In the Senate of the United States,
December 9 (legislative day, December 8), 2006.
Resolved, That the bill from the House of Representa-
tives (H.R. 798) entitled ‘‘An Act to provide for a research
program for remediation of closed methamphetamine produc-
tion laboratories, and for other purposes.’’, do pass with the
following
AMENDMENT:
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Methamphetamine Re-
mediation Research Act of 2006’’.
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that—
(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 in
which methamphetamine laboratories have been
closed;
(3) there has been little standardization of meas-
ures for determining when the site of a former meth-
amphetamine laboratory has been successfully remedi-
ated;
(4)(A) initial cleanup actions are generally lim-
ited to removal of hazardous substances and contami-
nated materials that pose an immediate threat to
public health or the environment; and
(B) it is not uncommon for significant levels of
contamination to be found throughout residential
structures in which methamphetamine has been man-
ufactured, partially because of a lack of knowledge of
how to achieve an effective cleanup;
(5)(A) data on methamphetamine laboratory-re-
lated contaminants of concern are very limited;
(B) uniform cleanup standards do not exist; and
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(C) procedures for sampling and analysis of con-
taminants need to be researched and developed; and
(6) many States are struggling with establishing
assessment and remediation guidelines and programs
to address the rapidly expanding number of meth-
amphetamine laboratories being closed each year.
SEC. 3. VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES.—
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Administrator’’), in
consultation with the National Institute of Standards and
Technology, shall establish voluntary guidelines, based on
the best available scientific knowledge, for the remediation
of former methamphetamine laboratories, including guide-
lines regarding preliminary site assessment and the remedi-
ation 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 require-
ments found in Federal, State, and local laws (in-
cluding regulations);
(2) the varying types and locations of former
methamphetamine laboratories; and
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(3) the expected cost of carrying out any pro-
posed guidelines.
(c) STATES.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The voluntary guidelines
should be designed to assist State and local govern-
ments in the development 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.
(2) ADOPTION.—The Administrator shall work
with State and local governments and other relevant
non-Federal agencies and organizations, including
through the conference described in section 5, to pro-
mote 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 inter-
ested parties, determines to be appropriate to incorporate
research findings and other new knowledge.
SEC. 4. RESEARCH PROGRAM.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall establish
a program of research to support the development and revi-
sion of the voluntary guidelines described in section 3.
(b) RESEARCH.—The research shall—
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(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;
(3) identify the research efforts necessary to bet-
ter address biological effects and to minimize adverse
human exposures;
(4) evaluate the performance of various meth-
amphetamine laboratory cleanup and remediation
techniques; and
(5) support other research priorities identified by
the Administrator, in consultation with States and
other interested parties.
SEC. 5. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CONFERENCE.
(a) CONFERENCE.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 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, individ-
uals, and organizations involved in research and
other activities directly relating to the environmental
or biological impacts of former methamphetamine lab-
oratories.
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(2) FORUM.—The conference should be a forum
for—
(A) the Administrator to provide informa-
tion on the guidelines developed under section 3
and on the latest findings from the research pro-
gram described in section 4; and
(B) non-Federal participants to provide in-
formation on the problems and needs of States
and localities and their experience with guide-
lines developed under section 3.
(b) REPORT.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after
the date of each conference, the Administrator shall
submit to Congress a report that summarizes the pro-
ceedings of the conference, including a summary of
any recommendations or concerns raised by the non-
Federal participants in that conference and how the
Administrator intends to respond to the recommenda-
tions or concerns.
(2) PUBLIC
AVAILABILITY.—The Administrator
shall make each report widely available to the general
public.
SEC. 6. RESIDUAL EFFECTS STUDY.
(a) STUDY.—Not later than 180 days after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall offer to
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enter into an arrangement with the National Academy of
Sciences under which the National Academy of Sciences
shall conduct a study of the status and quality of research
on the residual effects of methamphetamine laboratories.
(b) CONTENT.—The study shall identify research gaps
and recommend an agenda for the research program de-
scribed in section 4, with particular attention to the need
for research on the impacts of methamphetamine labora-
tories on—
(1) the residents of buildings in which such lab-
oratories are, or were, located, with particular em-
phasis given to biological impacts on children; and
(2) first responders.
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after the date
of completion of the study, the Administrator shall submit
to Congress a report describing the manner in which 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—
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(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 modifies or otherwise affects the
regulatory authority of the Environmental Protection Agen-
cy.
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.—There is
authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator to carry
out this Act $1,750,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 and
2008.
(b) NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECH-
NOLOGY.—There is authorized to be appropriated to the Di-
rector of the National Institute of Standards and Tech-
nology to carry out this Act $750,000 for each of fiscal years
2007 and 2008.
Attest:
Secretary.