Superfund Site Public Health Improvement Act

Summary

Superfund Site Public Health Improvement Act - Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to include U.S. Government facilities on the National Priorities List (NPL) among those requiring a health assessment by the Administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Requires all health assessments to be commenced as soon as practicable after proposal for inclusion on the NPL and to be completed no later than the date of issuance of a remedial investigation and feasibility study. Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the ATSDR Administrator to develop strategies to obtain characterization data for use in health assessments. Requires the EPA Administrator to provide data sufficiently prior to initiation of remedial actions to allow ATSDR to complete its assessments and requires the ATSDR Administrator, where appropriate, to provide EPA as soon as practicable after site discovery with recommendations for sampling environmental media for hazardous substances of public health concern. Directs the ATSDR Administrator to improve community involvement in health assessments by: (1) collecting data from residents of affected communities and other sources in communities affected or potentially affected by hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants; and (2) designing assessments that take into account the needs and conditions of the community and permitting affected communities to play an active and early role in reviewing assessment designs. Directs the ATSDR Administrator to include other appropriate information (in addition to health assessment results) as a basis for conducting human health studies of exposure or other health effects in order to determine whether to conduct full-scale epidemiological or other health studies of the exposed population. Revises provisions regarding distribution by ATSDR of educational materials concerning hazardous substance exposure to health professionals and medical centers to: (1) include nursing institutions and nurses as recipients of such materials; (2) add materials on methods of prevention; and (3) require distribution to the general public and at-risk populations of such materials and other information. Authorizes the ATSDR Administrator, in addition to using cooperative agreements, to carry out activities through grants to or contracts with States and political subdivisions, other public authorities, institutions, colleges, universities, and professional associations, giving consideration to historically black colleges and other educational institutions that primarily serve minorities or represent the interests of affected communities. Authorizes assistance, when a health assessment is conducted at a facility on the NPL or a release is being evaluated for inclusion on such list, to public and nonprofit entities, individuals, and community-based groups that may be affected by the release or threatened release. Authorizes and directs the provision of health services to affected communities. Requires the President to add to the review at least every five years of remedial actions that result in a site remaining contaminated a review of public health recommendations and decisions resulting from ATSDR activities.

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3 official files

• Introduced in House (text)

  Introduced in House · EN · 29 June 1995

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• Introduced in House (PDF)

  Introduced in House · EN · 29 June 1995

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• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 29 June 1995

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