Above Ground Chemical Storage Tank Bill Approved by Senate Committee
On April 3rd, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee unanimously approved S. 1961, “The Chemical Safety and Drinking Water Protection Act of 2014.” The bill was approved as part of a block of nine other bills and actions, without any debate or discussion.
It now moves to the Senate floor (expected to take place in about two weeks) for a vote by the full Senate. The bill is an amendment to the Safe Drinking Water Act and would set up an above ground chemical storage tank inventory, inspection, and enforcement program. An earlier version of the bill placed this new responsibility squarely on state drinking water program primacy agencies. However, we understand that the version of the bill passed yesterday by the Committee indicates that a state Governor can redirect the new requirements to another program within state government.
ASDWA continues to have concerns about the appropriateness of the SDWA as the home for the new requirements. A parallel bill on the House side has been authored by Congresswoman Capito (R-WV), but places the new requirements in the Clean Water Act. Speaker Boehner has thus far expressed a lack of receptivity to any such new requirements, regardless of which statutory vehicle is chosen.