Fix Moldy Housing Act

Bill: 118-hr-1104
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Stevens, Haley M. [D-MI-11]
Introduced: 2023-02-17
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Latest action: action_date: 2023-02-24
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-02-17
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Fix Moldy Housing Act</b></p> <p>This bill sets forth provisions to assess and remediate indoor mold.</p> <p>Specifically, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must issue nonbinding national standards that (1) identify levels of mold that should be assessed and remediated, and (2) outline standards for properly and safely assessing and remediating mold.</p> <p>The EPA must carry out a program to assist state and tribal governments in assessing and remediating mold. Under the program, the EPA must provide to state and tribal programs (1) grants for establishing licensing programs for persons engaged in assessing and remediating mold, and (2) technical assistance for assessing and remediating mold. The EPA must also administer training seminars on assessing and remediating mold.</p> <p>The EPA must also award grants to state and tribal governments for (1) assessing and remediating mold in governmental buildings and private residential properties; and (2) temporary housing for individuals who are severely impacted by mold, are without insurance coverage for mold, and do not have sufficient financial resources to obtain alternative housing. Grants may not be used to assess or remediate mold in housing occupied by households that are high-income.</p>

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1104 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 17, 2023 Ms. Stevens (for herself and Mrs. González-Colón ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To assist State and Tribal governments in assessing and remediating mold, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Fix Moldy Housing Act . 2. Study on conditions in which mold assessment and remediation is warranted (a) In general The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall enter into an arrangement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study on— (1) the conditions in which indoor mold assessment and remediation is warranted; and (2) how to assess and remediate indoor mold properly and safely. (b) Report Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act— (1) the study under subsection (a) shall be completed; and (2) the Administrator shall submit a report to the Congress on the results of such study. 3. Standards for assessing and remediating mold (a) In general Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in conjunction with the heads of appropriate Federal agencies, shall issue nonbinding national standards that— (1) identify levels of mold that should be assessed and remediated; and (2) outline standards for— (A) properly and safely assessing mold; and (B) properly and safely remediating mold. (b) Consideration In issuing the standards under subsection (a), the Administrator shall take into consideration the results of the study conducted under section 2. 4. Program to assist State and Tribal governments with assessing and remediating mold (a) Program Taking into consideration the results of the study under section 2 and the national standards under section 3, the Administrator shall carry out a program to assist State and Tribal governments in carrying out programs and activities to assess and remediate mold. (b) Grants (1) Authorization In carrying out the program under subsection (a), the Administrator shall award grants to State and Tribal governments to establish a licensing program for persons engaged in assessing and remediating mold. (2) Permissible use A grant awarded under paragraph (1) may be used to pay the costs of operating a licensing program described in paragraph (1), including administrative costs. (3) Preference In awarding grants under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall give preference to State and Tribal governments that include geographic areas that are highly susceptible to indoor mold contamination based on— (A) the national standards established under section 3; (B) outdoor environmental conditions, such as humidity; or (C) other factors identified by the Administrator. (c) Technical assistance In carrying out the program under subsection (a), the Administrator shall provide technical assistance to State and Tribal programs to assess and remediate mold. (d) Training program In carrying out the program under subsection (a), the Administrator shall administer training seminars on assessing and remediating mold. (e) Authorization of appropriations To carry out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029. 5. Grants for assessment and remediation of mold in public buildings and severely impacted homes (a) In general The Administrator shall award grants to State and Tribal governments to cover the costs associated with assessing and remediating mold in— (1) buildings owned or leased by such governments, including schools and housing; and (2) private residential properties, including single family and multifamily properties. (b) Additional permissible uses of funds In addition to uses allowed under subsection (a), a grant awarded under this section may also be used to cover the costs of temporary housing for periods not in excess of 6 months, including moving costs, for individuals who— (1) are severely impacted by mold in their residences; (2) are without insurance coverage for mold; and (3) do not have sufficient financial resources to obtain alternative housing, as determined on a case-by-case basis by the State or Tribal government. (c) Licensing program As a condition on receipt of a grant awarded under this section, a State or Tribal government shall agree to implement a licensing program for persons in the relevant jurisdiction engaged in assessing and remediating mold. (d) Not for use for high-Income households As a condition on receipt of a grant awarded under this section, a State or Tribal government shall agree to refrain from using the grant to assess or remediate mold in housing occupied by households that are, as determined by the Administrator, high-income. (e) Prioritization In awarding grants under this section, the Administrator shall give priority to— (1) applicants proposing to use a grant under this section to assess and remediate mold in— (A) housing occupied by households that are, as determined by the Administrator, low-income; or (B) buildings serving communities that are, as determined by the Administrator, low-income; and (2) State and Tribal governments that include geographic areas that are highly susceptible to indoor mold contamination based on— (A) the national standards established under section 3; (B) outdoor environmental conditions, such as humidity; or (C) other factors identified by the Administrator. (f) Federal share The Federal share of the cost of activities implemented with a grant under this section in any fiscal year shall not exceed 60 percent of the costs incurred by the State or Tribal government receiving the grant in implementing such activities. (g) Allocation Of the funds made available to carry out this section each fiscal year— (1) at least 20 percent shall be used pursuant to subsection (a) to cover costs associated with assessing and remediating mold in buildings owned or leased by governments; and (2) at least 20 percent shall be used pursuant to subsection (a) to cover costs associated with assessing and remediating mold in private residential properties. (h) Authorization of appropriations To carry out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029. 6. Definitions In this Act: (1) Administrator The term Administrator means the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. (2) Mold The term mold means a fungal growth that forms and spreads on various kinds of damp or decaying organic matter. (3) State The term State includes, in addition to the several States, the District of Columbia and any territory of the United States.