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New legislation introduced in the House of Representatives on September 15 would offer up to $600 million worth of EPA grants to states that establish new standards for lead testing and remediation in school buildings.

Introduced by Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), the “No Lead in School Water Act” (H.R. 6061) avoids new binding mandates on states, schools or community water systems.  Instead, the bill would condition a state’s eligibility for grant funding on its establishment of a program that requires periodic lead testing in drinking water in school buildings.  Qualifying state programs would have to make testing results available to parents and the public, and trigger remediation efforts if testing in a school exceeds a level of lead in water determined by EPA.  Each state would be responsible for crafting its own lead testing program that meets these parameters.

The bill would authorize EPA to spend up to $100 million per year on grants over six years, with the funding made available to states to offset costs associated with carrying out school testing programs.  Federal grant dollars could cover up to 75 percent of a state’s program costs.

H.R. 6061 is intended to improve upon a 1988 law that sought to require states to carry out lead testing in schools, but was found unconstitutional and overturned.

“My bill fixes the issues in the original act by making the grant program voluntary with a set of national standards tied to funding opportunities,” Rep. Speier said in a statement. “It’s time to protect our most vulnerable citizens once and for all.”

H.R. 6061 was introduced with the support of 24 House Democrats in addition to Rep. Speier.  But with no Republican support, the measure is not expected to advance through Congress before the end of the year.