National Public Notification of Environmental Hazards Act of 2007

Bill: 110-hr-4196
Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4]
Introduced: 2007-11-15 in the House
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Citizen participation
Cost accounting
Economics and Public Finance
Electronic government information
Executive reorganization
Government Operations and Politics
Government publications
Government publicity
Hazardous wastes
Law
Liability for environmental damages
Public meetings
Science, Technology, Communications
Telephone

Summary:
action_date: 2007-11-15
text: 
National Public Notification of Environmental Hazards Act of 2007 - Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to require the President to revise the national contingency plan to provide for improved public notification and community relations in the case of a response action.

Requires the head of the lead agency for a response action to: (1) designate a spokesperson, who shall provide notice of the action, respond to inquiries, and provide information to the public; (2) issue a press release within a specified time frame; (3) ensure coordination of press releases and other statements; (4) establish a public information office at or near the response site; (5) establish at least one local information repository; (6) make the administrative record file available for public inspection; (7) provide a public comment period; (8) conduct public meetings; (9) establish a toll-free telephone number and a public Internet website; (10) ensure that each residence and business within a half-mile radius of the response site is visited by a lead agency representative; and (11) mail printed materials containing information about the removal action to such residences and businesses.

Directs the head: (1) to take specified actions if the President determines, based on a site evaluation, that an action is appropriate and the head determines that a planning period of at least 180 days exists prior to initiation of on-site activities, including making the engineering evaluation and cost analysis available to the public; and (2) for actions lasting more than 120 days, to interview local officials, community residents, and specified others about their concerns, information needs, and how they would like to be involved and prepare a formal community relations plan.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-11-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
action_date: 2007-11-15
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials.
action_date: 2007-11-15
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2007-11-15
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2007-11-15
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2007-11-15
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2007-11-15
text: Introduced in House