II 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1388 

To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation 

with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and 

the Secretary of Energy, to conduct a study on the public health and 

environmental impacts of the production, transportation, storage, and 

use of petroleum coke, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 30, 2013 

Mr. LEVIN (for himself, Mr. DURBIN, Ms. STABENOW, and Mr. BROWN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, 

in consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Secretary of Energy, 

to conduct a study on the public health and environmental impacts of the production, transportation, storage, and use of petroleum coke, 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 ‘‘Petroleum Coke Trans5 parency and Public Health Study Act’’. 


smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•S 1388 IS

1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

2 Congress finds the following: 

3 (1) In the past several years, United States 

4 crude oil refineries have grown their coking capacity 

5 to accommodate the conversion of heavy crude oils 

6 into refined petroleum products. 

7 (2) As coking capacity has grown, the domestic 

8 production of petroleum coke is expected to grow, 

9 leading to increases in the storage, transportation, 

10 and use of the material. 

11 (3) In Detroit, piles of petroleum coke have 

12 been stored in the open air on the banks of the De13 troit River. 

14 (4) State regulators, communities, and industry 

15 stakeholders would benefit from a complete under16 standing of petroleum coke and the potential impact 

17 on public health and the environment related to the 

18 production, transportation, storage, and use of pe19 troleum coke. 

20 SEC. 3. STUDY OF PETROLEUM COKE PUBLIC HEALTH AND 

21 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS. 

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 

23 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and 

24 Human Services, in consultation with the Administrator 

25 of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Secretary 

26 of Energy, shall transmit to Congress the results of a 


smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•S 1388 IS

1 study concerning petroleum coke that shall include the fol2 lowing: 

3 (1) An analysis of the public health and envi4 ronmental impacts of the production, transportation, 

5 storage, and use of petroleum coke. 

6 (2) An assessment of potential approaches and 

7 best practices for storing, transporting, and man8 aging petroleum coke. 

9 (3) A quantitative analysis of current and pro10 jected domestic petroleum coke production and utili11 zation locations. 

12 (b) BEST AVAILABLE SCIENCE.—The study under 

13 subsection (a) shall be carried out using the best available 

14 science with the solicitation of readily available informa15 tion from appropriate State agencies, nonprofit entities, 

16 academic entities, and industry. 

17 SEC. 4. CONSOLIDATION OF PETROLEUM COKE RESEARCH. 

18 Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 

19 of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services 

20 shall compile and publish on a publicly available website 

21 the results of the study conducted under section 3. 

Æ 


smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with BILLS