I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2092 
To direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to set 
a health-protective numerical emission limitation for hydrogen cyanide 
under section 112 of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7412), and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 4, 2019 
Ms. DEGETTE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency to set a health-protective numerical emission limi-
tation for hydrogen cyanide under section 112 of the 
Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7412), and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protecting Commu-
nities from Hydrogen Cyanide Act of 2019’’. 
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SEC. 2. PROTECTING PUBLIC HEALTH FROM HYDROGEN 
CYANIDE POLLUTION. 
Section 112(n) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 
7412(n)) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(8) HYDROGEN CYANIDE.— 
‘‘(A) NUMERICAL EMISSION LIMITATION.— 
The Administrator shall, by regulation— 
‘‘(i) set a numerical emission limita-
tion for hydrogen cyanide from petroleum 
refineries; and 
‘‘(ii) require— 
‘‘(I) real-time fenceline air moni-
toring of emissions of hydrogen cya-
nide at each petroleum refinery and 
real-time online public reporting of 
such monitoring; 
‘‘(II) a community release alert 
system for residents exposed to emis-
sions of hydrogen cyanide from a pe-
troleum refinery; and 
‘‘(III) regular electronic report-
ing to the Administrator of all moni-
toring data related to emissions of hy-
drogen cyanide from each petroleum 
refinery. 
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‘‘(B) REQUIREMENTS.—In setting a nu-
merical emission limitation under subparagraph 
(A), the Administrator shall— 
‘‘(i) require the maximum degree of 
reduction in emissions that the Adminis-
trator determines is achievable, in accord-
ance with subsection (d); 
‘‘(ii) ensure an ample margin of safety 
to protect public health and prevent an ad-
verse environmental effect; 
‘‘(iii) prevent adverse cumulative ef-
fects to fetal health, children’s health, and 
the health of vulnerable subpopulations; 
‘‘(iv) consider the effects and risks of 
exposure to hydrogen cyanide from mul-
tiple sources and in combination with expo-
sure to other pollutants; and 
‘‘(v) 
consider 
the 
best 
available 
science, including as provided by the Na-
tional Academy of Sciences. 
‘‘(C) REGULATION.— 
‘‘(i) INITIAL REGULATION.— 
‘‘(I) DEADLINE.—The Adminis-
trator shall promulgate the initial reg-
ulation required under subparagraph 
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(A) not later than 2 years after the 
date of enactment of this paragraph. 
‘‘(II) COMPLIANCE
DATE.—The 
compliance date for the initial regula-
tion required under subparagraph (A) 
shall be not later than 3 years after 
the date of enactment of this para-
graph. 
‘‘(ii) PUBLIC
HEARINGS.—Before fi-
nalizing a regulation (or revision thereof) 
required under subparagraph (A), the Ad-
ministrator shall hold at least 2 public 
hearings in communities exposed to air 
pollution from petroleum refineries. 
‘‘(D) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—Nothing in this 
paragraph shall be interpreted to preclude or 
deny the right of the Administrator or any 
State or political subdivision thereof to adopt or 
enforce emission standards, monitoring, or 
other requirements that are more stringent 
than the requirements herein.’’. 
Æ 
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