Ban Toxic Dispersants Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-1922
Sponsor: Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-10]
Introduced: 2015-04-21 in the House
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Consumer affairs
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Environmental health
Environmental regulatory procedures
Environmental technology
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Licensing and registrations
Marine pollution
Oil and gas
Product safety and quality
User charges and fees
Water quality

Summary:
action_date: 2015-04-21
text: 

Ban Toxic Dispersants Act of 2015

 
This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to revise requirements governing the schedule of the National Contingency Plan for removal of oil and hazardous substances. 
 
A dispersant, chemical, or other spill mitigating device or substance that is not included on the schedule may be used in carrying out the plan only if it is proposed to be included on the schedule. 
 
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must issue a revised regulation for the development of the schedule for the use of those devices and substances. In issuing the regulation, the EPA must: (1) establish minimum toxicity and efficacy testing criteria; (2) establish a requirement that the volume of oil or hazardous substance discharged, and the volume and location of any spill mitigating substance used, be measured and made publicly available on a daily basis; and (3) require the public disclosure of all ingredients of those substance. The EPA must: (1) require manufacturers of mitigating devices to study their risks and effectiveness; (2) provide a mechanism for the delisting of a substance or device that poses a risk to or impact on human health, water quality, or the environment; and (3) initiate a formal review of the potential risks and impacts associated with a substance or device prior to delisting it.
 
The EPA must: (1) study those potential risks and impacts, (2) impose a moratorium on approval of the use of dispersants until the study is complete, (3) review the schedule for the use of the devices and substances and revise it as necessary every five years, and (4) establish a schedule of fees to be collected from the manufacturers of the substances or devices to offset the costs of evaluating their use.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-04-24
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy.
action_date: 2015-04-22
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
action_date: 2015-04-21
text: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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: 2015-04-21
text: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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: 2015-04-21
text: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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: 2015-04-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-04-21
text: Introduced in House