboratory-related chemicals 

of concern; 

(2) assess the types and levels of exposure to chemicals 

of concern identified under paragraph (1), including routine 

and accidental exposures, that may present a significant risk 

of adverse biological effects, and the research necessary to 

better address biological effects and to minimize adverse human 

exposures; 

(3) evaluate the performance of various methamphetamine 

laboratory cleanup and remediation techniques; and 

(4) support other research priorities identified by the 

Administrator in consultation with States and other interested 

parties. 

SEC. 5. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CONFERENCE. 

(a) CONFERENCE.—Not later than 90 days after the date of 

enactment of this Act, and at least every third year thereafter, 

the Administrator shall convene a conference of appropriate State 

agencies, as well as individuals or organizations involved in research 

and other activities directly related to the environmental, or 

biological impacts of former methamphetamine laboratories. The 

conference should be a forum for the Administrator to provide 

information on the guidelines developed under section 3 and on 

the latest findings from the research program described in section 

4, and for the non-Federal participants to provide information on 

the problems and needs of States and localities and their experience 

with guidelines developed under section 3. 

Deadlines. 


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PUBLIC LAW 110–143—DEC. 21, 2007 121 STAT. 1811 

(b) REPORT.—Not later than 3 months after each conference, 

the Administrator shall submit a report to the Congress that 

summarizes the proceedings of the conference, including a summary 

of any recommendations or concerns raised by the non-Federal 

participants and how the Administrator intends to respond to them. 

The report shall also be made widely available to the general 

public. 

SEC. 6. RESIDUAL EFFECTS STUDY. 

(a) STUDY.—Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment 

of this Act, the Administrator shall enter into an arrangement 

with the National Academy of Sciences for a study of the status 

and quality of research on the residual effects of methamphetamine 

laboratories. The study shall identify research gaps and recommend 

an agenda for the research program described in section 4. The 

study shall pay particular attention to the need for research on 

the impacts of methamphetamine laboratories on— 

(1) the residents of buildings where such laboratories are, 

or were, located, with particular emphasis given to biological 

impacts on children; and 

(2) first responders. 

(b) REPORT.—Not later than 3 months after the completion 

of the study, the Administrator shall transmit to Congress a report 

on how the Administrator will use the results of the study to 

carry out the activities described in sections 3 and 4. 

SEC. 7. METHAMPHETAMINE DETECTION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. 

The Director of National Institute of Standards and Technology, 

in consultation with the Administrator, shall support a research 

program to develop— 

(1) new methamphetamine detection technologies, with 

emphasis on field test kits and site detection; and 

(2) appropriate standard reference materials and validation 

procedures for methamphetamine detection testing. 

SEC. 8. SAVINGS CLAUSE. 

Nothing in this Act shall be construed to affect or limit the 

application of, or any obligation to comply with, any State or Federal 

environmental law or regulation, including the Comprehensive 

Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 

(42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) and the Solid Waste Disposal Act (42 

U.S.C. 6901 et seq.). 

SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

(a) ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.—There are authorized to be appropriated to the Environmental Protection Agency 

to carry out this Act $1,750,000 for each of the fiscal years 2007 

and 2008. 

(b) NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY.— 

There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Institute 


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121 STAT. 1812 PUBLIC LAW 110–143—DEC. 21, 2007 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 365 (S. 635): 

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 110–8 (Comm. on Science and Technology). 

SENATE REPORTS: No. 110–157 accompanying S. 635 (Comm. on Environment 

and Public Works). 

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 153 (2007): 

Feb. 7, considered and passed House. 

Dec. 11, considered and passed Senate. 

Æ 

of Standards and Technology to carry out this Act $750,000 for 

each of the fiscal years 2007 and 2008. 

Approved December 21, 2007. 


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