Last month, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Rep. Richard Pombo (D-11th Dist Calif.) introduced in their respective chambers the California Perchlorate Contamination Remediation Act, SR 2298 and HR4798, respectively (to read the text of the bills, go to The Library of Congress-Thomas and type in "perchlorate" under "Legislation in Current Congress"- "Search Bill text"). The two bills appear to track each other virtually word for word. The legislation would, if enacted, among other things,
1. Establish a "California Perchlorate Cleanup Fund" and commit the federal government to paying 50% of the cost of cleanup of contaminated water sources and supplies in the State, up to a maximum of $50,000,000;
2. Direct federal EPA, in awarding federal grant money, to give priority to cleanup issues in, among other places, the Santa Clara Valley, the watershed of the Santa Ana River (including Riverside and San Bernardino Counties), the San Gabriel Valley and Sacramento County; and
2. Express the sense of the Congress that federal EPA should establish a national drinking water standard for perchlorate.
As readers of this Blog know (see "PERCHLORATE" under 'CATERGORIES" on the right-hand side of this page), Sen. Feinstein has been trying for some time to move perchlorate legislation through Congress. In my very first Post (January 8, 2005) on this Blog, I reported that "Sen. Diane Feinstein (D.-Calif) has announced an intention to introduce legislation in this Congressional session requiring, among other things, EPA to set a national drinking water standard for perchlorate no later than 2007. Sen. Feinstein's legislation would also award $200 million for the study of perchlorate clean-up technologies."
Sen. Feinstein is back again in her efforts to move perchlorate legislation to the national stage. We'll monitor and advise.