House Dems Ask for SDWA Hearings

Reps. Frank Pallone (NJ), the Ranking Member on the House Energy & Commerce Committee, and Paul Tonka (NY), Ranking Member for the E&C Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy, have formally requested that hearings be held on an array of SDWA issues.
In a June 30th letter to Committee Chair Fred Upton (MI) and Subcommittee Chair John Shimkus (IL), the Democrats request that, “Hearings should explore the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ability to set health protective drinking water standards under the 1996 amendments, measures to address lead exposure in communities and schools, drinking water facility security, the need to repair and replace deteriorating drinking water infrastructure, and the use of Safe Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund.”  They further noted that the SDWA has not been updated in 20 years.
Some see the letter and additional informal requests for hearings as a blueprint for new directions in drinking water that Democrats would like to see…if not in this Congress, then the next.  To read the letter, click here.