IIB 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 798 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
DECEMBER 14, 2005 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and 
Public Works 
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 Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
HR 798 RFS 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Methamphetamine Re-
mediation Research Act of 2005’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following: 
(1) Methamphetamine use and production is 
growing rapidly throughout the United States. 
(2) Some materials and chemical residues re-
maining 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 former 
methamphetamine laboratory has been successfully 
remediated. 
(4) Initial cleanup actions are generally limited 
to removal of hazardous substances and contami-
nated materials that pose an immediate threat to 
public health or the environment. It is not uncom-
mon for significant levels of contamination to be 
found throughout residential structures where meth-
amphetamine has been manufactured, partially be-
cause of a lack of knowledge of how to achieve an 
effective cleanup.
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(5) Data on methamphetamine laboratory-re-
lated contaminants of concern are very limited, and 
uniform 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 estab-
lishing assessment and 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 Assistant Administrator for Research and 
Development of the Environmental Protection Agency (in 
this Act referred to as the ‘‘Assistant 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, in-
cluding guidelines regarding preliminary site assessment 
and the remediation of residual contaminants. 
(b) CONSIDERATIONS.—In developing the voluntary 
guidelines under subsection (a), the Assistant Adminis-
trator shall consider, at a minimum—
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(1) relevant standards, guidelines, and require-
ments 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 pro-
posed guidelines. 
(c) STATES.—The voluntary guidelines should be de-
signed to assist State and local governments in the devel-
opment and the implementation of legislation and other 
policies to apply state-of-the-art knowledge and research 
results to the remediation of former methamphetamine 
laboratories. The Assistant Administrator shall work with 
State and local governments and other relevant non-Fed-
eral agencies and organizations, including through the 
conference described in section 5, to promote and encour-
age the appropriate adoption of the voluntary guidelines. 
(d) UPDATING
THE GUIDELINES.—The Assistant 
Administrator shall periodically update the voluntary 
guidelines as the Assistant Administrator, in consultation 
with States and other interested parties, determines to be 
necessary and appropriate to incorporate research findings 
and other new knowledge.
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SEC. 4. RESEARCH PROGRAM. 
The Assistant Administrator shall establish a pro-
gram of research to support the development and revision 
of the voluntary guidelines described in section 3. Such 
research shall— 
(1) identify methamphetamine laboratory-re-
lated 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 ef-
fects; 
(3) identify the research efforts necessary to 
better address biological effects and to minimize ad-
verse human exposures; 
(4) evaluate the performance of various meth-
amphetamine laboratory cleanup and remediation 
techniques; and 
(5) support other research priorities identified 
by the Assistant Administrator in consultation with 
States and other interested parties. 
SEC. 5. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CONFERENCE. 
(a) CONFERENCE.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, and at least every third 
year thereafter, the Assistant Administrator shall convene 
a conference of appropriate State agencies, as well as indi-
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viduals or organizations involved in research and other ac-
tivities directly related to the environmental, or biological 
impacts of former methamphetamine laboratories. The 
conference should be a forum for the Assistant Adminis-
trator to provide information on the guidelines developed 
under section 3 and on the latest findings from the re-
search program described in section 4, and for the non- 
Federal participants to provide information on the prob-
lems and needs of States and localities and their experi-
ence with guidelines developed under section 3. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 3 months after each 
conference, the Assistant Administrator shall submit a re-
port to the Congress that summarizes the proceedings of 
the conference, including a summary of any recommenda-
tions or concerns raised by the non-Federal participants 
and how the Assistant 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 Assistant 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