ACHE Act

Bill: 116-hr-2050
Sponsor: Rep. Yarmuth, John A. [D-KY-3]
Introduced: 2019-04-03 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Air quality
Coal
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Environmental health
Health information and medical records
Health programs administration and funding
Kentucky
Licensing and registrations
Medical research
Mining
Noise pollution
Research administration and funding
Tennessee
User charges and fees
Virginia
Water quality
West Virginia

Summary:
action_date: 2019-04-03
text: 

Appalachian Communities Health Emergency Act or the ACHE Act

 
This bill requires the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to conduct or support studies on the health impacts of mountaintop-removal coal mining on individuals in the surrounding communities. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), upon receiving the results of these studies, must determine whether such mining presents any health risks to individuals in those communities. The bill applies to surface coal mining that uses blasting with explosives in the steep slope regions of Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Virginia.
 
The bill prohibits specified agencies from issuing permits for any mountaintop-removal coal mining project or expansion unless HHS determines that such mining does not present any health risk to individuals in the surrounding communities. The bill requires monitoring of air, water, and soil for pollution, including noise pollution, until HHS makes its determination. HHS must publish pollution-monitoring results.
 
The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement of the Department of the Interior must assess a one-time fee upon existing mining projects, sufficient to cover the federal cost of the studies and pollution monitoring required by the bill.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-04-09
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2019-04-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2019-04-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
action_date: 2019-04-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
action_date: 2019-04-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and 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: 2019-04-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and 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: 2019-04-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and 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: 2019-04-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2019-04-03
text: Introduced in House