II 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 2019 

To provide for a research program for remediation of closed methamphetamine 

production laboratories, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 16, 2005 

Mr. SMITH (for himself and Mr. BAUCUS) introduced the following bill; which 

was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public 

Works 

A BILL 

To provide for a research program for remediation of closed 

methamphetamine production laboratories, 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 ‘‘Methamphetamine Re5 mediation Research Act of 2005’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds that— 

8 (1) methamphetamine use and production is 

9 growing rapidly throughout the United States; 
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1 (2) some materials and chemical residues re2 maining from the production of methamphetamine 

3 pose novel environmental problems in locations in 

4 which methamphetamine laboratories have been 

5 closed; 

6 (3) there has been little standardization of 

7 measures for determining when the site of a former 

8 methamphetamine laboratory has been successfully 

9 remediated; 

10 (4)(A) initial cleanup actions are generally lim11 ited to removal of hazardous substances and con12 taminated materials that pose an immediate threat 

13 to public health or the environment; and 

14 (B) it is not uncommon for significant levels of 

15 contamination to be found throughout residential 

16 structures in which methamphetamine has been 

17 manufactured, partially because of a lack of knowl18 edge of how to achieve an effective cleanup; 

19 (5)(A) data on methamphetamine laboratory-re20 lated contaminants of concern are very limited; 

21 (B) uniform cleanup standards do not exist; 

22 and 

23 (C) procedures for sampling and analysis of 

24 contaminants need to be researched and developed; 

25 and 
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1 (6) many States are struggling with estab2 lishing assessment and remediation guidelines and 

3 programs to address the rapidly expanding number 

4 of methamphetamine laboratories being closed each 

5 year. 

6 SEC. 3. VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES. 

7 (a) ESTABLISHMENT OF VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES.— 

8 Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this 

9 Act, the Assistant Administrator for Research and Devel10 opment of the Environmental Protection Agency (referred 

11 to in this Act as the ‘‘Assistant Administrator’’), in con12 sultation with the National Institute of Standards and 

13 Technology, shall establish voluntary guidelines, based on 

14 the best available scientific knowledge, for the remediation 

15 of former methamphetamine laboratories, including guide16 lines regarding preliminary site assessment and the reme17 diation of residual contaminants. 

18 (b) CONSIDERATIONS.—In developing the voluntary 

19 guidelines under subsection (a), the Assistant Adminis20 trator shall consider, at a minimum— 

21 (1) relevant standards, guidelines, and require22 ments found in Federal, State, and local laws (in23 cluding regulations); 

24 (2) the varying types and locations of former 

25 methamphetamine laboratories; and 
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1 (3) the expected cost of carrying out any pro2 posed guidelines. 

3 (c) STATES.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—The voluntary guidelines 

5 should be designed to assist State and local govern6 ments in the development and the implementation of 

7 legislation and other policies to apply state-of-the-art 

8 knowledge and research results to the remediation of 

9 former methamphetamine laboratories. 

10 (2) ADOPTION.—The Assistant Administrator 

11 shall work with State and local governments and 

12 other relevant non-Federal agencies and organiza13 tions, including through the conference described in 

14 section 5, to promote and encourage the appropriate 

15 adoption of the voluntary guidelines. 

16 (d) UPDATING THE GUIDELINES.—The Assistant 

17 Administrator shall periodically update the voluntary 

18 guidelines as the Assistant Administrator, in consultation 

19 with States and other interested parties, determines to be 

20 appropriate to incorporate research findings and other 

21 new knowledge. 

22 SEC. 4. RESEARCH PROGRAM. 

23 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Administrator shall 

24 establish a program of research to support the develop-
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1 ment and revision of the voluntary guidelines described in 

2 section 3. 

3 (b) RESEARCH.—The research shall— 

4 (1) identify methamphetamine laboratory-re5 lated chemicals of concern; 

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

7 chemicals of concern identified under paragraph (1), 

8 including routine and accidental exposures, that may 

9 present a significant risk of adverse biological ef10 fects; 

11 (3) identify the research efforts necessary to 

12 better address biological effects and to minimize ad13 verse human exposures; 

14 (4) evaluate the performance of various meth15 amphetamine laboratory cleanup and remediation 

16 techniques; and 

17 (5) support other research priorities identified 

18 by the Assistant Administrator in consultation with 

19 States and other interested parties. 

20 SEC. 5. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CONFERENCE. 

21 (a) CONFERENCE.— 

22 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 

23 after the date of enactment of this Act and at least 

24 every third year thereafter, the Assistant Adminis25 trator shall convene a conference of appropriate 
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1 State agencies, individuals, and organizations in2 volved in research and other activities directly relat3 ing to the environmental or biological impacts of 

4 former methamphetamine laboratories. 

5 (2) FORUM.—The conference should be a forum 

6 for— 

7 (A) the Assistant Administrator to provide 

8 information on the guidelines developed under 

9 section 3 and on the latest findings from the re10 search program described in section 4; and 

11 (B) non-Federal participants to provide in12 formation on the problems and needs of States 

13 and localities and their experience with guide14 lines developed under section 3. 

15 (b) REPORT.— 

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 

17 the date of each conference, the Assistant Adminis18 trator shall submit to Congress a report that sum19 marizes the proceedings of the conference, including 

20 a summary of any recommendations or concerns 

21 raised by the non-Federal participants and how the 

22 Assistant Administrator intends to respond to the 

23 recommendations or concerns. 
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1 (2) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—The Assistant Sec2 retary shall make each report widely available to the 

3 general public. 

4 SEC. 6. RESIDUAL EFFECTS STUDY. 

5 (a) STUDY.—Not later than 180 days after the date 

6 of enactment of this Act, the Assistant Administrator shall 

7 offer to enter into an arrangement with the National 

8 Academy of Sciences under which the National Academy 

9 of Sciences shall conduct a study of the status and quality 

10 of research on the residual effects of methamphetamine 

11 laboratories. 

12 (b) CONTENT.—The study shall identify research 

13 gaps and recommend an agenda for the research program 

14 described in section 4, with particular attention to the 

15 need for research on the impacts of methamphetamine lab16 oratories on— 

17 (1) the residents of buildings in which such lab18 oratories are, or were, located, with particular em19 phasis given to biological impacts on children; and 

20 (2) first responders. 

21 (c) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after the date 

22 of completion of the study, the Assistant Administrator 

23 shall submit to Congress a report describing the manner 

24 in which the Assistant Administrator will use the results 
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1 of the study to carry out the activities described in sections 

2 3 and 4. 

3 SEC. 7. METHAMPHETAMINE DETECTION RESEARCH AND 

4 DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. 

5 The Director of National Institute of Standards and 

6 Technology, in consultation with the Assistant Adminis7 trator, shall support a research program to develop— 

8 (1) new methamphetamine detection tech9 nologies, with emphasis on field test kits and site de10 tection; and 

11 (2) appropriate standard reference materials 

12 and validation procedures for methamphetamine de13 tection testing. 

14 SEC. 8. SAVINGS CLAUSE. 

15 Nothing in this Act modifies or otherwise affects the 

16 regulatory authority of the Environmental Protection 

17 Agency. 

18 SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

19 (a) ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.—There 

20 is authorized to be appropriated to the Assistant Adminis21 trator to carry out this Act $3,000,000 for each of fiscal 

22 years 2006 through 2009. 

23 (b) NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND

24 TECHNOLOGY.—There is authorized to be appropriated to 

25 the Director of the National Institute of Standards and 
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1 Technology to carry out this Act $1,500,000 for each of 

2 fiscal years 2006 through 2009. 

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