Endocrine Disruptor Screening Enhancement Act of 2011

Bill: 112-hr-553
Sponsor: Rep. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA-7]
Introduced: 2011-02-08 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Administrative remedies
Digestive and metabolic diseases
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Environmental health
Environmental regulatory procedures
Government information and archives
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Medical research
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Water quality

Summary:
action_date: 2011-02-08
text: 
Endocrine Disruptor Screening Enhancement Act of 2011 - Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in carrying out the Estrogenic Substances Screening Program: (1) not later than one year after this Act's enactment, to publish a plan for the identification of endocrine disrupting substances that may be in drinking water for testing and a schedule for issuing test orders for all substances by not later than 10 years after this Act's enactment, with the goal of testing all substances that have been placed on the Drinking Water Preliminary Contaminant Candidate List and all substances for which a national primary drinking water regulation has been promulgated; (2) to give priority in selecting substances for listing to substances that pose the greatest public health concern; (3) not later than two years after enactment of this Act, to publish guidance on developing or updating protocols for testing of possible endocrine disruptors; (4) not later than five years after enactment and every three years thereafter, to determine whether to revise screening protocols based on significant improvements in the sensitivity, accuracy, reliability, reproducibility, or efficiency of such protocols and to require the use of screening protocols that eliminate or reduce the number of animals used; (5) not later than 180 days after this Act's enactment, to publish an electronic, publicly searchable database that contains information regarding the testing program; and (6) within six months after receipt of testing results, to determine whether to take administrative action related to the substance. 
 
Authorizes the Administrator to accelerate testing for a substance if: (1) such substance is known to be found in sources of drinking water; (2) a substantial population is known to be exposed to the substance; and (3) the substance is either suspected to be an endocrine disruptor or has a structural similarity to a substance known to be an endocrine disruptor. Requires the Administrator, not later than one year after this Act's enactment, to publish guidance on how the Administrator will make determinations on whether to require accelerated testing for such substances.
 
Authorizes any person to petition the Administrator to identify a substance pursuant to the plan and to issue an order requiring the substance to be tested on an accelerated basis.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-02-15
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy.
action_date: 2011-02-08
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2011-02-08
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2011-02-08
text: Introduced in House