For the Week Ending December 8, 2000
This weekly report is written by the American Society of Civil Engineers? Government Relations staff. If you have questions or comments about any items in this report, please contact Brian Pallasch, Michael Charles, Martin Hight, Austin Fulk, or Liz Hermsen by e-mail or at 202/789-2200.
Inside This Week:
- Congress to be in Session for at Least Another Week
- Senators Hold Leadership Elections
- EPA Adopts Final Rule Restricting Radionuclides in Drinking Water
1. CONGRESS TO BE IN SESSION FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER WEEK
On Capitol Hill, legislators and staffers are weary but hopeful that a final deal on the four outstanding appropriations bills could be completed by the end of the week of December 11. At the same time, the White House and congressional Democrats continue to insist they would agree only to short continuing resolutions to keep the pressure on Republican leaders to finish soon. Congress on December 8 voted on its 19th stop-gap measure to keep government agencies funded by the four outstanding FY2001 bills open through midnight Monday, December 11. Both chambers will have to return for business on December 11 to pass the next Continuing Resolution, which is expected to run until December 15. Most hope it will be the final one of the 106th Congress.
2. SENATORS HOLD LEADERSHIP ELECTIONS
On December 4, Senate Republicans and Democrats held their leadership elections. Following are the results of these elections. However, both parties have postponed committee leadership decisions, committee assignments, and the rest of their organizing agenda until late December or January.
Republican Leadership:
Majority Leader - Trent Lott (MS)
Majority Whip - Don Nickles (OK)
Republican Conference Chair - Rick Santorum (PA)
Republican Conference Secretary - Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX)
Republican Policy Committee Chair - Larry Craig (ID)
National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair - Bill Frist (TN)
Democratic Leadership:
Minority Whip - Harry Reid (NV)
Chief Deputy Whip - John Breaux (LA)
Assistant Floor Leader - Richard Durbin (IL)
Democratic Caucus Secretary - Barbara Mikulski (MD)
Caucus Technology and Communications Committee Chair - Jay Rockefeller (WV)
Steering and Coordination Committee - John Kerry (MA)
Democratic Policy Committee - Byron Dorgan (ND)
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair - Patty Murray (WA)
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee co-chair - to be named soon
Chief Deputy for Strategic Outreach - Barbara Boxer (CA)
3. EPA ADOPTS FINAL RULE RESTRICTING RADIONUCLIDES IN DRINKING WATER
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) adopted a final rule on December 7 that sets new regulatory levels for non-radon radionuclides in drinking water. The new standards cover combined radium-226/-228, (adjusted) gross alpha, beta particle and photon radioactivity, and uranium. The new rule amends the 1976 standards for radionuclides.
Under the new regulation, community water systems, which are water systems that serve at least 15 service connections or 25 residents regularly year round, are required to meet stricter Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for radionuclides and to meet the requirements for monitoring and reporting. The rule will not take effect until December 7, 2003. New monitoring requirements will be phased-in between that date and the beginning of the next Standardized Monitoring Framework period (December 31, 2007).
The rule promulgates new monitoring provisions that will ensure that all customers of community water systems will receive water that meets the Maximum Contaminant Levels for radionuclides in drinking water. Under the 1976 rule, water systems with multiple entry points to the distribution system were not required to test at every entry point, but rather to test at a "representative point to the distribution system." While the 1976 requirement did ensure that the "average customer" was protected, it did not ensure that all customers were protected, the EPA said.
Exposure to radionuclides from drinking water results in the increased risk of cancer. The rule sets a new standard for uranium in drinking water, which will result in reduced uranium exposures for 620,000 persons. The uranium standard, which is required by the Safe Drinking Water Act, will protect drinking water customers from uranium levels that may cause toxic effects to the kidney and will reduce cancer risk.
For general information on radionuclides in drinking water, visit the EPA "safewater" website at http://www.epa.gov/safewater or the radionuclides website at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/radionuc.html.
