Title: PFAS Detection Act of 2019
Policy area: Environmental Protection

Summary:
PFAS Detection Act of 2019
This bill sets forth requirements for detecting and sampling perfluorinated compounds. Perfluorinated compounds are man-made and may have adverse human health effects. A variety of products contain perfluorinated compounds, such as nonstick cookware, waterproof clothing, stain-resistant fabrics, food packaging, and fire-fighting foams.
The bill requires the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to establish a performance standard for the detection of perfluorinated compounds.
Using such standard, the USGS must carry out a nationwide sampling to determine the concentration of perfluorinated compounds in estuaries, lakes, streams, springs, wells, wetlands, rivers, aquifers, and soil.
The sampling data must then be used to inform and enhance assessments of exposure, likely health and environmental impacts, and remediation priorities.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 950 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 950

   To require the Director of the United States Geological Survey to 
perform a nationwide survey of perfluorinated compounds, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 28, 2019

  Ms. Stabenow (for herself, Mr. Rounds, Mr. Peters, Mr. Tillis, Mr. 
 Burr, and Ms. Baldwin) introduced the following bill; which was read 
  twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To require the Director of the United States Geological Survey to 
perform a nationwide survey of perfluorinated compounds, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``PFAS Detection Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
            (2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of 
        the United States Geological Survey.
            (3) Perfluorinated compound.--
                    (A) In general.--The term ``perfluorinated 
                compound'' means a perfluoroalkyl substance or a 
                polyfluoroalkyl substance that is manmade with at least 
                1 fully fluorinated carbon atom.
                    (B) Definitions.--In this definition:
                            (i) Fully fluorinated carbon atom.--The 
                        term ``fully fluorinated carbon atom'' means a 
                        carbon atom on which all the hydrogen 
                        substituents have been replaced by fluorine.
                            (ii) Nonfluorinated carbon atom.--The term 
                        ``nonfluorinated carbon atom'' means a carbon 
                        atom on which no hydrogen substituents have 
                        been replaced by fluorine.
                            (iii) Partially fluorinated carbon atom.--
                        The term ``partially fluorinated carbon atom'' 
                        means a carbon atom on which some, but not all, 
                        of the hydrogen substituents have been replaced 
                        by fluorine.
                            (iv) Perfluoroalkyl substance.--The term 
                        ``perfluoroalkyl substance'' means a manmade 
                        chemical of which all of the carbon atoms are 
                        fully fluorinated carbon atoms.
                            (v) Polyfluoroalkyl substance.--The term 
                        ``polyfluoroalkyl substance'' means a manmade 
                        chemical containing a mix of fully fluorinated 
                        carbon atoms, partially fluorinated carbon 
                        atoms, and nonfluorinated carbon atoms.

SEC. 3. PERFORMANCE STANDARD FOR THE DETECTION OF PERFLUORINATED 
              COMPOUNDS.

    (a) In General.--The Director shall establish a performance 
standard for the detection of perfluorinated compounds.
    (b) Emphasis.--
            (1) In general.--In developing the performance standard 
        under subsection (a), the Director shall emphasize the ability 
        to detect as many perfluorinated compounds present in the 
        environment as possible using analytical methods that are as 
        sensitive as is feasible and practicable.
            (2) Requirement.--In developing the performance standard 
        under subsection (a), the Director may--
                    (A) develop quality assurance and quality control 
                measures to ensure accurate sampling and testing;
                    (B) develop a training program with respect to the 
                appropriate method of sample collection and analysis of 
                perfluorinated compounds; and
                    (C) coordinate as necessary with the Administrator 
                to develop methods to detect individual and different 
                perfluorinated compounds simultaneously.

SEC. 4. NATIONWIDE SAMPLING.

    (a) In General.--The Director shall carry out a nationwide sampling 
to determine the concentration of perfluorinated compounds in 
estuaries, lakes, streams, springs, wells, wetlands, rivers, aquifers, 
and soil using the performance standard developed under section 3(a).
    (b) Requirements.--In carrying out the sampling under subsection 
(a), the Director shall--
            (1) first carry out the sampling at sources of drinking 
        water near locations with known or suspected releases of 
        perfluorinated compounds;
            (2) when carrying out sampling of sources of drinking water 
        under paragraph (1), carry out the sampling prior to any 
        treatment of the water;
            (3) survey for ecological exposure to perfluorinated 
        compounds, with a priority in determining direct human exposure 
        through drinking water; and
            (4) consult with--
                    (A) States to determine areas that are a priority 
                for sampling; and
                    (B) the Administrator--
                            (i) to enhance coverage of the sampling; 
                        and
                            (ii) to avoid unnecessary duplication.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the completion of the 
sampling under subsection (a), the Director shall prepare a report 
describing the results of the sampling and submit the report to--
            (1) the Committee on Environment and Public Works and the 
        Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate;
            (2) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
        Representatives;
            (3) the Senators of each State in which the Director 
        carried out the sampling; and
            (4) each Member of the House of Representatives that 
        represents a district in which the Director carried out the 
        sampling.

SEC. 5. DATA USAGE.

    (a) In General.--The Director shall provide the sampling data 
collected under section 4 to--
            (1) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
        Agency; and
            (2) other Federal and State regulatory agencies on request.
    (b) Usage.--The sampling data provided under subsection (a) shall 
be used to inform and enhance assessments of exposure, likely health 
and environmental impacts, and remediation priorities.

SEC. 6. COLLABORATION.

    In carrying out this Act, the Director shall collaborate with--
            (1) appropriate Federal and State regulators;
            (2) institutions of higher education;
            (3) research institutions; and
            (4) other expert stakeholders.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Director to carry 
out this Act--
            (1) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2020; and
            (2) $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2024.
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