{"database": "openregs", "table": "legislation", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where bill_type = \"s\", congress = 104 and policy_area = \"Environmental Protection\" sorted by introduced_date descending", "rows": [["104-s-2185", 104, "s", 2185, "Local Growth Management Incentives Act of 1996", "Environmental Protection", "1996-10-01", "1996-10-01", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]", "OR", "D", "W000779", 0, "Local Growth Management Incentives Act of 1996 - Requires each Federal agency to cooperate with qualified State agencies and local land use jurisdictions (those with growth management and land use programs certified under this Act) to reduce duplication of State and local requirements by National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) environmental assessment procedures.  Requires such cooperation to include joint planning processes, environmental research, public hearings, and environmental assessments.  Permits use of one document if State or local law imposes requirements that are in addition to, but not in conflict with, the NEPA requirements.  Requires a NEPA statement to address, and describe the extent to which the State or local entity will reconcile, any inconsistency of a proposed action with any approved plan or other requirement of the entity. Allows States and local land use jurisdictions, upon certification (and with exceptions), additional time to comply with any new Federal requirement in order to integrate a qualified program's requirements with the Federal requirement.  Describes certification procedures (and restrictions) and requires for support of a certification that State or local laws establish a qualified program containing, among other things, mechanisms for:  (1) designating areas of critical environmental concern (those in which development may damage important historic, cultural, or aesthetic values or natural systems or processes or result in a threat to human life and safety from natural hazards); (2) addressing compatibility of land uses; and (3) assessing whether development activity impacts would result in environmental or health law violations.  Describes methods for establishment of such a program.  Requires federally conducted development projects or activities that affect land use or are otherwise regulated under a qualified program to be carried out consistently with the program. Amends Federal law concerning obligation of Federal-aid highway and surface transportation funds to require the Secretary of Transportation to give priority, in discretionary awards of funding, to States and local land use jurisdictions that have in effect a State or local program that meets this Act's certification requirements. Requires the Council on Environmental Quality to report to the Congress regarding:  (1) the impacts of Federal activities on growth and land use; and (2) the effectiveness of growth management and land use programs in addressing the cumulative impacts of Federal activities.", "2025-08-21T20:15:18Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/2185"], ["104-s-2179", 104, "s", 2179, "Children's Environmental Protection Act of 1996", "Environmental Protection", "1996-09-30", "1996-09-30", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]", "CA", "D", "B000711", 0, "Children's Environmental Protection Act of 1996 - Amends the Toxic Substances Control Act to state U.S. policy regarding the adequacy of protection of children and other vulnerable subpopulations from exposure to environmental pollutants.  Defines \"vulnerable subpopulations\" to include children, pregnant women, the elderly, individuals with a history of serious illness, and other subpopulations identified by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as likely to experience elevated health risks from environmental pollutants. Directs the Administrator to:  (1) work with each State, including by making grants, to develop a family right-to-know initiative requiring disclosure of the details of application of a pollutant in a public area accessible to children, State reports of such information, and provision of data for a nationwide survey; (2) identify and make publicly available a list of hazardous substances and pesticides commonly used in schools and parks; (3) create a list of substances with high hazard risks; (4) develop and issue an EPA-approved warning sign and label for posting in such areas; and (5) prohibit a school or park from using any pollutant on the high hazard risk list. Directs the Administrator and the Secretaries of Agriculture and of Health and Human Services to:  (1) coordinate and implement research studies of the physiological and pharmacokinetic differences in the effects and toxicity of pesticides and other pollutants on children and other vulnerable subpopulations; (2) conduct surveys and research to document differences between children and adults with respect to exposure; and (3) report to the Congress. Directs the Administrator to evaluate environmental health risks to children and vulnerable subpopulations in all risk assessments and characterizations, environmental or public health standards, or general regulatory decisions and develop and use a separate assessment with respect to vulnerable subpopulations.  Requires a report to the Congress. Requires public availability, subject to restrictions, of information concerning any test of a pesticide, pesticide residue, or other pollutant to determine potential levels of exposure or health effects. Authorizes appropriations.", "2025-08-21T20:14:03Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/2179"], ["104-s-2157", 104, "s", 2157, "Lead-Acid Battery Recycling Act", "Environmental Protection", "1996-09-28", "1996-09-28", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Smith, Bob [R-NH]", "NH", "R", "S000606", 0, "Lead-Acid Battery Recycling Act - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to prohibit persons from disposing of lead-acid batteries (batteries) in a landfill, by incineration, or in any manner other than by return of spent batteries to one of the following authorized recipients:  (1) a retail or wholesale seller of such batteries; (2) a regulated lead smelter; (3) an automotive dismantler or scrap dealer; (4) a collection entity designated to accept such batteries; or (5) a manufacturer of batteries of the same general type.  Specifies respective authorized recipients of returns from retailers, wholesalers, dismantlers, collection entities, and manufacturers. Requires retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers of batteries (with an exception for a low number of sales) to accept spent batteries of the same general type as those sold in a quantity approximately equal to the number of batteries sold. Requires retailers to post a clearly visible notice informing the public of the legal requirement to recycle batteries.  Sets forth labeling requirements, preempting State or local requirements inconsistent with this Act. Permits export of a spent battery for recycling purposes. Imposes civil penalties for violations of this Act and permits the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to commence an action for appropriate relief, including injunctions.", "2025-08-21T20:15:23Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/2157"], ["104-s-2160", 104, "s", 2160, "Innovative Compliance Act of 1996", "Environmental Protection", "1996-09-28", "1996-09-28", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Lieberman, Joseph I. [D-CT]", "CT", "D", "L000304", 0, "TABLE OF CONTENTS:      Title I:  Alternative Strategies for Achieving Superior           Environmental Performance      Title II:  Environmental Market-Based Strategies Innovative Compliance Act of 1996 - Title I:  Alternative Strategies for Achieving Superior Environmental Performance - Allows an owner or operator of a facility that is subject to an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule to petition the EPA Administrator to modify or waive the rule with respect to the facility and enter into an enforceable compliance agreement establishing an alternative compliance strategy. (Sec. 104) Requires a petitioner to undertake a stakeholder participation process to facilitate participation of, and notice to, the public, including government agencies and officials. (Sec. 105) Set forth criteria for approval of a petition for a proposed alternative compliance strategy, including that the strategy will achieve better overall environmental results than would be achieved under current and reasonably anticipated future regulatory requirements.  Requires the Administrator to deny a petition involving more than one pollutant or medium if:  (1) at least one stakeholder objects to the strategy; and (2) the Administrator determines that the objection relates to any of the enumerated approval criteria and has a clear and reasonable foundation. (Sec. 106) Requires that priority be given to petitions proposing strategies using pollution prevention approaches and those submitted by persons with strong records of outstanding environmental performance and worker health and safety protection. (Sec. 107) Sets forth petition approval procedures, including those for public notice, preliminary comment, judicial review, and a limitation on the number of petitions considered. (Sec. 113) Requires the Administrator to establish a program to facilitate development, and provide expedited review, of proposals from small business groups. (Sec. 114) Sets forth congressional reporting requirements. (Sec. 116) Requires establishment of an on-line repository of compliance agreements. (Sec. 117) Authorizes appropriations and fees. Title II:  Environmental Market-Based Strategies - Directs the Administrator, where appropriate and before issuing a rule establishing a new program to limit the discharge or emission of a pollutant, to consider including market-based mechanisms in the design and implementation of the program.  Describes such mechanisms as including the authorization to transfer or acquire increments of emissions or discharge reductions according to representative shares of total limits on emissions or discharges affected by the rule. Prohibits consideration of market-based mechanisms if:  (1) resultant levels of pollutant emissions or discharges would exceed those that would be achieved under an alternative program; or (2) the pollutant's properties are such that the environmental or human health purposes for which it is regulated may be achieved only through the imposition of nontransferable source-specific emissions or discharge limitations.", "2025-08-21T20:14:40Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/2160"], ["104-s-2096", 104, "s", 2096, "Environmental Crimes and Enforcement Act of 1996", "Environmental Protection", "1996-09-19", "1996-09-19", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ]", "NJ", "D", "L000123", 2, "Environmental Crimes and Enforcement Act of 1996 - Provides that, upon motion of the United States, any person found guilty of a criminal violation of specified Federal environmental laws, or conspiracy to violate such laws, may be ordered to pay the costs incurred by a State, local, or tribal government or an agency thereof for assistance to the Federal Government's investigation and criminal prosecution of the case, with the payments used solely for environmental law enforcement. Sets penalties for individuals and organizations that commit a criminal violation of listed Federal environmental laws which causes \"serious bodily injury\" to or the death of any other person, including a Federal, State, local, or tribal government employee performing official duties as a result of the violation. Environmental Crimes Training Act of 1996 - Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish within EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance a State, Local, and Tribal Enforcement Training Program to train State, local, and tribal law enforcement personnel in the investigation of environmental crimes. Sets a five-year statute of limitations (longer in cases of concealment of the offense by an affirmative act) for violation of, or a conspiracy to violate, specified Federal environmental laws. Amends various Federal environmental laws to cover attempts to engage in proscribed conduct. Amends the Federal criminal code to authorize the court to order restitution for listed Federal environmental crimes, including, in the case of an offense resulting in pollution of or damage to the environment, payment for removal and remediation of the pollution or damage and restoration of the environment.  Defines \"victim\" of the offense in such cases to include a community or communities, whether or not the members are individually identified.", "2025-08-21T20:15:03Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/2096"], ["104-s-2028", 104, "s", 2028, "Brownfields and Environmental Cleanup Act of 1996", "Environmental Protection", "1996-08-02", "1996-08-02", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ]", "NJ", "D", "L000123", 4, "TABLE OF CONTENTS:      Title I:  Brownfield Remediation and Environmental Cleanup      Title II:  Prospective Purchasers      Title III:  Fiduciary and Lender Liability      Title IV:  Innocent Landowners Brownfields and Environmental Cleanup Act of 1996 - Title I: Brownfield Remediation and Environmental Cleanup - Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a program to provide grants to local governments to inventory brownfield sites and conduct site characterizations of affected sites at which cleanups are being conducted or are proposed under a State program.  Defines an \"affected site,\" with exceptions, as a facility that has or is suspected of having environmental contamination that:  (1) could prevent the timely use, development, reuse, or redevelopment of the facility; and (2) is relatively limited in scope or severity and can be comprehensively characterized and readily analyzed. (Sec. 102) Directs the Administrator to establish a program to provide grants to State and local governments for capitalization of loan programs for affected site cleanup by either the State or locality or by an owner or prospective purchaser. (Sec. 104) Makes amounts in the Hazardous Substance Superfund (the Fund) available to carry out the grant programs of this Act. Authorizes appropriations from the Fund. (Sec. 105) Authorizes appropriations to EPA to carry out the site characterization and loan capitalization programs.  Requires reports to the Congress regarding the programs. (Sec. 107) Imposes funding limitations, including a restriction on use of funds for administrative costs and a prohibition on the use of grants to pay fines or penalties. Title II:  Prospective Purchasers - Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) to absolve from liability for response actions bona fide prospective purchasers to the extent liability at a facility for a release or threat thereof is based solely on ownership or operation of a facility.  Gives a lien upon a facility to the United States for unrecovered response costs in any case in which there are such unrecovered costs for which the owner is not liable by reason of the facility's fair market value being increased above that which existed 180 days before the action was taken. Title III:  Fiduciary and Lender Liability - Amends CERCLA to limit the liability of a fiduciary for the release or threatened release of a hazardous substance to the assets held in such capacity that are available to indemnify the fiduciary, subject to certain conditions. Revises the definition of \"owner or operator\" to further describe \"participation in management,\" for purposes of limiting the liability of lenders for releases.  (The definition of \"owner or operator\" excludes persons who, without participating in management of a vessel or facility, hold indicia of ownership to protect security interests.)  Deems a final EPA rule regarding lender liability issued on April 29, 1992, to have been validly issued pursuant to the authority of CERCLA and to have been effective according to the final rule's terms. Precludes jurisdiction of a court to review the rule. Title IV:  Innocent Landowners - Amends CERCLA, with respect to defenses to liability of an owner of after-acquired property, to deem a person to have made appropriate inquiry into the property's previous ownership and uses if the person establishes that an environmental site assessment was conducted which meets specified requirements.  Revises provisions regarding the making of appropriate inquiry by a defendant to require the Administrator to issue or designate standards and practices that are considered generally accepted good commercial and customary standards and practices for purposes of such inquiry. Specifies factors to be considered.", "2025-08-21T20:16:10Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/2028"], ["104-s-2041", 104, "s", 2041, "Long Island Sound Preservation and Protection Act of 1996", "Environmental Protection", "1996-08-02", "1996-08-02", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. D'Amato, Alfonse [R-NY]", "NY", "R", "D000018", 2, "Long Island Sound Preservation and Protection Act of 1996 - Amends the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 to prohibit the dumping in Long Island Sound or Block Island Sound of dredged material from any Federal or non-Federal project containing constituents prohibited as other than trace contaminants, subject to exception. Requires any dumping of dredged material in Long Island Sound from a Federal project (or pursuant to Federal authorization) by a non-Federal applicant exceeding 25,000 cubic yards to comply with specified criteria.", "2025-08-21T20:16:51Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/2041"], ["104-s-2009", 104, "s", 2009, "Oil Pollution Act Amendments of 1996", "Environmental Protection", "1996-08-01", "1996-08-01", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce.", "Senate", "Sen. Breaux, John B. [D-LA]", "LA", "D", "B000780", 0, "TABLE OF CONTENTS:      Title I:  Oil Pollution Act Amendments      Title II:  Marine Science Enhancement for Oil Spill           Prevention and Response      Title III:  Deepwater Port Modernization Oil Pollution Act Amendments of 1996 - Title I:  Oil Pollution Act Amendments - Requires the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to issue not later than September 30, 1996, a final rule under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA) regarding operational requirements applicable to tank vessels over 5,000 gross tons without double hulls that the Secretary determines will provide environmental protection as substantial as is economically and technologically feasible. (Sec. 102) Amends OPA to add provisions for rules regarding operational safety of single-hull barges.  Requires captains of ports in which tank vessels operate to establish minimum under-keel clearances for entering or departing port. Amends Federal law to allow the Secretary to require the installation, maintenance, and use of a fire suppression system or other equipment on board towing vessels. (Sec. 103) Requires the Secretary of Transportation to:  (1) review existing requirements regarding oil lighterage in the U.S.  Exclusive Economic Zone, considering economic burdens of regulation and international standards; (2) coordinate with the National Research Council a study into how the designation of shipping lanes and waters through which tankers transport oil affects the risk of an oil spill; and (3) report to the Congress a plan to increase reporting of vessel accidents to appropriate State law enforcement officials.  Imposes monetary penalties for failing to report a casualty under a State marine casualty reporting system. (Sec. 105) Amends OPA to exclude from the definition of a vessel owner or operator:  (1) persons with security interests in or security titles to vessels; and (2) lessors or charterers unless they have actual possession or control, or participate in the management, of the vessel at the time of oil discharge.  Restricts to single hull tank vessels and double-hull tank vessels over 20 years old application of the exception to the limit on liability of a responsible party where the incident was caused by violation of an applicable Federal safety, construction, or operating regulation. (Sec. 106) Revises litigation procedures to allow a responsible party or guarantor, after the filing of a claim for costs or damages, to petition a district court for limitation of or exoneration from liability under defenses and limitation provisions of OPA, after which such court shall retain jurisdiction over the actions and enjoin prosecution of proceedings against the vessel, responsible party, guarantor, or their property in any other court. (Sec. 107) Deems removal costs and damages resulting from a vessel's discharge (or substantial threat of discharge) of oil to be a maritime lien and recoverable in an action in rem in the district court for the district in which the vessel is found. (Sec. 108) Exempts from the tank vessel double-hull construction requirements:  (1) documented vessels equipped with a double hull before August 12, 1992; (2) certain barges operating in or adjacent to the Bering Sea, Chukchi Sea, and Arctic Ocean and in the waters of the Aleutian Islands and the Alaskan Peninsula of specified longitude; and (3) certain vessels in the National Defense Reserve Fleet.  Permits operation of barges in other waters on such conditions as the Secretary of Transportation may require. (Sec. 109) Amends Federal shipping law to define \"oil spill response vessel\" and provide for regulation of such vessels separately with respect to liquid bulk dangerous cargo carriage, manning, presence of licensed individuals, merchant mariner documentation, and towing vessel requirements.  Subjects such vessels to inspection. Title II:  Marine Science Enhancement for Oil Spill Prevention and Response - Amends the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act to revise procedures by which emergency regulations changing fishery management plans, in response to a public health emergency or an oil spill, may remain in effect. (Sec. 202) Amends OPA to require the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to establish and maintain a scientific support team to respond to oil spills. (Sec. 203) Requires the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Oil Pollution Research to disseminate and compile information on previous spills.  Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to require the Under Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the Interior to maintain and update a body of information on the environmental effects of various types of spills and how best to mitigate them. (Sec. 204) Requires the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish a non-regulatory program to:  (1) reduce risk of oil spills through navigation safety improvements; (2) promote prompt and effective response and remediation when oil spills occur; (3) enhance recovery and restoration efforts; and (4) advance other purposes of this Act. Requires local or regional elements of the program to be developed in consultation with local maritime commerce and coastal management communities.  Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 205) Authorizes the Administrator to withdraw from the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund up to $15 million per year for each of ten fiscal years to use to modernize commercial marine navigation activities.  Imposes requirements of maximum private sector procurement of charting survey ship support.  Transfers from NOAA to the Federal Aviation Administration certain aeronautical chart surveying, data dissemination, and pricing functions. Title III:  Deepwater Port Modernization - Deepwater Port Modernization Act - Amends the Deepwater Port Act of 1974 to add specified statements concerning the promotion of safe oil, including that of outer continental shelf (OCS) oil, to the congressionally declared purposes of the Act.  Revises the definition of \"deepwater port\" to, among other things, include references to transportation of OCS oil. (Sec. 304) Makes revisions to deepwater port licensing procedures regarding:  (1) utilization restrictions; (2) anticompetitive effects determinations; (3) addressing of conditions required to carry out the Act; (4) statements of port operating procedures; (5) changes from plans, methods, and procedures by a licensee or transferee; (6) amendment, transfer, or reinstatement consistency requirements; and (7) exemption from information filing requirements. (Sec. 306) Eliminates the requirement of antitrust review of license issuance by the Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission. (Sec. 307) Requires deepwater ports and storage facilities to accept and convey without discrimination all oil delivered with respect to which their licenses are issued. (Sec. 308) Adds requirements of public involvement and enforcement by a licensee's operations manual to procedures for protecting the marine environment and minimizing the adverse impact of deepwater port construction and operation.", "2025-08-21T20:16:43Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/2009"], ["104-s-1950", 104, "s", 1950, "Beaches Environmental Assessment, Closure, and Health Act of 1996", "Environmental Protection", "1996-07-12", "1996-07-12", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ]", "NJ", "D", "L000123", 1, "Beaches Environmental Assessment, Closure, and Health Act of 1996 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to issue water quality criteria for pathogens in coastal recreation waters.  Requires States to adopt consistent water quality standards. Requires the Administrator to publish regulations specifying methods to be used by States to monitor coastal recreation waters during periods of use by the public for compliance with standards. Requires notification of local governments and the public of water quality standards violations. Directs the Administrator to:  (1) issue guidance on uniform assessment and monitoring procedures for floatable materials in coastal recreation waters; and (2) specify the conditions under which the presence of floatable material constitutes a threat to public health and safety. Requires studies and reports to the Congress on developing better indicators for detecting harmful bacteria and viruses in coastal recreation waters. Authorizes the Administrator to make grants to States to fulfill requirements under this Act. Authorizes appropriations.", "2025-08-21T20:17:01Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1950"], ["104-s-1935", 104, "s", 1935, "Public Trust and Environmental Accountability Act", "Environmental Protection", "1996-07-09", "1996-07-09", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Bradley, Bill [D-NJ]", "NJ", "D", "B001225", 0, "Public Trust and Environmental Accountability Act - Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop a plan to implement policies, programs, and methods for integrating and making publicly available information regarding the environment and public health policy concerns within EPA's jurisdiction.  Requires coordination of these activities with those of other governmental agencies and allows integration and dissemination of publicly available information not collected by EPA.  Allows the Administrator to set charges for providing information.  Requires policies to include support services to encourage public use of EPA-maintained information. Requires the Administrator to establish an award program to recognize companies for source reduction programs.", "2025-08-21T20:14:50Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1935"], ["104-s-1873", 104, "s", 1873, "National Environmental Education Amendments Act of 1996", "Environmental Protection", "1996-06-13", "1996-09-20", "Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Youth and Families.", "Senate", "Sen. Inhofe, James M. [R-OK]", "OK", "R", "I000024", 16, "National Environmental Education Amendments Act of 1996 - Amends the National Environmental Education Act to require development of curricula, materials, and training programs supported by the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Environmental Education to be balanced and scientifically sound.  Requires that implementation of the Act be through EPA.  Eliminates requirements for a Director and a minimum number of staff.  Allows activities to be carried out through grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts. Reduces the percentage of funds to be obligated for environmental education grants of not more than $5,000.  Prohibits use of grants for certain lobbying activities. Eliminates provisions for environmental internships and fellowships. Eliminates environmental education awards provided for under such Act, except the President's Environmental Youth Awards. Revises requirements for membership on the National Environmental Education Advisory Council.  Revises requirements for membership on the Federal Task Force on Environmental Education to require that it be open to representatives of any Federal agency actively engaged in environmental education.  (Under current law, membership must include specified agency representatives.) Eliminates specific requirements for contents of Advisory Council reports. Changes the name of the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation to the Foundation for Environmental Education. Increases the size of the Board of the Directors.  Replaces the prohibition on transmission of logos or other means of identification on donated educational materials with a provision that allows the Foundation to acknowledge receipt of donations by means of listing of donor names but prohibits such acknowledgment from:  (1) appearing in materials presented to students; or (2) identifying a donor by means of a logo or other corporate commercial symbol, slogan, or product. Authorizes appropriations. Revises funding limitations.  Limits amounts available for administrative costs.", "2025-07-21T19:44:15Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1873"], ["104-s-1742", 104, "s", 1742, "Minor Party Liability Relief Act of 1996", "Environmental Protection", "1996-05-09", "1996-05-09", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Specter, Arlen [R-PA]", "PA", "R", "S000709", 1, "Minor Party Liability Relief Act of 1996 - Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to except persons from liability under the Act for costs and damages at a facility if:  (1) the liability is based solely on arrangement for disposal (or transport for disposal) of hazardous substances or acceptance of such substances for transport to facilities from which there is a release or threatened release; and (2) the material is in an amount not exceeding that specified in this Act or by regulation of the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.  States exceptions to this limitation.", "2025-08-21T20:14:48Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1742"], ["104-s-1730", 104, "s", 1730, "Oil Spill Prevention and Response Improvement Act", "Environmental Protection", "1996-05-07", "1996-06-26", "Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 466.", "Senate", "Sen. Chafee, John H. [R-RI]", "RI", "R", "C000269", 4, "TABLE OF CONTENTS:      Title I:  Enhancement of Oil Spill Prevention      Title II:  Improvement of Responses to Oil Spills      Title III:  Tailoring of Offshore Facility Financial           Responsibility Requirements to Oil Spill Risks      Title IV:  Miscellaneous Technical Amendments Oil Spill Prevention and Response Improvement Act - Title I: Enhancement of Oil Spill Prevention - Amends the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA) to deem effective as final rules, if they do not become effective by specified dates, certain rules proposed by the Secretary of Transportation regarding operational and structural standards applicable to tank vessels over 5,000 gross tons without double hulls, except a provision in the proposed structural standard rule which the Secretary may find would be likely to increase the risks of oil pollution.   Adds provisions regarding operational safety of single-hull barges and minimum under-keel clearances of tank vessels without double bottoms for entering or departing port and when operating in an inland or coastal waterway.  Permits the Secretary to include these provisions in the final structural standards rule. (Sec. 102) Makes applicable otherwise inapplicable limitations of liability, where the incident was proximately caused by a violation of a Federal safety, construction, or operating regulation, to a responsible party in the case of a vessel that is either:  (1) equipped with a double hull along the entire length of the vessel, including fuel oil tanks, as of enactment of this Act; or (2) one that is so equipped and replacing a single-hulled vessel at least five years prior to the required retirement date. (Sec. 103) Requires the Secretary to issue and place in effect a final rule on navigation safety equipment for towing vessels by September 30, 1996.  Deems effective as a final rule, if one does not become effective by such date, a proposed rule on such equipment.  Directs the Secretary to require by rule the following with respect to towing vessels:  (1) a fire suppression system or fire suppression equipment on board; (2) an electronic position fixing device on board; and (3) assurance that regular tests and inspections of equipment are conducted and recorded. (Sec. 104) Requires a study with the National Research Council into how the designation of shipping lanes and waters through which tankers transport oil affects the risk of an oil spill.  Directs the Army Corps of Engineers to review a report on Rhode Island waterway dredging and report to the Congress on its feasibility. Directs the Secretary to include in oil and hazardous material lighterage regulations requirements of environmental protection that is as substantial as is economically and technologically feasible. Title II:  Improvement of Responses to Oil Spills - Amends OPA to provide, with respect to oil pollution damages resulting from loss of profits or earning capacity, that:  (1) recovery may be partial; and (2) payment of interim, short-term damages representing less than the full amount to which the claimant may be entitled does not preclude recovery of damages not reflected in the paid or settled partial claim.  Makes related revisions to procedures for making claims, advertising, and subrogation. (Sec. 202) Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWPCA) to require the President to issue guidance for Area Committees (under the oil and hazardous substance National Response System) for use in advance planning and decision making regarding closing and reopening of fishing grounds.  Modifies provisions concerning State and local cooperation and the contents of Area Contingency Plans to include these considerations. (Sec. 203) Adds to exceptions from appropriation Act limitations amounts made available from the Fund for conducting (current law refers to \"initiation\") the assessment of natural resources damages. Increases the amount available for such assessments. (Sec. 204) Makes the Fund available for:  (1) payment of costs to mitigate or avoid ecological injury; and (2) plugging of idle oil wells that pose a substantial safety or environmental risk under a cost-sharing agreement with the State in which the well is located.  Amends FWPCA to require Area Contingency Plans to compile lists of expert local scientists to provide information or participate in a scientific support team convened in response to an oil spill.  Amends OPA to require the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to establish a process to name such a team, all or part of which may be convened in response to a spill. Requires the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Oil Pollution Research to disseminate and compile information on previous spills. Amends FWPCA to require the National Response Unit to maintain and keep in a form readily transmittable to response teams information on the environmental effects of various types of spills and how best to mitigate them. (Sec. 205) Revises FWPCA standards for compliance by owners or operators cooperating in removal actions to allow deviation from the response plan only if this would result in a more expeditious or effective response. Title III:  Tailoring of Offshore Facility Financial Responsibility Requirements to Oil Spill Risks - Amends OPA to revise evidence of financial responsibility requirements (EFR) applicable to offshore facilities (other than deepwater ports) to:  (1)  provide distinctions between facilities located seaward (\"seaward facilities\") and those located landward (\"landward facilities\") of a State's seaward boundary; (2) describe features of covered facilities, including that they have a worst case discharge potential of more than 1,000 barrels of oil; (3) replace the blanket $150 million EFR with $35 million and $10 million amounts for seaward facilities and landward facilities, respectively, allowing imposition of an amount not exceeding the greater amount if the President determines this to be justified by the risks posed; and (4) exempt from applicability of EFR a landward facility subject to State requirements comparable in manner to, and equal to or greater in amount than, those of this Act. Title IV:  Miscellaneous Technical Amendments - Makes technical amendments.", "2025-04-07T15:28:28Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1730"], ["104-s-1728", 104, "s", 1728, "A bill to require Navy compliance with shipboard solid waste control requirements.", "Environmental Protection", "1996-05-03", "1996-05-03", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce.", "Senate", "Sen. Stevens, Ted [R-AK]", "AK", "R", "S000888", 0, "Amends the Marine Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act of 1987 to exempt certain Navy owned or operated vessels from such Act's requirements that certain garbage be discharged in special areas at sea.  Prescribes special requirements for such vessels for the discharge of non-plastic and non-floating garbage consisting of metal, glass, and a slurry of seawater, paper, cardboard, and food waste at certain distances from the nearest land. Requires the Secretary of the Navy to publish in the Federal Register:  (1) a list of such vessels planned to be decommissioned between certain dates; and (2) standards to ensure their compliance with such Act without impairing operational capabilities.", "2025-01-14T18:51:33Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1728"], ["104-s-1660", 104, "s", 1660, "National Invasive Species Act of 1996", "Environmental Protection", "1996-03-29", "1996-09-19", "Subcommittee on Water, Fisheries, and Wildlife. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 104-746.", "Senate", "Sen. Glenn, John H., Jr. [D-OH]", "OH", "D", "G000236", 20, "National Invasive Species Act of 1996 - Amends the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 to mandate:  (1) regulations to prevent the introduction and spread of aquatic nuisance species into the Great Lakes through ballast water; and (2) voluntary guidelines to prevent such introduction and spread in U.S. waters by ballast water and other vessel operations.  Authorizes mandatory regulations if guideline compliance is inadequate.  Provides for enforcement through revocation of clearance and civil and criminal penalties.  Encourages negotiations with foreign governments to develop and implement an international program for preventing such introduction and spread in North American waters. Mandates studies of Lake Champlain, the Chesapeake Bay, San Francisco Bay, Honolulu Harbor, Prince William Sound, and other waters. Requires annual grants for six years for aquatic nuisance species prevention and control research in the Chesapeake Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Establishes a clearinghouse of national data on ballasting practices and compliance with guidelines under this Act. Mandates a ballast water management program for the Navy's seagoing fleet to limit the risk of invasion by nonindigenous species from ballast water. Requires:  (1) a ballast water management program to demonstrate technologies and practices to prevent aquatic nonindigenous species from being introduced into and spread through ballast water in U.S. waters; and (2) that the installation and construction of those technologies and practices be performed in a U.S. shipyard or ship repair facility. Modifies:  (1) the composition and research priorities of the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force; and (2) zebra mussel demonstration program requirements. Requires the Task Force to encourage (including through financial assistance) the development and use of regional coordination panels and similar entities in regions other than the Great Lakes. Provides for interstate (in addition to existing State) aquatic nuisance species management plans, allowing Indian tribes as well as States to participate. Authorizes appropriations.", "2025-08-21T20:14:04Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1660"], ["104-s-1645", 104, "s", 1645, "Antarctic Science, Tourism, and Conservation Act of 1996", "Environmental Protection", "1996-03-26", "1996-09-04", "Returned to the Calendar. Calendar No. 513. (consideration: CR S9867)", "Senate", "Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA]", "MA", "D", "K000148", 4, "TABLE OF CONTENTS:      Title I:  Amendments to the Antarctic Conservation Act of           1978      Title II:  Conforming Amendments to Other Laws Antarctic Science, Tourism, and Conservation Act of 1996 - Title I:  Amendments to the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 - Amends the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 to restate findings and purposes of the Act regarding scientific activities and tourism in Antarctica and the Antarctic Treaty and the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Treaty. (Sec. 102) Modifies definitions. (Sec. 103) Revises provisions concerning prohibited acts by any person (currently, U.S. citizens) to modify the prohibitions, in accordance with the Protocol, and make unlawful the following activities in or respecting Antarctica:  (1) introduction of any prohibited product onto land or ice shelves or into water; (2) disposal of any waste onto ice-free land areas or into fresh water systems or of any prohibited waste; (3) engaging in open burning of waste; (4) transporting passengers by any seagoing vessel not required to comply with the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, except by agreement under which the vessel owner or operator must comply with Annex IV; (5) failure of an organizer or operator to notify members of an expedition of the environmental protection obligations of this Act and means of compliance by participants; (6) damage to historic sites or monuments; (7) refusal of permission to any authorized U.S. officer or employee to board a U.S. vessel, vehicle, or aircraft for purposes of search or inspection in connection with enforcement of this Act and forcible assault of or other interference with an authorized U.S. officer or employee in the conduct of such activities; (8) resisting lawful arrest or detention for a prohibited act; (9) interference with the apprehension, arrest, or detention of another person, knowing that the other person has committed a prohibited act; (10) violation of any regulation, or a term or condition of a permit, issued pursuant to this Act; and (11) attempting to commit or cause to be committed any prohibited act. Prohibits specified other activities in Antarctica (including disposal of waste and introducing any member of a nonnative species) except as authorized by permit.  Exempts from prohibitions these activities and certain of those enumerated above under defined emergency circumstances. (Sec. 104) Provides standards and procedures for the environmental impact assessment of Federal agency activities in Antarctica (which shall be the sole and exclusive obligations regarding such assessment) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, allowing an activity to proceed after an initial evaluation if it is determined that the activity is likely to have no more than a minor or transitory impact.  Excepts from these procedures activities conducted jointly or in cooperation with foreign signatory governments where it is determined that the major part of the activity is being conducted by one or more other governments and another government is coordinating environmental assessment procedures. Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to promulgate regulations regarding environmental assessment of certain nongovernmental activities. Conditions decisions to proceed with a comprehensively evaluated activity upon consideration of the draft evaluation at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting. Provides exceptions from this Act's environmental assessment requirements under emergency circumstances. (Sec. 105) Revises requirements for the issuance of permits authorizing takings and harmful interferences or entry into Specially Protected Areas. (Sec. 106) Revises requirements for the issuance of regulations by the Director of the National Science Foundation.  Removes general consultation requirements. Requires the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to issue regulations to implement certain provisions of the Protocol and this Act regarding vessels. Title II:  Conforming Amendments to Other Laws - Amends the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships to apply the requirements of Annex IV to the Protocol, for purposes of such Act, to all vessels in Antarctica over which the United States has jurisdiction.  Applies the Act to vessel activities regulated under the Protocol and provides authority to the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to administer and enforce Annex IV to the Protocol (including the Protocol in provisions concerning violations, penalties, and the promulgation of regulations). (Sec. 202) Amends the Antarctic Protection Act of 1990 to state the indefinite prohibition on Antarctic mineral resource activities, eliminating references to further agreements.", "2025-08-21T20:15:16Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1645"], ["104-s-1601", 104, "s", 1601, "A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to extend the deadline for and clarify the contents of the Great Lakes health research report, and for other purposes.", "Environmental Protection", "1996-03-07", "1996-03-07", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Levin, Carl [D-MI]", "MI", "D", "L000261", 3, "Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to extend the deadline for the submission by the Great Lakes National Program Office to the Congress of a report assessing the adverse effects of water pollutants in the Great Lakes System on the health of persons in Great Lakes States and the health of fish, shellfish, and wildlife in the Great Lakes System. Requires such report to include documenting exposure pathways, body burdens, and associated human health effects in defined at-risk populations with the Great Lakes basin. Authorizes appropriations.", "2025-01-14T17:12:38Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1601"], ["104-s-1537", 104, "s", 1537, "Aboveground Storage Tank Consolidation and Regulatory Improvement Act", "Environmental Protection", "1996-01-26", "1996-01-26", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Robb, Charles S. [D-VA]", "VA", "D", "R000295", 4, "Aboveground Storage Tank Consolidation and Regulatory Improvement Act - Redesignates the Office of Underground Storage Tanks of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and establishes it as the Office of Storage Tanks (OST), to be headed by a Director.  Transfers to OST authorities of the following as they relate to regulation of aboveground and underground storage tanks:  (1) other EPA officers under the environmental laws; (2) the Secretary of Labor under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and worker protection standards provisions of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986; and (3) the Secretary of Transportation under pipeline safety provisions.  Transfers appropriations and personnel. Requires the Director, by regulation, to restate the laws he or she administers in consolidated form and streamline their application to owners and operators of aboveground and underground storage tanks. Expresses congressional intent that this direction is not intended to modify the laws' requirements.  Imposes, as part of such regulations, a requirement that an owner or operator of an aboveground storage tank report to the national response center established under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act a release of a regulated substance (one regulated under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 or petroleum or a petroleum substance) above a specified threshold, including a description of corrective action taken.  Allows the EPA Administrator, after release from an aboveground storage tank of a regulated substance posing an imminent threat to human health, public safety, or the environment, to prohibit the use or operation of all or any portion of a storage tank farm within a facility in which the tank is located until the prohibition is no longer necessary or corrective action has been taken. Authorizes the Director to include in the above regulations release detection, prevention, and correction regulations applicable to owners and operators of aboveground petroleum storage tanks. Requires the Director to determine if there are deficiencies in the law applicable to aboveground petroleum storage tanks and examine industry standards addressing the deficiencies, giving substantial weight to these in designing the regulations. Establishes requirements for reports to the Congress.", "2025-08-21T20:15:38Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1537"], ["104-s-1497", 104, "s", 1497, "Land Disposal Program Flexibility Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-12-21", "1995-12-21", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Nickles, Don [R-OK]", "OK", "R", "N000102", 15, "Land Disposal Program Flexibility Act of 1995 - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act (SWDA) to exempt from land disposal restrictions (other than requirements pertaining to applicable specific methods of treatment promulgated by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency under SWDA) solid waste identified as hazardous based on characteristic alone if such waste:  (1) is managed in a treatment system that subsequently discharges to waters of the United States pursuant to a permit issued under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act), undergoes pretreatment for purposes of compliance with toxic and pretreatment effluent standards of such Act, or is managed under a zero-discharge system that the Administrator determines to be engaging in Clean Water Act-equivalent treatment; (2) no longer exhibits such characteristic prior to land disposal; (3) has met any applicable specific method of treatment promulgated by the Administrator; and (4) would not generate toxic gases, vapors, or fumes due to the presence of cyanide at the point of generation when exposed to pH conditions of a specified range. Requires the Administrator to conduct a study of hazardous waste managed in accordance with this Act to characterize the risks to human health or the environment associated with such management, upon completion of which the Administrator may impose additional requirements or defer management of such risks to other State or Federal programs or authorities. Amends SWDA to exempt from land disposal restrictions solid waste identified as hazardous based on characteristic alone if the waste no longer exhibits a hazardous characteristic at the point of injection into any Class I deep well regulated under safe drinking water provisions of the Public Health Service Act.", "2025-08-21T20:16:27Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1497"], ["104-s-1491", 104, "s", 1491, "Antimicrobial Pesticide Registration Reform Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-12-20", "1996-07-24", "Committee on Agriculture. Measure incorporated into measure S. 1166 ordered to be reported.", "Senate", "Sen. Grams, Rod [R-MN]", "MN", "R", "G000367", 45, "Antimicrobial Pesticide Registration Reform Act of 1995 - Amends the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) to exclude:  (1) bacteria from the definition of \"fungus\"; and (2) liquid chemical sterilant products for use on a critical or semi-critical medical or dental device from the definition of \"pesticide.\" Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to:  (1) coordinate data requirements, test protocols, timetables, and standards of review and reduce burdens and redundancy caused to the registrant, whenever data in support of a pesticide registration is requested by one or more State or Federal agencies; and (2) develop a process to identify and assist in alleviating future disparities between Federal and State data requirements. Provides, with respect to the labeling of an antimicrobial pesticide product, that:  (1) a registrant may modify the labeling to include relevant information on the product's efficacy, composition, or container or other characteristics unrelated to a pesticidal claim or activity; (2) such labeling shall not be false or misleading or in conflict with statements required as a condition of registration and be substantiated upon request; (3) modifications shall be subject to a notification and approval process; and (4) different cautionary statements for use dilutions may be included in the labeling upon approval of the Administrator. Directs the Administrator, to the maximum extent practicable, to identify and evaluate changes to the process for registration of antimicrobial pesticides that will reduce current time periods for review.  Details rulemaking requirements regarding the review of such pesticides.  Requires an annual report to the Congress on measures taken to effect such changes. Exempts from applicability of certain FIFRA storage, disposal, transportation, and container requirements household, industrial, or institutional antimicrobial products that are not subject to regulation under the Solid Waste Disposal Act, unless the Administrator determines that their application is necessary to prevent an unreasonable adverse effect on the environment.", "2025-08-21T20:16:10Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1491"], ["104-s-1436", 104, "s", 1436, "Municipal Wastewater Treatment Facility Private Investment Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-11-29", "1995-11-29", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ]", "NJ", "D", "L000123", 0, "Municipal Wastewater Treatment Facility Private Investment Act of 1995 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to include in the regulation of wastewater treatment works (WTWs) under such Act WTWs which are:  (1) constructed and owned by a State or municipality; (2) constructed and owned by a State or municipality where ownership has been transferred to a private regulated utility or an entity under contract with the State or municipality to receive municipal wastewater; or (3) owned or operated by a private regulated utility or an entity under contract with the State or municipality to receive municipal wastewater.", "2025-08-21T20:14:37Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1436"], ["104-s-1413", 104, "s", 1413, "Lake Gaston Protection Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-11-15", "1995-11-15", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Helms, Jesse [R-NC]", "NC", "R", "H000463", 1, "Lake Gaston Protection Act of 1995 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to prohibit the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission from granting a license, license amendment, or permit (license) for an activity that will result directly or indirectly in the withdrawal by a State or political subdivision of water from a lake, reservoir, or similar body of water (lake) that is situated in two States unless the Governor of the State in which more than half of the lake is situated certifies that the withdrawal will not adversely affect the environment in, or the economy of, that State. Makes an exception regarding an application for a license for an activity that will occur or affect waters located within a river basin that is subject to an interstate compact, a decree of the Supreme Court, or an Act of Congress that specifically allocates the rights to use such water. Specifies that this Act shall apply to any application made on or after January 1, 1991, unless the application has been granted and is no longer subject to judicial review.", "2025-08-21T20:15:09Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1413"], ["104-s-1390", 104, "s", 1390, "Local Environmental Improvement Facilitation Act", "Environmental Protection", "1995-11-03", "1995-12-13", "Committee on Environment and Public Works. Hearings held.", "Senate", "Sen. Pressler, Larry [R-SD]", "SD", "R", "P000513", 0, "Local Environmental Improvement Facilitation Act - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to provide that, in the case of a civil or administrative penalty assessed against an individual, corporation, partnership, or association (private person), the private person may elect to pay:  (1) the amount of the penalty to the Treasury for deposit into a special account for payment of public debt obligations; or (2) an amount not to exceed $500,000 of the penalty to carry out a community environmental project in accordance with this Act, with the remainder to be paid into the Treasury's special account. Requires a private person who makes the latter election, after consulting with and obtaining the concurrence of the State and each political subdivision of the State within which the violation occurred, to enter into an agreement to pay the prescribed amount to an appropriate person to carry out one or more environmental projects. Requires a separate agreement to be entered into with respect to each penalty for which an election is made. Sets forth provisions regarding:  (1) suitable environmental projects; and (2) oversight.", "2025-08-21T20:17:12Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1390"], ["104-s-1391", 104, "s", 1391, "A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to prohibit the imposition of any civil or administrative penalty against a unit of local government for a violation of the Act when a compliance plan with respect to the violation is in effect, and for other purposes.", "Environmental Protection", "1995-11-03", "1995-12-13", "Committee on Environment and Public Works. Hearings held.", "Senate", "Sen. Pressler, Larry [R-SD]", "SD", "R", "P000513", 1, "Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to prohibit any civil or administrative penalty from being imposed against a local government for a violation of a provisions of the Act:  (1) if such government has entered into an agreement with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Secretary of the Army, or the State to carry out a compliance plan with respect to a prior violation of the provision; and (2) during the period beginning on the date on which the government and the Administrator, Secretary, or State enter into such agreement and ending on the date on which the government is required to be in compliance under the agreement.", "2025-01-14T17:12:38Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1391"], ["104-s-1364", 104, "s", 1364, "Endangered Species Conservation Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-10-26", "1995-10-26", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Kempthorne, Dirk [R-ID]", "ID", "R", "K000088", 12, "Endangered Species Conservation Act of 1995 - Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (the Act) to revise the findings, purposes, and policy of the Act.  Declares it to be congressional policy to conserve endangered and threatened species and to equally consider the conservation of listed species, preservation of economic growth, maintenance of a strong tax base, and protection against the diminishment of the use and value of private property. (Sec. 3) Revises definitions under the Act, including the definition of:  (1) \"critical habitat\" to mean the specific areas within the geographic area occupied by an endangered or threatened species, at the time the species is listed, that contain such physical or biological features as are essential to the conservation of the species and the persistence of the species for at least seven human generations (with \"human generation\" meaning 20 years) and as may require special management considerations or protection; and (2) \"endangered species\" to mean any species that, if no action were taken under the Act, would be placed on an irreversible course to extinction within two human generations, with exceptions. (Sec. 4) Modifies provisions regarding the determination of an endangered or threatened species to require the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to:  (1) make such determination on the basis of the best scientific and commercial data available after requesting the Endangered Species Commission (established under this Act) to conduct a scientific review; and (2) give priority to species the conservation of which is most likely to reduce the need to list other species dependent on the same habitat, and consideration to species identified as a known source of pharmaceutical or agricultural biochemicals. Requires the Secretary to designate, and make revisions regarding, critical habitat on the basis of the best new scientific data available.  Specifies that:  (1) the information shall include data documenting the biological vulnerability of, and threats to, the species or habitat of the species; and (2) failure to so document the information shall result in a presumption that the petition is inadequate. Directs the Secretary, if such a petition is found to present the information, to:  (1) provide a copy of the petition to the State having jurisdiction over the area in which the species is believed to occur; and (2) invite the determination of the State as to whether the petitioned action is warranted, promptly request the Commission to conduct a scientific review of any new information presented by the petition with respect to the status of the species, and promptly publish each finding made in the Federal Register. Sets forth or modifies provisions regarding:  (1) judicial review of such findings; (2) endangered species determinations with regard to foreign species; (3) notice of regulations (requiring a readily understandable, nontechnical explanation of the reasons for and purpose of the proposed regulation, an analysis concluding that the conservation benefit outweighs any negative conservation impact of the regulation, and a summary of the findings of the assessment team based on the required review); and (4) State review of such regulations (including scientific review of conflicts between the Secretary and the affected State). Requires the Commission to conduct, at least once every five years, a review of all species included in a list of endangered or threatened species and to report the results to the Secretary.  Sets forth procedures for changes in the status of a species. Repeals provisions regarding the development and implementation of recovery plans by the Secretary for the conservation and survival of listed species. (Sec. 5) Directs the Secretary, in cooperation with the States having jurisdiction over areas in which listed species are believed to occur, on the basis of the best scientific and commercial data available, and considering the options presented by the Commission, to develop and implement conservation plans to provide for the conservation of the species and the habitats on which the species depend, with exceptions. Requires the Secretary, in developing a conservation objective and plan for a foreign species, to:  (1) act in a manner consistent with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Convention); and (2) cooperate with and support any conservation strategy adopted for the species by each foreign nation in which the species occurs. Directs the Secretary, Federal agencies, and the States to minimize adverse social and economic consequences and impacts on private property that may result from the implementation of conservation plans. Sets forth provisions regarding:  (1) the establishment of conservation objectives; (2) schedules for conservation plan preparation; (3) priorities of plans; (4) alternative strategies; (5) procedures for the preparation of proposed and final plans; (6) publication of final plans; and (7) participation by other persons in developing and implementing such plans. Directs the Secretary to designate critical habitat that supports the conservation objective of the Secretary for the species and to revise a critical habitat designation.  Permits the Secretary to elect not to designate any critical habitat for the species where the designation is not prudent or determinable.  Requires that such designation or revision be made on the basis of the best scientific and commercial data available after taking into consideration the availability of substitute habitat in mitigation banks or from other sources and the economic or any other relevant impact. Directs the Secretary to exclude any area from critical habitat for which the Secretary determines that the benefits of the exclusion outweigh the benefits of designating the area as part of the critical habitat, unless the Secretary determines, on the basis of the best scientific and commercial data available, that the failure to designate the area as critical habitat will result in the extinction of the species for which the habitat is designated. Sets forth provisions regarding:  (1) revision of critical habitat designation; (2) the effects of agency actions that are consistent with the conservation objective and plan; (3) alternative species protection; (4) interim management prior to publication of a final conservation plan or a conservation objective, the entering into of a cooperative management agreement, or the issuance of an incidental taking permit; (5) suspension of conservation plans or objectives; (6) reporting requirements; and (7) the standard of judicial review of agency decisions. (Sec. 6) Directs the Secretary and the Secretary of Agriculture to encourage persons to apply to exchange lands, waters, or interests therein under their jurisdiction (lands) (other than units of the National Park System, the National Wilderness Preservation System, the National Wildlife Refuge System, the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and the National Trails System) for lands that are not in Federal ownership and that are affected by the Act, provided that the lands to be exchanged are of approximately equal value.  Sets forth provisions regarding:  (1) appraisals; (2) environmental assessment; and (3) valuation. (Sec. 7) Requires the Secretary to cooperate to the maximum extent practicable with the States and other non-Federal persons, including consulting as appropriate before seeking to acquire land for the purpose of conserving any endangered or threatened species. Authorizes the Secretary to:  (1) enter into cooperative management agreements (CMAs) with any State or group of States, political subdivision of a State, local government, or other non-Federal person for the management of a listed species, species proposed to be listed, or candidate species (i.e., species found warranted to be listed but precluded from listing because of pending proposals to list that are of a higher priority); and (2) designate any non-Federal person participating or assisting in the implementation of a CMA as a volunteer under the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956. Directs the Secretary to provide technical assistance for the development and implementation of a CMA with a non-Federal person. Exempts the preparation, approval, and entering into of a CMA from specified requirements of the Act and of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. Specifies that:  (1) except under extraordinary circumstances (in which case the Secretary shall have the burden of demonstrating and clearly documenting the existence of such circumstances), no additional measures to minimize and mitigate impacts on a species that is a subject of a CMA shall be required of a non-Federal party to the agreement that is in compliance with the agreement; and (2) with respect to any species that is a subject of such a CMA, under no circumstances shall a non-Federal party in compliance with the CMA be required to make any additional payment for any purpose, or accept any additional restriction on any parcel of land available for development or land management under the CMA, without the consent of the non-Federal party. Provides that a CMA shall remain in effect and shall not be required to be amended if a species to which the agreement does not apply is determined to be an endangered or threatened species. Sets forth or revises provisions regarding:  (1) violations of CMAs; (2) requirements governing acquisition of water; and (3) Federal reclamation projects and contracts. Authorizes the Secretary to:  (1) make grants to non-Federal persons, from appropriated funds, for the purpose of conserving, preserving, or improving habitat for an endangered or threatened species; and (2) enter into safe harbor agreements with non-Federal persons who own real property for the purpose of encouraging the voluntary management, restoration, or enhancement of non-Federal lands owned by such persons to conserve listed and candidate species. Requires the Secretary:  (1) at the request of a State, to delegate to the State the authority to develop and implement a conservation plan for a listed species unless the Secretary determines that the State lacks authority and capability to carry out the requirements of the Act; and (2) to monitor the actions of States in developing and implementing conservation plans. (Sec. 8) Directs each Federal agency to ensure that any action authorized, funded, or carried out by the agency that affects any endangered or threatened species or designated critical habitat of the species is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the species. Sets forth provisions regarding:  (1) Federal agency consultation with the Secretary regarding agency actions likely to significantly and adversely affect an endangered or threatened species and regarding guidance on the consistency of an agency action with the conservation plan or objective for, an incidental taking permit for, or a CMA concerning, the species; (2) consideration of information and other law; (3) actions exempt from consultation and conferencing; (4) actions not constituting takings; (5) the resolution of conflicts between the responsibilities of a Federal agency under the Act vis-a-vis any other law, treaty, or interstate compact; (6) the use of mitigation banks; (7) risk assessment; and (8) exemptions from the Act. (Sec. 9) Directs the Secretary and the Secretary of State to act cooperatively with other nations in conserving wildlife.  Prohibits such Secretaries, to the extent that the conservation programs of such nations are consistent with the Convention, from obstructing the programs of such nations unless the Secretary demonstrates good cause for the action based on adequate findings supported by substantial evidence. (Sec. 10) Directs the Secretary to limit a finding under the Convention to the purpose of the importation.  Bars the Secretary from:  (1) duplicating the findings required to be made by the exporting nation that is a party to the Convention except for good cause based on adequate findings supported by substantial evidence; and (2) prohibiting any act that is permitted under the Convention in issuing protective regulations with respect to a foreign species.  Sets forth restrictions regarding the publishing of proposed protective regulations. (Sec. 11) Provides that an activity of a non-Federal person shall be deemed not to constitute a taking of a species if the activity:  (1) is consistent with the applicable guidance of a conservation plan or objective; (2) complies with the terms and conditions of an incidental taking permit or a CMA; or (3) addresses a critical, imminent threat to public health or safety or a catastrophic natural event. Specifies that provisions prohibiting importation shall not apply to a member of a threatened species:  (1) taken for scientific collection, live export for captive breeding, sport hunting, or falconry in accordance with the laws of a foreign nation that is a party to the Convention; and (2) accompanied by an export permit issued by the nation or an equivalent document. (Sec. 12) Authorizes the Secretary to permit specified activities, including:  (1) the public display or exhibition of living wildlife in a manner that contributes to the education of the public about the ecological role and conservation needs of the affected species; (2) in the case of foreign species, acts that are consistent with the Convention and with conservation strategies adopted by the foreign nations responsible for the conservation of the species; and (3) acts necessary for captive propagation programs. Sets forth or revises provisions regarding:  (1) the use of mitigation banks; (2) the scope of permits; (3) environmental assessments; (4) limits on additional measures required to minimize and mitigate impacts on a species that is a subject of a permit where the permittee is in compliance with the permit; (5) interim permits; (6) permit revocation; and (7) voluntary consultation by non-Federal persons. Authorizes the Secretary, after providing notice and opportunity for public hearing, to issue a general permit on a county, State, regional, or nationwide basis for any category of activities that may affect a listed species upon determining that activities in the category are similar in nature, will cause only minimal adverse effects on the species if performed separately, and will have only minimal cumulative adverse effects on the species generally. Sets forth provisions regarding:  (1) educational and propagation permits; (2) the taking of species for inherently limited uses; (3) multiple species non-Federal conservation plans; (4) wildlife bred in captivity; (5) recognition of captive propagation as a means of recovery; and (6) mitigation banks. (Sec. 13) Directs the Secretary or the Secretary of the Treasury to pay reasonable and necessary costs incurred by any person in providing temporary care for any endangered or threatened fish, wildlife, or plant pending the disposition of any civil or criminal proceeding alleging a violation of the Act. Places the burden of proof on the Secretary to demonstrate that a specimen belongs to a species that has been determined to be an endangered or threatened species under the Act or that is included in an Appendix to the Convention.  Prohibits the Secretary from detaining a specimen for a period of longer than 30 days for identification purposes, unless the specimen has been substantially changed from the natural appearance of the specimen, in which case it may be retained for an additional 30 days.  Requires the specimen to be released if it cannot be identified within that period. Specifies that no refusal of entry, seizure of evidence, or other enforcement action may take place under the Act if the action is based solely on a notification under the Convention or on a resolution of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention. Authorizes any person to:  (1) commence a civil suit to remedy any violation of, or regulation issued under, the Act by the United States or any U.S.  agency or official or to challenge the Act or a regulation issued thereunder or the implementation thereof; and (2) intervene as a matter of right in any suit brought under the Act that threatens to cause injury to, or relates to any injury sustained by, the person and grants such person the same right to present argument and to accept or reject potential settlements as the parties to the suit have. (Sec. 14) Requires the Commission to review and report to the Secretary on species of plants that, as of the date of this section's enactment, are or may become endangered or threatened within any State and that are known to produce pharmaceutical or agricultural biochemicals. (Sec. 15) Establishes the Endangered Species Commission.  Requires the Commission to:  (1) study the activities of the United States under laws and international conventions relating to endangered and threatened species, including the Convention and the Act; (2) make recommendations to, and consult with, the Secretary and other Federal officials concerning such measures as the Commission considers necessary or desirable for the protection and conservation of such species, including a range of options; and (3) conduct such scientific reviews and analyses as the Secretary requests or as are otherwise required to be conducted under this Act. Directs the Commission, upon receipt of a request from the Secretary for a scientific review or assessment regarding such a species, to establish an assessment and planning team and, within 30 days, to establish and arrange for the provision of technical assistance to such a team to assist the Commission in making required assessments by providing it with the best scientific and commercial data available and data that have been peer reviewed and verified by field testing. Sets forth provisions regarding:  (1) the Commission's response to assessment and planning team recommendations; and (2) reporting requirements. (Sec. 16) Directs the Secretary to provide 30 days' notice of any hearing or other public meeting at which public comment is accepted under the Act. (Sec. 17) Requires the Secretary to:  (1) balance achieving the conservation objective for a species and ensuring continuing economic growth, providing essential infrastructure, maintaining strong State and local tax bases, and protecting against the diminishment of the use and value of property; and (2) seek, along with the heads of all other Federal agencies and other Federal officials, to minimize the adverse impacts on the use and value of private property resulting from any requirements imposed on the property. (Sec. 18) Directs the Secretary to:  (1) identify methods of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) that may be used for rulemaking to develop standards, rules, and guidelines for the listing or monitoring of species, conservation planning, safe harbor agreements with non-Federal persons, and other specified purposes; and (2) develop and implement a pilot program for ADR to be used for such purposes as consistent with the Negotiated Rulemaking Act of 1990 and the Administrative Dispute Resolution Act. Requires the Secretary to:  (1) provide regular training for all employees involved in developing and implementing such program; and (2) evaluate the program and submit a report including recommendations for a permanent program to the Congress and the Administrative Conference of the United States. (Sec. 19) Sets forth provisions regarding Federal cost-sharing requirements for conservation obligations. (Sec. 20) Entitles a non-Federal property owner to receive compensation if a Federal agency takes action under the Act that results in a diminishment of value of any portion of the non-Federal property of the owner.  Sets forth provisions regarding:  (1) the amount of compensation, a duty of notice to owners, requests for compensation, offers by the Secretary, and responses by property owners; (2) arbitration; (3) civil actions; (4) the source of payment; (5) U.S. obligations to make payment subject to the availability of appropriations; and (6) administrative provisions. (Sec. 21) Authorizes appropriations.  Directs the Secretary to study potential revenue sources for a biodiversity trust fund to be used both for domestic endangered and threatened species protected under the Act and for foreign species subject to the Convention.  Sets forth reporting requirements. (Sec. 22) Sets:  (1) priorities for the development, and a schedule for the adoption, of conservation plans for listed species without recovery plans; and (2) priorities and a schedule for revision of existing plans. Prohibits the Secretary or the head of any other Federal agency from requiring any increase in any measurable criterion contained in a final recovery plan, or any site specific management action in addition to the criteria provided in a final recovery plan, until a conservation plan or conservation objective has been published. Directs the Secretary, in conjunction with the issuance of a conservation plan or objective, to review and reissue certain written opinions of the Secretary relating to the affected species that were issued after January 1, 1995, under the Act.", "2025-08-21T20:15:36Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1364"], ["104-s-1365", 104, "s", 1365, "Endangered Species Habitat Protection Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-10-26", "1995-10-26", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.", "Senate", "Sen. Kempthorne, Dirk [R-ID]", "ID", "R", "K000088", 11, "Endangered Species Habitat Protection Act of 1995 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow landowners of qualified acreage a credit, for agreement to manage such lands for the preservation of endangered species, in an amount equal to the lesser of:  (1) the applicable acreage rate of the qualified acreage; or (2) $50,000. Provides for recapture of the credit if the taxpayer transfers the qualified acreage without also transferring the obligations for such acreage.  Prohibits making a payment to an owner under capital gain and loss provisions if that owner has indicated an intention to claim an income tax credit or deduction for participation.  Provides for a deduction for the donation of property as a conservation easement.  Provides for the valuation of property which provides for the protection of endangered species.  Provides an additional deduction on State and local real property taxes paid or accrued on property subject to an endangered species conservation agreement.  Prohibits the deduction in certain cases. Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to cooperate fully with the appropriate States, tribes, and other non-Federal persons, including consultation with such persons before the acquisition or interest of any land or water for the conservation of endangered and threatened species.  Sets forth provisions providing for the Secretary to enter into a cooperative management agreement with non-Federal persons for the management of:  (1) endangered and threatened species or group of species; or (2) a candidate species or group of candidate species.  Directs that a cooperative management agreement shall remain in effect and not be required to be amended to include subsequent listing of endangered or threatened species not applicable to such agreement. Allows the Secretary to provide a habitat conservation grant to certain non-Federal persons for the purpose of conserving, preserving, or improving the habitat of endangered and threatened species.  Allows a grant to be transferred to subsequent property owners.", "2025-08-21T20:16:45Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1365"], ["104-s-1352", 104, "s", 1352, "A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to make technical corrections in maps relating to the Coastal Barrier Resources System.", "Environmental Protection", "1995-10-20", "1995-10-20", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. D'Amato, Alfonse [R-NY]", "NY", "R", "D000018", 1, "Directs the Secretary of the Interior to make corrections to a specified map of the Coastal Barrier Resources system relating to Fire Island Unit NY-59P as necessary to:  (1) move the eastern boundary of the excluded area covering Ocean Beach, Seaview, Ocean Bay Park, and part of Point O'Woods to the western boundary of the Sunken Forest Preserve; and (2) ensure that the depiction of \"otherwise protected areas\" does not include any area owned by the Point O'Woods Association, a privately held corporation under the laws of the State of New York.", "2025-01-14T17:12:38Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1352"], ["104-s-1316", 104, "s", 1316, "Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996", "Environmental Protection", "1995-10-12", "1996-08-06", "Became Public Law No: 104-182.", "Senate", "Sen. Kempthorne, Dirk [R-ID]", "ID", "R", "K000088", 40, "TABLE OF CONTENTS:      Title I:  Amendments to Safe Drinking Water Act      Title II:  Drinking Water Research      Title III:  Miscellaneous Provisions      Title IV:  Additional Assistance for Water Infrastructure and           Watersheds      Title V:  Clerical Amendments Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996 - Title I:  Amendments to Safe Drinking Water Act - Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act (the Act) to:  (1) define \"community water system\" as a public water system (system) that serves at least 15 service connections used by year-long residents or that regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents; and (2) revise the definition of \"public water system\" to mean a system to provide water for human consumption through pipes or other constructed conveyances, subject to specified requirements. Specifies that a \"connection\" to a system that delivers water by a constructed conveyance other than a pipe shall not be considered a connection if:  (1) the water is used exclusively for purposes other than residential uses; or (2) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or a State exercising primary enforcement responsibility for systems (primacy State) determines that alternative water to achieve the equivalent level of public health protection provided by the applicable national primary drinking water (NPDW) regulation is provided for residential or similar uses for drinking and cooking, or that the water provided for residential or similar uses for drinking, cooking, and bathing is centrally treated or treated at the point of entry by the provider, a pass-through entity, or the user to achieve the equivalent level of protection provided by the applicable NPDW regulations. Sets forth transition provisions regarding a water supplier that would be a system only as a result of modifications made under this Act.  Directs the Comptroller General of the United States to undertake a study to:  (1) ascertain the numbers and locations of individuals and households relying on irrigation water and other specified systems for their residential water needs; (2) determine the sources, costs, and affordability of water used for residential needs; and (3) review State and water system compliance with the Act. (Sec. 102) Modifies the Act to require the Administrator to publish a maximum contaminant level (MCL) goal and promulgate an NPDW regulation for specified contaminants upon determining that:  (1) the contaminant may have an adverse effect on the health of persons and is known to occur or there is a substantial likelihood that the contaminant will occur in systems with a frequency and at levels of public health concern; and (2) in the sole judgment of the Administrator, regulation of such contaminant presents a meaningful opportunity for health risk reduction for persons served by systems. Directs the Administrator:  (1) every five years, to publish a list of contaminants which are not subject to any proposed or promulgated NPDW, which are known or anticipated to occur in systems, and which may require regulation and to make determinations of whether to regulate not fewer than five contaminants; and (2) to select for consideration unregulated contaminants that present the greatest public health concern. Authorizes the Administrator to:  (1) promulgate an interim NPDW regulation for a contaminant without making a required determination, or completing a required analysis, to address an urgent public health threat; and (2) publish health advisories or take other appropriate actions for contaminants not subject to any NPDW regulation. Sets forth provisions regarding schedules and deadlines for the publication of MCL goals and promulgation of NPDW regulations, including regarding substitution of contaminants and disinfectants and disinfection byproducts. (Sec. 103) Directs the Administrator:  (1) to use the best available science in regulatory decision making, to ensure that the presentation of information on public health effects is comprehensive, informative, and understandable, and to prepare a health risk reduction and cost analysis for new regulations; (2) at the time an NPDW regulation is proposed, to publish a determination of whether the MCL benefits justify the costs; and (3) when issuing new regulations, to identify affordable treatment technologies for small systems serving populations of 3,300 to 10,000, populations of 500 to 3,300, and populations of 25 to 500, and to promulgate a regulation to govern the recycling of filter backwash water within the treatment process of a system. (Sec. 106) Authorizes a primacy State to establish treatment requirements as an alternative to filtration in the case of systems having uninhabited, undeveloped watersheds in consolidated ownership and having control over access to, and activities in, those watersheds if the State determines (and the Administrator concurs) that the quality of the source water and the alternative treatment requirements established by the State ensure greater removal or inactivation efficiencies of pathogenic organisms for which NPDW regulations have been promulgated or that are of public health concern than would be achieved by the combination of filtration and chlorine disinfection. (Sec. 107) Modifies the Act to require the Administrator to promulgate NPDW regulations requiring disinfection as a treatment technique for all systems at any time in the period beginning three years after enactment of this Act until the date on which the Administrator promulgates a Stage II rule making for disinfectants and disinfectant byproducts. (Sec. 108) Makes NPDW regulations effective three years after promulgation, with exceptions. (Sec. 109) Directs the Administrator to:  (1) propose by January 1, 2000, and promulgate by January 1, 2001, an NPDW regulation for arsenic and to develop a comprehensive plan for a study in support of drinking water rule making to reduce the uncertainty in assessing health risks associated with exposure to low levels of arsenic. Requires the Administrator and the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP), prior to promulgating an NPDW regulation for sulfate, to jointly conduct an additional study to establish a reliable dose-response relationship for the adverse human health effects that may result from exposure to sulfate in drinking water. Directs the Administrator to:  (1) arrange for the National Academy of Sciences to prepare a risk assessment for radon in drinking water and an analysis of health risk reduction benefits associated with various mitigation measures to reduce radon levels in indoor air; and (2) withdraw any NPDW regulation for radon proposed prior to enactment, propose an MCL goal and NPDW regulation, and promulgate a final NPDW regulation based on such assessment and analysis. Sets forth provisions regarding:  (1) alternative MCL levels for radon; and (2) development by States of multimedia programs to mitigate radon levels in indoor air. (Sec. 111) Directs the Administrator, concurrently with promulgating an NPDW regulation for a contaminant, to issue guidance or regulations describing the best treatment technologies or techniques or other means for the contaminant that the Administrator finds, after examination for efficacy under field conditions, are available and affordable for systems of varying size, considering the quality of the source water to be treated, subject to specified requirements. (Sec. 112) Modifies the Act to:  (1) grant a State primary enforcement responsibility for systems during any period for which the Administrator determines that such State, not later than two years after NPDW regulations are promulgated, has adopted drinking water regulations which are no less stringent than the NPDW regulations, with two-year extensions permitted under specified circumstances; (2) require the Administrator to notify an appropriate local elected official prior to taking action to force a system to comply with Act requirements or commencing a civil suit (and increases civil penalties for violations of, or failure or refusal to comply with, any order issued by the Administrator in response to an imminent and substantial endangerment to human health); and (3) require each system owner or operator to give notice to its customers of the concentration level of any unregulated contaminant for which the Administrator has required public notice (but authorizes States to establish alternative notification requirements). Sets forth reporting requirements for the State and the Administrator.  Directs the Administrator to issue regulations to require each community water system to mail to each customer of the system at least annually a report on the level of contaminants in the drinking water purveyed by that system (\"consumer confidence report\"), which shall also provide for an EPA toll-free hotline that consumers can call for more information. Authorizes the Governor of a State to determine not to apply such mailing requirement to a community water system serving fewer than 10,000 persons. Specifies that any community water system which is not required to meet such mailing requirement and which serves 500 persons or fewer, may elect not to comply, subject to specified requirements, including that it prepare an annual consumer confidence report and provide at least annual notice to each of its customers that such report is available upon request. Requires the Administrator of the Food and Drug Administration to publish for public notice and comment a draft study on the feasibility of appropriate methods, if any, of informing customers of the contents of bottled water. (Sec. 115) Modifies the Act to provide that:  (1) a variance may be issued to a system on condition that it install the best technology, treatment techniques, or other means available (taking costs into consideration); and (2) a schedule prescribed for a system granted a variance shall be based upon an evaluation satisfactory to the State that indicates that alternative sources of water are not reasonably available to the system. (Sec. 116) Authorizes a primacy State to grant a variance for compliance with a requirement specifying an MCL or treatment technique contained in an NPDW regulation to systems serving 3,300 or fewer persons and, with the Administrator's approval, to systems serving between 3,300 and 10,000 persons, under specified circumstances. (Sec. 117) Authorizes a primacy State to exempt any system within the State's jurisdiction from any requirement respecting an MCL, any treatment technique requirement, or both, of an applicable NPDW regulation upon finding that, due to compelling factors, the system is unable to implement measures to develop an alternative source of water supply.  Bars a system from receiving an exemption if it was granted a small system variance. (Sec. 118) Modifies the Act to expand lead ban provisions to prohibit:  (1) the use of any pipe, pipe or plumbing fitting, or fixture, solder, or flux that is not lead free in the installation or repair of any system or any plumbing in a facility providing water for human consumption; (2) the sale (or other introduction into commerce), two years after enactment, of pipes and pipe or plumb fittings or fixtures that are not lead free, except for pipes that are used in manufacturing or industrial processing; and (3) persons in the business of selling plumbing supplies, except manufacturers, from selling solder or flux that is not lead free (and requires any person selling solder or flux that is not lead free to label the product to indicate that it is illegal to use such solder or flux in the installation or repair of any plumbing providing water for human consumption). Directs the Administrator:  (1) to provide accurate and timely technical information and assistance to qualified third-party certifiers in the development of voluntary standards and testing protocols for the leaching of lead from new plumbing fittings and fixtures that are intended by the manufacturer to dispense water for human ingestion; and (2) within two years, if voluntary standards for lead leaching from new plumbing fittings and fixtures are not established within one year, to issue regulations setting a performance standard establishing maximum leaching levels for fixtures intended to dispense water for human consumption (and, alternatively, if regulations are required but not issued within five years, bans the use of such plumbing or fixtures that contain more than four percent lead). (Sec. 119) Provides that a State shall receive only 80 percent of the allotment that the State is otherwise entitled under provisions regarding State loan funds unless the State has obtained the legal authority or other means to ensure that all new community water systems and new nontransient, noncommunity water systems commencing operation after October 1, 1999, demonstrate technical, managerial, and financial capacity with respect to each NPDW regulation in effect, or likely to be in effect, on the date of commencement of operations. Sets forth provisions regarding:  (1) systems in significant noncompliance; and (2) capacity development strategy (limits allotments to States not developing and implementing strategies to assist systems in acquiring and maintaining such capacity). Directs the Administrator to:  (1) support the States in developing specified capacity development strategies; (2) provide initial funding for one or more university-based environmental finance centers for activities that provide technical assistance to State and local officials in developing the capacity of systems; and (3) establish a national system capacity development clearinghouse.  Authorizes appropriations. Authorizes the Administrator to make grants to institutions of higher learning to establish and operate small system technology assistance centers in the United States.  Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 120) Modifies the Act to authorize:  (1) appropriations for critical aquifer protection, wellhead protection, and underground water source protection programs; and (2) the Administrator to collect and make available information pertaining to research, investigations, and demonstrations regarding providing a dependably safe supply of drinking water, together with appropriate recommendations, and to make available EPA research facilities to appropriate public authorities, institutions, and individuals. (Sec. 122) Authorizes the Administrator to provide technical assistance to small systems to enable them to achieve and maintain compliance with applicable NPDW regulations, which may include circuit-rider and multi-State regional technical assistance programs, training, and preliminary engineering evaluations.  Authorizes appropriations.  Bars the use of any portion of a State revolving loan fund (SLF) for lobbying expenses.  Directs that three percent of the total amount appropriated be used for technical assistance to systems owned or operated by Indian tribes. (Sec. 123) Amends the Act to require the Administrator to:  (1) publish guidelines specifying minimum standards for certification and recertification of the operators of community and nontransient noncommunity systems; and (2) withhold certain funds unless the State has adopted and is implementing a program for the certification of operators of community and nontransient noncommunity systems that meet specified requirements. (Sec. 124) Authorizes appropriations for the public water system supervision (PWSS) program.  Permits the Administrator, if the Administrator assumes primary enforcement responsibility for a State program, to use a State's PWSS funds, and to reserve a portion of SLFs from such a State (if the PWSS grant appropriation is insufficient to fully administer a program in such State), to ensure the full and effective administration of a public water system supervision program in the State. (Sec. 125) Revises monitoring and information gathering requirements of the Act, including:  (1) granting the Administrator authority to obtain information on a case-by-case basis to determine whether a person subject to an NPDW regulation has acted or is acting in compliance with such requirements; and (2) requiring every person subject to an NPDW regulation to provide such information as the Administrator may reasonably require to assist in establishing regulations. Directs the Administrator to:  (1) review the monitoring requirements for not fewer than 12 contaminants and promulgate any necessary modifications and promulgate regulations establishing criteria for a monitoring program for unregulated contaminants which meet specified requirements; (2) review new analytical methods to screen for regulated contaminants; and (3) assemble and maintain a national drinking water occurrence data base. (Sec. 127) Directs that two members of the National Drinking Water Advisory Council be associated with small, rural systems. (Sec. 128) Authorizes the Administrator to provide financial assistance to New York State for demonstration projects implemented as part of the New York City watershed protection program.  Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 129) Modifies the Act to make each department, agency, and instrumentality of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the Federal Government owning or operating any facility in a wellhead protection area and engaged in any activity at such facility resulting in the contamination of water supplies, or owning or operating any system or engaging in any activity resulting in underground injection which endangers drinking water, subject to all Federal, State, interstate, and local requirements respecting the protection of such wellhead areas, systems, and any underground injection to the same extent as any person, including requirements governing the payment of reasonable service charges. Authorizes the Administrator to issue a penalty order and assess a penalty of up to $25,000 per day per violation against a Federal agency. Sets forth provisions regarding limits on State use of funds collected from the Federal Government and citizen enforcement. Prohibits the Secretary of the Army from passing on the cost of any such penalty assessed to any customer, user, or other purchaser of drinking water from the Washington Aqueduct system. (Sec. 130) Creates an SLF program to provide financial assistance to facilitate compliance with NPDW standards and for projects to further the health protection objectives of the Act.  Directs the Administrator to enter into agreements to make capitalization grants to eligible States, contingent upon their establishment of a drinking water treatment revolving loan fund. Sets forth provisions regarding the allocation of funds to States, reallotment, permissible uses of funds, intended use plans, fund management assistance for disadvantaged communities, State contributions, types of assistance, administration, a needs survey, allocations for Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages, and other areas (with funds used to address the most significant threats to public health associated with systems that serve Indian tribes), and other authorized activities.  Directs the Administrator to prepare surveys and assess the needs of drinking water treatment facilities to serve Indian tribes.  Authorizes appropriations. Requires the Administrator to:  (1) reserve $10 million for health effects studies on drinking water contaminants, giving priority to studies of cryptosporidium, disinfection byproducts, arsenic, and of subpopulations at greater risk of adverse effects; (2) reserve $2 million from funds appropriated for each fiscal year beginning with FY 1998 to pay the costs of monitoring for unregulated contaminants; and (3) conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of the SLFs through FY 2001. Sets forth provisions regarding:  (1) a demonstration project for the State of Virginia; and (2) small system technical assistance. (Sec. 131) Authorizes the Administrator to make a grant to a State for the development and implementation of a State program to ensure the coordinated and comprehensive protection of ground water resources within the State, subject to specified requirements.  Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 132) Requires the Administrator to:  (1) publish guidance for primacy State to carry out a source water assessment program within the State's boundaries; and (2) conduct a project to demonstrate the most effective and protective means of assessing and protecting source waters serving large metropolitan areas located on Federal lands.  Sets forth guidelines for approval and disapproval of State programs. (Sec. 133) Authorizes a State to establish a program under which an owner or operator of a community water system in the State, or a municipal or local government or political subdivision of a State, may submit a source water quality protection partnership petition requesting that the State assist in the local development of a voluntary, incentive-based partnership among the owner, operator, or government and other persons likely to be affected by the recommendations of the partnership to:  (1) reduce the presence in drinking water of contaminants that may be addressed by a petition by considering the origins of the contaminants; (2) obtain financial or technical assistance necessary to facilitate establishment, or to develop and implement recommendations, of a partnership for the protection of source water to assist in the provision of drinking water that complies with NPDW regulations for contaminants addressed by a petition; and (3) develop recommendations regarding voluntary and incentive-based strategies for the long-term protection of the source water of community water systems. (Sec. 134) Directs the Administrator to publish guidelines for water conservation plans for systems serving fewer than 3,300 persons, serving between 3,300 and 10,000 persons, and serving more than 10,000 persons.  Authorizes a State to require a system seeking a loan or grant from an SLF to submit a water conservation plan consistent with such guidelines. (Sec. 135) Authorizes the Administrator and heads of other appropriate Federal agencies to award grants to Arizona, California, New Mexico, or Texas to provide assistance to eligible communities to facilitate compliance with NPDW regulations or otherwise significantly further health protection objectives of the Act.  Authorizes the Administrator to provide for testing under a specified screening program under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of any other substance that may be found in sources of drinking water if the Administrator determines that a substantial population may be exposed to such substance. (Sec. 137) Directs the Administrator to conduct, and periodically report to the Congress regarding, a continuing program of studies to identify groups within the general population that are at greater risk than the general population of adverse health effects from exposure to contaminants in drinking water.  Requires the CDCP Director and the Administrator to jointly conduct pilot waterborne disease occurrence studies for at least five major U.S. communities or systems, to report on the findings and a national estimate of such occurrence, and to establish a national health care provider training and public education campaign.  Authorizes appropriations. Title II:  Drinking Water Research - Authorizes appropriations for drinking water research for FY 1997 through 2003. (Sec. 202) Directs the Administrator to develop a strategic plan for drinking water research activities throughout EPA, integrate such plan into ongoing EPA planning activities, and review all EPA drinking water research to ensure the research is of high quality and does not duplicate any other research being conducted by EPA. (Sec. 203) Authorizes the Administrator to reestablish a partnership between the Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Laboratory and the National Center for Ground Water Research to conduct research, training, and technology transfer for ground water quality protection and restoration. Title III:  Miscellaneous Provisions - Repeals specified provisions regarding geothermal heat pumps. (Sec. 302) Authorizes a Governor of a State, at any time beyond one year after a State establishes an SLF under this Act but prior to FY 2002, to reserve:  (1) up to 33 percent of the capitalization grant and add the funds reserved to any funds provided to the State pursuant to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWPCA) regarding State water pollution control revolving funds; and (2) in any year a dollar amount up to that so reserved for that year from the capitalization grants and add the reserved funds to any funds provided to the State pursuant to the SLF provisions of the Act. (Sec. 303) Authorizes the Administrator to make grants to the State of Alaska for the benefit of rural and Native villages to pay the Federal share of the cost of:  (1) the development and construction of systems and wastewater systems to improve the health and sanitation conditions in the villages; and (2) training, technical assistance, and educational programs relating to the operation and management of sanitation services in rural and Native villages.  Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 304) Expresses the sense of the Congress that appropriations for grants relating to the New York City watershed, the colonias, and Alaska Native villages, should not be provided if such appropriations would prevent the adequate capitalization of State SLFs. (Sec. 305) Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require the Secretary to promulgate a standard of quality regulation for a contaminant in bottled water or make a finding that such a regulation is not necessary to protect the public health because the contaminant is contained in water in systems but not in water used for bottled drinking water. (Sec. 306) Encourages and grants congressional consent to the customers (the District of Columbia, Arlington County, Virginia, and the city of Falls Church, Virginia) to establish a non-Federal public or private entity, or to enter into an agreement with such an existing entity, to receive title to the Washington Aqueduct and operate, maintain, and manage it in a manner that adequately represents all interests of its customers. Sets forth provisions regarding reporting requirements, the transfer of Federal interests in the Aqueduct to such entity, borrowing authority, and reissuance of a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit for the Aqueduct. (Sec. 307) Authorizes the Administrator and the heads of other appropriate Federal agencies to award grants to Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas to provide assistance to eligible communities for the planning, design, and construction or improvement of sewers, treatment works, and appropriate connections for wastewater treatment.  Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 308) Amends the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 to include representatives of the Lake Champlain Basin Program as ex officio members of the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force. Title IV:  Additional Assistance for Water Infrastructure and Watersheds - Authorizes the Administrator to provide technical and financial assistance to States:  (1) for the construction, rehabilitation, and improvement of water supply systems; and (2) consistent with nonpoint source management programs established under the FWPCA, for source water quality protection programs to address pollutants in navigable waters for the purpose of making such waters usable by water supply systems (but specifies that not more than 30 percent of the amounts appropriated to carry out this title in a fiscal year may be used for such programs). Sets forth provisions regarding a condition on receipt of such assistance and the Federal cost share.  Authorizes appropriations. Title V:  Clerical Amendments - Makes miscellaneous technical and clerical amendments to the Act.", "2025-04-07T15:30:29Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1316"], ["104-s-1285", 104, "s", 1285, "Accelerated Cleanup and Environmental Restoration Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-09-29", "1996-04-24", "Committee on Environment and Public Works. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 104-645.", "Senate", "Sen. Smith, Bob [R-NH]", "NH", "R", "S000606", 11, "TABLE OF CONTENTS:      Title I:  Community Participation      Title II:  State Role      Title III:  Voluntary Cleanup      Title IV:  Selection of Remedial Actions      Title V:  Liability Allocations      Title VI:  Federal Facilities      Title VII:  Natural Resource Damages      Title VIII:  Miscellaneous      Title IX:  Funding Accelerated Cleanup and Environmental Restoration Act of 1995 - Title I:  Community Participation - Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA or Superfund) to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish Community Response Organizations (CROs) to solicit views on issues affecting remedial action plans. Authorizes technical assistance grants to citizen groups of two or more who may be affected by the release or threatened release of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant on the State registry or National Priorities List (NPL). Adds provisions designed to improve public participation in the Superfund decisionmaking process and requiring the Administrator to consider community remedial action alternatives in the same manner as alternatives proposed by potentially responsible parties. Title II:  State Role - Amends CERCLA to add provisions requiring the Administrator, upon application by a State, to delegate authority to perform functions (including risk analysis, remedy selection, remedial design, remedial operation, allocation of liability, and enforcement) with respect to one or more non-Federal listed facilities in the State.  Prescribes application and performance procedures. Provides for the removal of delegated facilities from the NPL and the deposit of recovered costs in the Hazardous Substances Superfund.  Directs the Administrator to provide grants to States to carry out delegated functions. Title III:  Voluntary Cleanup - Adds new provisions to CERCLA requiring the Administrator to provide technical and other assistance to States to establish and expand qualifying State voluntary response programs, including oversight and enforcement programs. (Sec. 302) Defines \"brownfield facility\" to mean a parcel of land containing abandoned or underused commercial or industrial property, the expansion or redevelopment of which is complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance.  Excludes from the definition seven specific categories of facilities, including:  NPL facilities, facilities under administrative or judicial cleanup orders, and U.S.-owned facilities. Directs the Administrator to establish a program to provide interest-free loans of up to $200,000 to local government entities and Indian tribes for site characterization and assessment of brownfield facilities.  Prescribes loan ranking and application procedures. (Sec. 303) Amends CERCLA's definition of \"owner or operator\" for purposes of determining cleanup liability to exclude persons not participating in facility management who hold an indicium of ownership primarily to protect a security interest.  Adds a definition of \"fiduciary\" and limits fiduciary liability.  Delimits liability of lenders. (Sec. 304) Amends the Federal Deposit Insurance Act to provide that, with specific exceptions, a Federal banking or lending agency shall not be liable under any law imposing strict liability for the release or threatened release of a hazardous substance from a facility acquired through receivership or conservatorship, through a loan or financial assistance, or in connection with a civil or criminal proceeding or administrative enforcement action.  Prescribes rules of construction. (Sec. 305) Adds to CERCLA provisions governing owner-operator status of persons owning or operating property contiguous to a release site. (Sec. 306) Limits liability of bona fide prospective purchasers so long as they do not impede response actions or natural resource restoration. (Sec. 307) Requires that the standards developed by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) be used to determine innocent landholder status. Title IV:  Selection of Remedial Actions - Amends CERCLA to add definitions of \"actual or planned or reasonably anticipated future use of the land and water resources,\" \"significant ecosystem,\" and other terms. (Sec. 402) Establishes revised procedures for selection and implementation of remedial actions.  Requires selection of the most cost-effective means of achieving the goals of protecting human health and the environment, using specified criteria and allowing for technical impracticability and unreasonable cost. States that a remedial action shall not be required to attain any standard that would be legally applicable under any other Federal or State law except in cases involving the transfer of hazardous waste off-site. (Sec. 403) Adds new provisions regarding the use and requirements of facility-specific risk evaluations.  Requires EPA to issue regulations that promote a realistic characterization of risk that neither minimizes nor exaggerates the risks and potential risks posed by a facility or a proposed remedial action. (Sec. 404) Establishes procedures, in lieu of any other law, for conducting remedial investigations, feasibility studies, records of decisions, remedial designs, and remedial actions. (Sec. 405) Prescribes procedures and time frames for final EPA notice of completion of remedial action and delisting of a facility. Provides for release from further liability for facilities available for unrestricted use.  Requires seven-year reviews by EPA of facilities not available for unrestricted use. (Sec. 406) Sets forth transition rules for facilities involved in remedy selection on the date of enactment of this Act. (Sec. 408) Revises the National Contingency Plan to prohibit the Administrator, when listing a site on the NPL, from including property at which no release has occurred but to which a contaminant had migrated in groundwater. Title V:  Liability Allocations - Adds new provisions allocating liability for multiparty facilities.  Differentiates mandatory, requested, and permissive allocations.  Prescribes allocation process procedures, including time frames, selections of allocators, reports, orphan shares, and de minimis settlements. (Sec. 502) Excludes response action contractors from the definition of \"owner or operator.\"  Amends the national uniform negligence standards.  Revises procedures governing EPA decisions to indemnify response action contractors.  Limits actions against response action contractors. (Sec. 503) Requires nonconfidential CERCLA records and reports to be released within 14 days after the information is obtained.  (Current law provides no time limit for public availability.) (Sec. 505) Adds provisions which include religious, charitable, scientific, and educational organizations as owner-operators.  Limits the liability of such organizations. (Sec. 506) Adds provisions limiting the liability of  railroad owners or operators of spur tracks. Title VI:  Federal Facilities - Amends CERCLA to revise provisions governing the transfer of authorities vested in the Administrator to allow States to apply to exercise such authorities at any U.S. facility located in the State.  Prescribes procedures governing such transfers. (Sec. 602) Directs the Secretary of Energy, after providing Federal, State, and local agencies notice and opportunity for comment, to submit to the President annual lists identifying the Department of Energy (DOE) environmental cleanup requirements that cannot be met within the Department's budget request for environmental management activities.  Requires inclusion of such information in the President's annual budget request.  Allows for one list revision following appropriations funding. States that, with specified exceptions, no action seeking to impose civil or criminal sanctions under any law may be commenced against the United States, its employees, or DOE contractors with respect to failure to comply with DOE environmental cleanup requirements by reason of lack of funds appropriated specifically for such purposes during a fiscal year for which such cleanup requirement was on the list. (Sec. 603) Amends CERCLA to add provisions allowing the President to designate Federal facilities listed on, or proposed for listing on, the NPL to facilitate the development of innovative technologies for remedial action.  Requires a report to the Congress. (Sec. 604) Amends provisions governing assessment and evaluation of Federal facility listings:  (1) to allow notice of uncontaminated parcels; and (2) to include as a factor in determining priorities the extent to which the Federal land holding agency has arranged with the Administrator or a State to respond. Title VII:  Natural Resource Damages - Amend CERCLA's definition of \"natural resource\" to add language that the resource is committed for use by the general public.  States that a resource shall be considered to be committed for use by the general public only if, at the time of the act of disposal giving rise to liability, the resource is subject to a public use or to a planned public use, for which there is an authorized and documented legal, administrative, budgetary, or financial commitment. Adds definitions for \"baseline,\" \"compensatory restoration,\" and other terms. Revises provisions governing liability for costs and damages for release, or threatened release, of a hazardous substance, to limit recovery to the restoration of baseline ecological services. Requires that recovered sums shall be used for restoration. (Previous law provided for use to restore, replace, or acquire the equivalent.) Revises the measure of damages to provide that damages shall be limited to the reasonable costs of restoration and of assessing damages, disallowing recovery under CERCLA for impairments of non-use values.  Prohibits double recoveries. Prohibits recovery of costs of compensatory restoration for a natural resource injury, destruction, or loss that occurred prior to December 11, 1980.  Limits recovery for the costs of primary restoration. Requires selection of the most cost-effective method of achieving restoration.  Sets dollar amount limitations on the aggregate liability of all parties for costs of compensatory restoration. Eliminates the rebuttable presumption and imposes revised methods of damage assessment, requiring district courts to try de novo the issue of defendant liability and the issue of the amount of liability.  Requires, on judicial review of claims challenging trustee decisions, that the court hold unlawful and set aside actions, findings, and conclusions found to be unsupported by substantial evidence. Revises procedures governing the issuance of regulations for damage assessments, requiring that regulations identify, specify, and take into consideration four specific elements, including the ability of a natural resource to recover naturally and the availability of replacement or alternative resources.  Requires biennial review of such regulation. Prohibits the Administrator from selecting a remedial action that goes beyond the measures necessary to protect human health and the baseline ecological services of the environment.  Prohibits the imposition of liability for natural resource injuries resulting from a response action or remedial action selected by the Administrator. Revises CERCLA statutes of limitations. Title VIII:  Miscellaneous - Revises National Contingency Plan guidelines for the National Hazardous Substances Response Plan to add procedures governing the conduct of response evaluations, including a requirement that such procedures use a results-oriented approach and other expedited actions in order to minimize response time and exposure hazards. (Sec. 802) Limits new NPL listings to 30 sites per year for the next three years.  Requires prioritization of and State concurrence with such sites.  States that the Administrator's authority to add sites to the NPL expires in three years. (Sec. 804) Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to exempt remediation waste from specified regulations, including those that bar storage and land disposal of untreated hazardous waste. Title IX:  Funding - Amends CERCLA to authorize appropriations from the Fund of $8.5 billion for FY 1996 through 2000. (Sec. 902) Allows payment of orphan shares as a use of the Fund. (Sec. 903) Authorizes funds for Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry activities. (Sec. 904) Sets limitations for FY 1996 through 2000 of $20 million per year for alternative or innovative technologies research, development, and demonstration programs and training, $20 million for hazardous substance research, and $5 million for university research centers. (Sec. 905) Authorizes appropriations to the Fund through FY 2000. (Sec. 906) Sets limits on funding of qualifying State voluntary response programs, brownfield cleanup assistance, and community response organizations.  Specifies that collected recoveries will be credited as offsetting collections. (Sec. 907) Allows use of the Fund to reimburse potentially responsible parties following the results of an audit showing costs are unallowable or should be adjusted.", "2025-08-21T20:17:05Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1285"], ["104-s-1286", 104, "s", 1286, "A bill to amend the Solid Waste Disposal Act regarding management of remediation waste, certain recyclable industrial materials, and certain products, co-products, and intermediate products, and for other purposes.", "Environmental Protection", "1995-09-29", "1995-09-29", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Smith, Bob [R-NH]", "NH", "R", "S000606", 0, "Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to define \"remediation waste\" as:  (1) solid and hazardous waste generated by the remediation, removal, containment, or stabilization of solid waste released to the environment or media and debris contaminated as a result of a release (a \"remediation activity\"); and (2) debris and media generated by such an activity that contain a listed hazardous waste or waste identified as having such characteristics (\"identified characteristic wastes\"). Excepts from certain hazardous waste disposal requirements media and debris generated by a remediation activity that are identified characteristic wastes or listed wastes or that contain such wastes. Excepts from any permit requirements treatment, storage, or disposal of remediation waste conducted entirely at the facility at which the remediation takes place. Excepts from the hazardous waste management requirements of the Act:  (1) any person that manages remediation waste that is identified characteristic waste or listed waste or that contains such waste and that is subject to a Federal or State order, consent agreement, State voluntary cleanup program, or other mechanism considered appropriate by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, unless the requirements are specified in such mechanism; and (2) certain recyclable industrial materials (those that would otherwise be deemed identified characteristic waste or listed waste and that are intended for recycling by use, reuse, or reclamation), related materials, and materials resulting from a manufacturing process that contemplates further processing, with exceptions.  Adds requirements for the management of recyclable industrial materials relating to storage, the timetable for recycling, documentation by persons that manage the material, and inspections and enforcement by the Administrator. Requires the Administrator to promulgate regulations specifying that the point at which a solid waste is determined to be an identified characteristic waste or listed waste shall not be before the point at which the waste exits a closed system and is exposed to the environment or is discharged to a waste management unit, whichever occurs first. Revises procedures regarding the delisting (exclusion) of waste generated at a particular facility to:  (1) modify procedures for granting or denying a petition; and (2) require the Administrator to issue a regulation defining constituent levels below which a solid waste shall not be considered a hazardous waste subject to regulation.  Sets interim constituent levels applicable until such issuance. Allows the Administrator, by regulation and notwithstanding certain standards for disposal permits and public participation, to alter hazardous waste treatment and disposal requirements applicable to a solid waste that is an identified characteristic waste or listed waste and that contains hazardous constituents in an amount not greater than ten times the amount below which a solid waste shall not be deemed a hazardous waste. Permits the Administrator to use the authorities contained in other Acts that give regulatory authority to the Administrator if the Administrator determines that a health or environmental risk associated with the management of solid waste can be eliminated or reduced to a sufficient extent by actions taken under such authorities and the Administrator has a mandate to address that risk within five years after enactment of this Act.", "2025-01-14T17:12:38Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1286"], ["104-s-1274", 104, "s", 1274, "A bill to amend the Solid Waste Disposal Act to improve management of remediation waste, and for other purposes.", "Environmental Protection", "1995-09-26", "1995-09-26", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Lott, Trent [R-MS]", "MS", "R", "L000447", 7, "Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to define \"remediation waste\" as a solid waste or any medium generated during implementation of a remedial action plan (RAP) (a document issued, entered into, or approved by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or a program State, as defined in this Act, to ensure that such waste is managed in a manner protective of human health and the environment).  Directs a State that has a remediation waste management program authorized under this Act (a \"program State\") to exercise compliance with respect to a RAP in the program State.  Directs the Administrator to exercise such authority with respect to a plan in a nonprogram State.  Provides a rule for the management of remediation waste where a RAP provides for management of such waste in a State other than the State in which it is generated. Allows a State with a hazardous waste program authorized under the Act to obtain interim authorization to carry out its remediation waste management program after certifying to the Administrator that the State has the authority to control the management of remediation waste in a manner that is protective of human health and the environment, resources to administer and enforce such authority, and procedures to ensure public notice and opportunity for comment on RAPs submitted to the State.  Provides for issuance of final authorization of the State's program by the Administrator not later than 18 months after it submits a certification.  Provides a similar, but more extended procedure for remediation waste management programs of States without authorized hazardous waste programs. Provides for issuance by the Administrator of compliance orders for violations of RAP requirements, but requires notice to a State by the Administrator of violations of remedial waste management requirements contained in a RAP before commencing action to enforce compliance.  Allows the Administrator to issue an order or commence an enforcement action if after 30 days the State does not take appropriate action to require compliance with RAP requirements. Excepts from hazardous waste classification petroleum-contaminated media and debris that fail the test for toxicity characteristics due to organics issued by the Administrator under hazardous waste identification and listing provisions and that are subject to corrective action under the underground storage tank provisions.", "2025-01-14T17:12:38Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1274"], ["104-s-1152", 104, "s", 1152, "Common Sense Amendments for All Endangered Species Act", "Environmental Protection", "1995-08-10", "1995-08-10", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Burns, Conrad R. [R-MT]", "MT", "R", "B001126", 2, "Common Sense Amendments for All Endangered Species Act - Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 with respect to:  (1) wildlife management effects evaluation; (2) fish and wildlife conservation and management projects; (3) sport hunting; (4) foreign laws and fair notice; and (5) subspecies and population criteria, and discretionary adjudicative procedure and peer review. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a specified funding augmentation study.", "2025-08-21T20:14:56Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1152"], ["104-s-1166", 104, "s", 1166, "Food Quality Protection Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-08-10", "1996-07-24", "Committee on Agriculture incorporated provisions of related measures S. 1491 in reported measure.", "Senate", "Sen. Lugar, Richard G. [R-IN]", "IN", "R", "L000504", 34, "TABLE OF CONTENTS:      Title I:  Amendments to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide,           and Rodenticide Act           Subtitle A:  Registration of Pesticides           Subtitle B:  Minor Use Crop Protection           Subtitle C:  Conforming Amendments      Title II:  Data Collection and Improved Procedures to Ensure           that Tolerances Safeguard the Health of Infants and Children      Title III:  Amendments to the Federal Food, Drug, and           Cosmetic Act Food Quality Protection Act of 1995 - Title I:  Amendments to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act - Subtitle A: Registration of Pesticides - Amends Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) reregistration provisions to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as soon as the Administrator has sufficient information with respect to the dietary risk of a particular active ingredient (but no later the date of a reregistration determination), to:  (1) reassess each associated tolerance (or tolerance exemption) issued under Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) provisions regarding pesticide residues in raw agricultural commodities; (2) determine whether the tolerance or exemption meets FDCA requirements and whether additional such tolerances or exemptions should be issued; and (3) commence proceedings under both FIFRA and FDCA as are warranted. Establishes a science review board to assist the scientific advisory panel that comments on decisions of the Administrator to cancel a pesticide's registration or change its classification and on regulations issued under FIFRA. Revises the definition of \"unreasonable adverse effects on the environment\" to include among such effects a human dietary risk from residue that results from use of a pesticide inconsistent with the standard determined by the Administrator to be adequate to protect the public health under FDCA. Subtitle B:  Minor Use Crop Protection - Amends FIFRA to define \"minor use\" as the use of a pesticide on an animal or commercial agricultural crop or site or for public health protection where:  (1) the total U.S. acreage for the crop is fewer than 300,000 acres; or (2) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency determines that the use does not provide sufficient economic incentive to support the initial or continuing registration of a pesticide for such use and there are insufficient alternatives available for the use, any one of the alternatives poses greater environmental or health risks, or the pesticide plays or will play a significant part in managing pest resistance or in an integrated pest management program. Extends the period of exclusive data use for data submitted to support original registration applications for pesticides for an additional year for each three minor uses registered after this Act's enactment and before the expiration of the period of exclusive use, up to a total of three additional years for all minor uses registered by the Administrator if the Administrator determines that:  (1) there are insufficient alternatives available for the use or any one of the alternatives poses greater environmental or health risks; or (2) the pesticide plays or will play a significant part in managing pest resistance or in an integrated pest management program. Requires the Administrator, upon the request of a registrant, to extend the deadline for the production of residue chemistry data required solely to support a minor use subject to specified conditions.  Applies the same extension conditions to data for reregistrations.   Authorizes the Administrator to modify or revoke such extensions if the use may cause unreasonable adverse environmental effects. Permits the Administrator, in handling the registration of a pesticide for a minor use, to waive applicable data requirements if the absence of data will not prevent the Administrator from determining the risk presented by the pesticide and that the risk would not have an adverse environmental effect. Provides for expedited review (within one year of submission) of applications to support minor use pesticide registrations. Provides a procedure for meeting data requirements where a registrant has voluntarily cancelled a registration and another application is pending for registration of a pesticide that is for a minor use and is identical or substantially similar to, or for an identical or substantially similar use as, the cancelled pesticide. Directs the Administrator to establish a minor use program. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a Department of Agriculture minor use program and a separate matching fund program.  Requires the matching fund program to be utilized to ensure the continued availability of minor use crop protection chemicals. Authorizes appropriations. Subtitle C:  Conforming Amendments - Makes conforming amendments to FIFRA related to pesticide minor uses. Title II:  Data Collection and Improved Procedures to Ensure That Tolerances Safeguard the Health of Infants and Children - Directs the Administrator and the Secretaries of Agriculture and Health and Human Services to establish procedures to ensure that pesticide tolerances adequately safeguard the health of infants and children based on the recommendations of a specified report prepared by the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture:  (1) to collect pesticide use data of statewide or regional significance for all the major crops and crops of dietary significance; and (2) in cooperation with the Administrator, to implement research, demonstration, and education programs to support adoption of integrated pest management.  Requires Federal agencies to use and promote integrated pest management techniques. Title III:  Amendments to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) to redefine \"pesticide chemical,\" subject to exception, as any substance that is a pesticide, or any active ingredient thereof, within the meaning of FIFRA.  Defines \"pesticide chemical residue,\" subject to exception, as a residue in or on a raw agricultural commodity or processed food of a pesticide chemical or any other added substance present as a result of a pesticide chemical's metabolism or other degradation. Deems a processed food not to be adulterated, within the meaning of FDCA, if there are present pesticide chemical residues at tolerance levels not considered unsafe.  (Current law treats only raw agricultural commodities in this manner.) Sets forth requirements relating to tolerances and exemptions from tolerances for pesticide chemical residues in food, including residues of degradation products, which allow the presence in processed food at the tolerance applicable to the raw agricultural commodity from which the processed food is made. Prohibits establishment of a tolerance that is more stringent than a level the Administrator determines is adequate to protect the public health (i.e., if the dietary risk posed by such level of residues is negligible).  Allows a greater than negligible dietary risk if:  (1) use protects from greater adverse health effects to humans or the environment; (2) use avoids greater risks from another pesticide; or (3) the unavailability of the pesticide would reduce the availability of an adequate, wholesome, and economical domestic supply of the food. Prohibits issuance of a final rule that revokes, modifies, or suspends a tolerance or exemption until the Administrator has taken any necessary action under FIFRA with respect to the registration of the pesticide involved.  Requires the Administrator, where a pesticide is labeled for use on a particular food, to:  (1) revoke any tolerance or exemption that allows the presence of a particular chemical or its residue in or on such food if the Administrator cancels the registration of each pesticide that contains the chemical or modifies it to prohibit the pesticide's use in connection with such food; and (2) suspend any such tolerance or exemption upon the suspension of the use of each pesticide that contains the chemical. Provides for:  (1) tolerances for unavoidable residues in the case of a residue of a canceled or suspended pesticide chemical that will unavoidably persist in the environment and be present in or on a food; and (2) residues resulting from an application which was lawful at the time of application but with respect to which the tolerance or exemption has since been revoked, suspended, or modified. Prohibits, subject to exception, a State from enforcing any limit on a qualifying pesticide chemical residue (as defined in this Act) in or on any food which is not identical to Federal requirements. Prohibits a State, absent an unreasonable dietary risk, from enforcing a limit on the level of residues in any food if the sale of such food containing such residue level was lawful at the time of application of the pesticide. Authorizes appropriations for increased monitoring of pesticide residues in imported and domestic food.", "2025-08-21T20:15:35Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1166"], ["104-s-1089", 104, "s", 1089, "Lake Champlain Zebra Mussel Control Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-07-28", "1995-07-28", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT]", "VT", "D", "L000174", 0, "Lake Champlain Zebra Mussel Control Act of 1995 - Amends the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 to: (1) require the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force to study whether aquatic nuisance species threaten the ecological characteristics and economic uses of Lake Champlain; (2) require the designated chairpersons to invite representatives of the Lake Champlain Basin Program to participate as ex officio members of the Task Force; and (3) include Lake Champlain among the waters with respect to which the aquatic nuisance species and zebra mussel demonstration programs apply. Requires, within one year:  (1) the Task Force to develop and submit to the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating voluntary guidelines for controlling the spread of the zebra mussel through recreational activities, including boating and fishing; and (2) the Secretary to issue voluntary guidelines that incorporate the guidelines developed by the Task Force. Revises the Act to provide for the preparation and submission of a comprehensive management plan and a public facility management plan by the Governor of each State (as under current law) or the appropriate official of a watershed organization.  Defines \"watershed organization\" to mean an entity with jurisdiction over the management of a watershed pursuant to applicable Federal and State law. Amends the National Sea Grant College Program Act to direct the Secretary to designate the University of Vermont in Burlington, Vermont, as a sea grant college under the Act. Authorizes appropriations.", "2025-08-21T20:16:52Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1089"], ["104-s-1033", 104, "s", 1033, "Uniform National Discharge Standards for Armed Forces Vessels Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-07-13", "1995-07-13", "Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 146.", "Senate", "Sen. Chafee, John H. [R-RI]", "RI", "R", "C000269", 0, "Uniform National Discharge Standards for Armed Forces Vessels Act of 1995 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Secretary of Defense to jointly:  (1) determine which discharges are incidental to the normal operation of an armed forces vessel (vessel) and for which it is reasonable to require the use of a marine pollution control device (device) to mitigate adverse impacts on the marine environment; and (2) promulgate Federal standards of performance for each device. Instructs the Secretary to promulgate regulations governing the design, construction, installation, and use of devices on vessels. Allows the Governor of any State to submit a petition requesting the Secretary or the Administrator to review the established standards if new evidence arises which could reasonably result in a change to a particular determination or  standard, accompanied by the scientific and technical information on which the petition is based.  Directs the Administrator and the Secretary to grant or deny the petition within two years of its receipt. Prohibits States or political subdivisions from regulating the discharge or the design, construction, installation, or use of any device required to control the discharge, but authorizes a State to prohibit one or more discharges into its waters if it determines that its water requires additional environmental protection.  Directs the Administrator to prohibit the discharge upon determining that the protection and enhancement of the quality of the specified waters requires the prohibition, adequate facilities are available for the safe and sanitary removal of the discharge, and the prohibition will not have the effect of discriminating against a vessel because it is owned by the Federal Government. Sets forth provisions regarding the applicability of this Act to foreign unflagged vessels. Authorizes the Administrator and the Secretary to:  (1)  provide resources to determine the nature and environmental effect of normal discharges from, and the practicability of using devices and the effect of the installation and use of devices on,  vessels; and (2) establish performance standards for such devices.", "2025-08-21T20:15:59Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1033"], ["104-s-1021", 104, "s", 1021, "A bill to amend the Clean Air Act to extend the primary standard attainment date for moderate ozone nonattainment areas, and for other purposes.", "Environmental Protection", "1995-07-11", "1995-07-11", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Hutchison, Kay Bailey [R-TX]", "TX", "R", "H001016", 0, "Amends the Clean Air Act to extend from six years to eight years the primary standard attainment date (a date measured from the date of enactment of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990) for moderate ozone nonattainment areas.", "2025-01-14T17:12:38Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/1021"], ["104-s-934", 104, "s", 934, "A bill to authorize the establishment of a pilot program to provide environmental assistance to non-Federal interests in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and for other purposes.", "Environmental Protection", "1995-06-16", "1995-06-16", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Sarbanes, Paul S. [D-MD]", "MD", "D", "S000064", 2, "Directs the Secretary of the Army to establish a pilot program to provide environmental assistance to non-Federal interests in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.  Requires such assistance to be in the form of design and construction assistance for water-related environmental infrastructure and resource protection and for development projects affecting the Bay's estuary.  Permits assistance for a project only if it is publicly owned and will be publicly operated and maintained. Sets forth requirements for local cooperation agreements with non-Federal interests. Sets the Federal share at 75 percent of total project costs. Requires the non-Federal share of operation and maintenance costs to equal 100 percent. Directs the Secretary to establish at least one project in each of the States of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Authorizes appropriations.", "2025-01-14T17:12:38Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/934"], ["104-s-936", 104, "s", 936, "Chesapeake Bay Restoration Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-06-16", "1995-06-16", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Sarbanes, Paul S. [D-MD]", "MD", "D", "S000064", 3, "Chesapeake Bay Restoration Act of 1995 - Revises provisions of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act regarding the Chesapeake Bay to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to: (1) continue the Chesapeake Bay Program; and (2) maintain a Chesapeake Bay Program Office. Requires the Office to support the Chesapeake Executive Council (signatories of the Chesapeake Bay Agreement to protect the Bay) by: (1) implementing activities that support the Program; (2) making available information pertaining to the environmental quality and living resources of the Bay; (3) assisting the signatories in implementing action plans; (4) assisting in the development of strategies to improve Bay water quality and living resources; and (5) implementing outreach programs. Establishes a Chesapeake Bay Federal Agencies Committee to coordinate Federal activities relating to Bay restoration. Directs:  (1) the Administrator, at the request of a State affected by the interstate management plan developed pursuant to the Program, to make a grant to implement management mechanisms contained in the plan if the State has approved and committed to implement all or substantially all aspects of the plan; and (2) Federal agencies that own or operate facilities within the Bay watershed to assess the facilities to ensure Program compliance and include a plan or program for addressing such impacts in the report to the President. Requires the Administrator to:  (1) establish a habitat restoration program in the watershed to develop and demonstrate cost-effective techniques for restoring wetlands, forest riparian zones, and other Bay habitats (and authorizes grants to public or private entities to carry out such programs); and (2) develop a basinwide toxics reduction strategy, as well as research and monitoring to improve understanding of intermedia transfers of toxic pollutants and the ultimate fate of the pollutants within the Bay ecosystem (and authorizes financial assistance for specified activities). Directs the Administrator to study and report to the Congress:  (1) evaluating implementation of the Agreement; (2) determining whether Federal environmental programs and other activities adequately address the priority needs identified in the Agreement; (3) assessing the priority needs required by the Program management strategies and how the priorities are being met; and (4) making recommendations for improved Program management. Authorizes appropriations.", "2025-08-21T20:15:14Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/936"], ["104-s-937", 104, "s", 937, "A bill to reauthorize the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Chesapeake Bay Estuarine Resources Office, and for other purposes.", "Environmental Protection", "1995-06-16", "1995-06-16", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce.", "Senate", "Sen. Sarbanes, Paul S. [D-MD]", "MD", "D", "S000064", 2, "Amends the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Fisheries Program Authorization Act to authorize specified amounts of funds authorized to be appropriated under existing provisions to be appropriated:  (1) to operate the Chesapeake Bay Estuarine Resources Office (CBERO); and (2) for the oyster disease program established under amendments made by this Act.  Limits the percentage of funds for the CBERO that may be used for administrative expenses. Mandates a program of investigations regarding diseases of the eastern oyster and oysters in coastal U.S. waters, with emphasis on the Chesapeake Bay. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to operate (as well as establish) the CBERO.  Authorizes the CBERO's Director to transfer funds to another Federal agency or provide financial assistance to a State or political subdivision agency for conducting research, assessment, monitoring, data management, or outreach.", "2025-01-14T18:51:33Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/937"], ["104-s-938", 104, "s", 938, "Chesapeake Bay Ballast Water Management Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-06-16", "1995-06-16", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce.", "Senate", "Sen. Sarbanes, Paul S. [D-MD]", "MD", "D", "S000064", 3, "Chesapeake Bay Ballast Water Management Act of 1995 - Amends the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 to mandate voluntary guidelines to prevent the introduction and spread of aquatic nuisance species (ANS) into U.S. waters that result from the release of ballast water (currently, into the Great Lakes through the exchange of ballast water prior to entering those waters). Mandates:  (1) periodic revisions to regulations to ensure the prevention of the introduction and spread of ANS into the Hudson River; (2) multilingual education and technical assistance measures to encourage guideline compliance; (3) studies, regarding the Chesapeake Bay and other U.S. waters, on trends in ballast water releases and the attributes and patters of ANS invasions from ballast water releases; and (4) a ballast water management program for the seagoing fleet of the Navy to limit ANS invasion risk. Authorizes appropriations to develop and implement provisions relating to prevention of unintentional introductions of ANS.", "2025-08-21T20:15:24Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/938"], ["104-s-894", 104, "s", 894, "California Ocean Protection Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-06-08", "1995-06-09", "Referred to Subcommittee on Parks, Preservation and Recreation.", "Senate", "Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]", "CA", "D", "B000711", 1, "California Ocean Protection Act of 1995 - Establishes a California Ocean Protection Zone consisting of:  (1) waters of the Exclusive Economic Zone that are contiguous to the waters of the territorial sea that are contiguous to the State of California; (2) waters of the territorial sea that are contiguous to the State of California; and (3) the portion of the outer Continental Shelf underlying those waters. Prohibits:  (1) the head of a Federal agency from issuing a lease, permit, or license for the exploration for or development or production of oil, gas, or other minerals in or from the Zone; (2) a person from engaging in the exploration for, or development or production of, minerals in or from the Zone after the date of the cancellation, expiration, transfer, relinquishment, or termination of a lease, permit, or license for such activities in effect in June 1995; and (3) an agency head from issuing a lease, permit, or license for ocean incineration or harmful ocean dumping within the Zone or for any onshore facility that facilitates ocean incineration or harmful ocean dumping within the Zone. Declares that this Act is not intended to regulate, restrict, or prohibit commercial or recreational fishing, or other harvesting of ocean life in the zone.", "2026-03-24T12:48:03Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/894"], ["104-s-870", 104, "s", 870, "National Beverage Container Reuse and Recycling Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-05-26", "1995-05-26", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce.", "Senate", "Sen. Hatfield, Mark O. [R-OR]", "OR", "R", "H000343", 1, "National Beverage Container Reuse and Recycling Act of 1995 - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to prohibit the sale of beer, mineral water, soda water, wine coolers, or carbonated soft drinks in beverage containers by retailers and distributors unless such containers carry a refund value of ten cents.  Requires distributors to collect from retailers the refund value for each beverage sold to retailers and retailers to collect from consumers the refund value for each beverage sold to consumers.  Requires retailers and distributors to pay the refund on returned containers of brands (in the same kind and size of container) sold. Directs distributors to pay annually to a State unclaimed refund amounts (the amount by which the total refund value of all containers sold by distributors exceeds the amount paid by distributors to persons in that State).  Makes unclaimed refunds available to a State for carrying out pollution prevention and recycling programs. Prohibits distributors and retailers from:  (1) selling beverages in metal beverage containers with detachable openings; and (2) disposing of containers subject to this Act or any metal, glass, or plastic from such containers (other than the top or seal) in landfills or solid waste disposal facilities. Makes this Act inapplicable to States that have adopted requirements identical to those under this Act or that have demonstrated achievement of a recycling or reuse rate for beverage containers of at least 70 percent. Prohibits States or political subdivisions that impose taxes on the sale of beverage containers from imposing any tax on the amount attributable to the refund value of such containers. Provides for the adjustment for inflation of the ten-cent refund amount at ten-year intervals. Prescribes civil penalties for violations of this Act.", "2025-08-21T20:16:25Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/870"], ["104-s-851", 104, "s", 851, "Wetlands Regulatory Reform Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-05-25", "1995-11-01", "Subcommittee on Air, Wetlands, Property, & Nuclear. Hearings held.", "Senate", "Sen. Johnston, J. Bennett [D-LA]", "LA", "D", "J000189", 21, "Wetlands Regulatory Reform Act of 1995 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to establish a procedure whereby a person who holds an ownership interest in property, or who has written authorization from such a person, may request the Secretary of the Army to determine whether the property contains U.S. waters, and if so, whether any portion of the waters is wetland and its classification.  Directs the Secretary to establish a program under which persons other than Federal employees may be certified to make such determinations. Prohibits the discharge of dredged or fill material into U.S. waters or the draining, channelization, and excavation of U.S.  waters that would significantly degrade any U.S. waters unless such activity is undertaken pursuant to a permit issued by the Secretary. Sets forth provisions regarding:  (1) extensions; and (2) failure by the Secretary to issue a decision. Requires the Secretary to:  (1) issue regulations which shall include standards for the issuance of permits for activities in U.S. waters that are wetland; and (2) consult with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency regarding whether such an activity would have an unacceptable adverse impact on water quality, municipal water supplies, shellfish beds or fishery areas, or wetland-dependent wildlife. Exempts an activity in U.S. waters from the permit requirement if the activity results from a normal farming, silviculture, aquaculture, or ranching activity, or an upland soil and water conservation practice, or is for the purpose of maintenance, and under other specified circumstances. Specifies that such an activity shall not be prohibited or otherwise subject to the permit requirement regarding an approved State permit program if:  (1) information on the effects of the activity is included in an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the project; and (2) such EIS has been submitted to the Congress before the activity is carried out in connection with project construction and prior to project authorization or appropriation of funds for the construction. Directs the Secretary, after notice and opportunity for public comment, to issue regulations for the delineation of \"wetland.\" Requires such regulations to provide for such designation if specified conditions are met, including that, in the case of nontidal wetland, water is on or above the surface of the ground for at least 21 consecutive days during the growing season in a year of normal rainfall. Requires the Secretary to classify as:  (1) Class A wetlands those that are of critical significance to the long-term conservation of the aquatic system and that meet other specified conditions; (2) Class B wetlands those that provide habitat for a significant population of wildlife or provide other significant wetland functions; and (3) Class C wetlands those that serve marginal functions but exist in such abundance that regulation is not necessary to conserve wetlands functions, are within an intensely developed area, or are located behind a legally constructed manmade structure or natural formation. Provides for the regulation of:  (1) Class A wetland based on a sequential analysis that seeks to avoid adverse impacts on wetlands, to minimize the adverse impacts which cannot be avoided, and to mitigate any adverse impacts that cannot be avoided or minimized; (2) Class B wetland under a test that balances the reasonably foreseeable benefits and detriments resulting from the issuance of the permit; and (3) Class C wetland only by the State government at its discretion. Authorizes the Secretary to issue a general permit on a State, regional, or nationwide basis for any activities in U.S. waters for which a permit would otherwise be required upon determining that the activities will cause only minimal or temporary adverse environmental impacts when performed separately, and will cause only minimal cumulative adverse environmental impacts. Sets forth provisions regarding:  (1) Alaska native and State of Alaska lands; (2) interagency cooperation; (3) permit compliance; (4) cranberry production; (5) violations (including civil actions by the Secretary and civil and criminal penalties); and (6) administrative appeals. Directs the Secretary to:  (1) issue regulations for the establishment, use, maintenance, and oversight of mitigation banks; (2) provide appropriate regulatory relief regarding regulations issued for each activity in U.S. waters that has as the primary purpose to restore degraded wetland; and (3) establish a registry of wetland that has been created or restored voluntarily in an area that, prior to the creation or restoration, did not contain U.S. waters and therefore was not subject to regulation. Sets forth provisions regarding:  (1) State permit programs; (2) requirements that information be made available to the public regarding the designation of wetlands; (3) certification requirements; (4) State authority to control activities in U.S. waters; (5) balanced implementation of the Act to achieve specified objectives; and (6) transition provisions.", "2025-12-19T17:42:06Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/851"], ["104-s-810", 104, "s", 810, "Coastal Barrier Resources System Fairness Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-05-16", "1995-08-10", "Committee on Commerce. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.", "Senate", "Sen. Hollings, Ernest F. [D-SC]", "SC", "D", "H000725", 1, "Coastal Barrier Resources System Fairness Act of 1995 - Amends the Coastal Barrier Resources Act to include in provisions establishing the Coastal Barrier Resources System references to map revisions made under this Act.  Directs the Secretary of the Interior to make corrections to System maps dated October 24, 1990, and relating to System unit M09 so as to make those maps consistent with System maps dated March 30, 1995. Authorizes appropriations to carry out the Coastal Barrier Resources Act.", "2025-08-21T20:15:32Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/810"], ["104-s-794", 104, "s", 794, "Minor Use Crop Protection Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-05-11", "1996-07-24", "Committee on Agriculture. Measure incorporated into measure S. 1166 ordered to be reported.", "Senate", "Sen. Lugar, Richard G. [R-IN]", "IN", "R", "L000504", 56, "Minor Use Crop Protection Act of 1995 - Amends the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) to define \"minor use\" as the use of a pesticide on an animal or commercial agricultural crop or site or for public health protection where:  (1) the total U.S. acreage for the crop is fewer than 300,000 acres; or (2) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency determines that the use does not provide sufficient economic incentive to support the initial or continuing registration of a pesticide for such use and there are insufficient alternatives available for the use, any one of the alternatives poses greater environmental or health risks, or the pesticide plays or will play a significant part in managing pest resistance or in an integrated pest management program. Extends the period of exclusive data use for data submitted to support original registration applications for pesticides for an additional year for each three minor uses registered after this Act's enactment and before the expiration of the period of exclusive use, up to a total of three additional years for all minor uses registered by the Administrator if the Administrator determines that:  (1) there are insufficient alternatives available for the use or any one of the alternatives poses greater environmental or health risks; or (2) the pesticide plays or will play a significant part in managing pest resistance or in an integrated pest management program. Requires the Administrator, upon the request of a registrant, to extend the deadline for the production of residue chemistry data required solely to support a minor use subject to specified conditions.  Applies the same extension conditions to data for reregistrations.   Authorizes the Administrator to modify or revoke such extensions if the use may cause unreasonable adverse environmental effects. Permits the Administrator, in handling the registration of a pesticide for a minor use, to waive applicable data requirements if the absence of data will not prevent the Administrator from determining the risk presented by the pesticide and that the risk would not have an adverse environmental effect. Provides for expedited review (within one year of submission) of applications to support minor use pesticide registrations. Provides a procedure for meeting data requirements where a registrant has voluntarily cancelled a registration and another application is pending for registration of a pesticide that is for a minor use and is identical or substantially similar to, or for an identical or substantially similar use as, the cancelled pesticide. Directs the Administrator to establish a minor use program. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a Department of Agriculture minor use program and a separate matching fund program. Requires the matching fund program to be utilized to ensure the continued availability of minor use crop protection chemicals. Authorizes appropriations.", "2025-08-21T20:14:14Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/794"], ["104-s-767", 104, "s", 767, "A bill to amend the Clean Air Act to extend the deadline for the imposition of sanctions under section 179 of the Act that relate to a State vehicle inspection and maintenance program, and for other purposes.", "Environmental Protection", "1995-05-09", "1995-05-09", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Domenici, Pete V. [R-NM]", "NM", "R", "D000407", 0, "Amends the Clean Air Act to extend from 18 to 30 months the deadline for States to correct deficiencies or failures, in the case of requirements relating to State vehicle inspection and maintenance programs, with respect to nonattainment areas before sanctions are imposed. Makes this Act effective with respect to findings, disapprovals, or determinations made after 18 months prior to this Act's enactment date.", "2025-01-14T17:12:38Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/767"], ["104-s-768", 104, "s", 768, "Endangered Species Act Reform Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-05-09", "1995-05-09", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Gorton, Slade [R-WA]", "WA", "R", "G000333", 12, "TABLE OF CONTENTS:      Title I:  Ensuring the Integrity of the Listing and Critical           Habitat Designation Processes      Title II:  Broadening the Recovery Plan to Constitute a           Conservation Plan and Making the Conservation Plan           Central to the Implementation of the Endangered           Species Act of 1973      Title III:  Improving the Consultation and Conferencing           Processes for Federal Agency Actions      Title IV:  Ensuring that the Compliance Procedures and           Standards for Non-Federal Persons are not More           Burdensome than the Procedures and Standards           Applicable to Federal Agencies      Title V:  Providing for Habitat Conservation Incentive           Programs      Title VI:  Other Amendments Making the Endangered Species Act           of 1973 More Effective and Less Burdensome      Title VII:  Authorizing Increased Appropriations Endangered Species Act Reform Act of 1995 - Title I:  Ensuring the Integrity of the Listing and Critical Habitat Designation Processes - Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (the Act) to direct the Secretary of the Interior, upon publication of notice of a proposed rulemaking for an action for the determination of an endangered or threatened species status, to provide notice of the right of any interested person to seek peer review of such action. Provides for review and publication of results after such request. (Sec. 102) Directs the Secretary to determine whether a species is endangered or threatened due to the inadequacy of any existing Federal, State, local governmental, and international regulatory mechanisms. (Sec. 103) Requires the Secretary to:  (1) make such determinations based on the best reasonably obtainable scientific information; (2) identify and publish in the Federal Register a description of the extent of the use of scientific information in making the appropriate regulation; (3) provide an opportunity for public review and comment on the scientific information used; and (4) require States to adopt the reasonably obtainable scientific information standard when the Secretary enters into cooperative agreements with such States to establish and maintain an adequate and active program for the conservation of endangered and threatened plant species. (Sec. 104) Increases the number of public hearings required with respect to the listing of an endangered or threatened species.  Directs the Secretary to consider in such a determination the existence of public or private breeding or hatchery programs for a species.  Requires all findings (currently, limited) with respect to a petitioned action to review a determination to be subject to judicial review. (Sec. 107) Changes the standard which allows the Secretary to make an emergency regulation with respect to a species from the presence of conditions imposing a significant risk to the well-being of such species to conditions providing an imminent threat to the existence of such species. Title II:  Broadening the Recovery Plan to Constitute a Conservation Plan and Making the Conservation Plan Central to the Implementation of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 - Directs the Secretary, upon a determination that a species is endangered or threatened, to:  (1) issue appropriate incidental taking permits; (2) enter into appropriate Federal-State cooperative management agreements with respect to such species; or (3) commence the development of a conservation objective as established under this section.  Directs the Secretary to publish a conservation objective for an affected species within 30 days after the issuance of an assessment and planning team report concerning biological, economical, and intergovernmental assessments of the consequences of listing a species as endangered or threatened.  Directs the Secretary, after considering such report, to publish a conservation objective, a statement as to whether such objective was established, and a determination of whether to prepare a conservation plan for that species.  Provides, with respect to any conservation plan determined necessary by the Secretary, for:  (1) a time schedule; (2) plan priorities; (3) alternative strategies to achieve the conservation objective; (4) procedures (consultation, publication and public comment, and hearings); (5) publication of a final conservation plan; and (6) participation by appropriate persons in the development, implementation, and revision of conservation plans. Authorizes the Secretary to designate critical habitats, requiring the best reasonably obtainable scientific information to be used in such designation, and requiring any economic impacts to be considered.  Provides instances under which the actions of a Federal agency shall be determined to be consistent with a conservation plan or objective established under this Act.  Provides transition provisions for the period before which a conservation objective or plan is established or implemented.  Authorizes the suspension of a conservation plan or objective in certain circumstances.  Requires the Secretary to report to specified congressional committees on plan or objective implementation and to review and revise such plans or objectives. (Sec. 202) Provides transitional provisions with respect to:  (1) expedited conservation plan issuance; (2) existing species recovery plans; and (3) the review and reissuance of biological opinions in conjunction with the issuance of a conservation objective or plan. (Sec. 203) Makes technical and conforming amendments to the Act in order to include conservation objectives and plans with respect to endangered or threatened species, as well as critical habitat designations, within the central focus of management under the Act. Title III:  Improving the Consultation and Conferencing Processes for Federal Agency Actions - Requires consultation and conferencing standards between appropriate Federal agencies and the affected States to include an assurance by the Federal agency that a proposed action will not destroy or adversely modify any habitat designated as critical in a manner that is likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the species.  Exempts certain actions of the Secretary from the consultation and conferencing requirements.  Specifies those agency actions that shall not be considered takings for purposes of a listed species. (Sec. 303) Provides consultation conclusion deadlines.  (Currently, such consultation is permitted for 90 days or any period of time mutually agreed upon by the Secretary and the Federal agency.) (Sec. 304) Entitles a permit or license applicant for the taking of a species on an endangered or threatened list to participate fully in any consultation or conferencing required between the Secretary and the Federal agency with respect to such application. (Sec. 305) Provides that if the Secretary determines that a proposed agency action is likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the species, the Secretary shall suggest reasonable and prudent alternatives that impose the least social and economic costs. (Sec. 306) Outlines procedural requirements when the listing or determination related to a species requires consultation on a land use plan or land or resource management plan under specified Federal laws. (Sec. 307) Requires use of the best reasonably obtained scientific information when determining reasonable and prudent alternatives to proposed agency action with respect to an endangered or threatened species.  Authorizes a Federal agency to request the President to resolve irreconcilable conflicts between agency actions and other duties assigned to such agency. (Sec. 308) Prohibits the Secretary and the head of any Federal agency, in carrying out actions with respect to endangered or threatened species, from requiring, providing for, or recommending the imposition of any restriction or obligation on the activity of a person that is not otherwise subject to regulation by such agency. (Sec. 309) Requires specified endangered species risk assessment and cost-benefit analyses to be included in the consultation process. (Sec. 310) Terminates the Endangered Species Committee.  Authorizes the Secretary and the President to grant exemptions from the Act for national security or major disaster reasons. Title IV:  Ensuring That the Compliance Procedures and Standards for Non-Federal Persons Are Not More Burdensome Than the Procedures and Standards Applicable to Federal Agencies - Establishes consultation procedures between the Secretary and non-Federal persons with respect to a determination of consistency with an established conservation plan or objective, including the issuance of a permit when the Secretary determines that the person's activity is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the species or when the person has accepted a reasonable and prudent alternative to such activity.  Provides for:  (1) permit revocation for noncompliance; and (2) permits for incidental takings. (Sec. 402) Defines the \"taking\" and \"harming\" of a species for purposes of the Act. (Sec. 403) Excludes specified takings by non-Federal persons from current prohibitions against takings under the Act. (Sec. 404) Authorizes the Secretary, under specified circumstances including notice and opportunity for public hearing, to issue a general permit on a county, parish, State, regional, or nationwide basis for any category of activities that may affect a species that is included on an endangered or threatened list.  Limits to five years the duration of such a permit and authorizes the Secretary to revoke or modify the permit upon a determination of greater than minimal impact on the species in question. (Sec. 405) Provides that, with respect to permits issued by the Secretary to non-Federal persons under the Act:  (1) the Secretary may not require the applicant to expand the application to include land or water rights not owned by the applicant or to address a species other than the species for which the application is made; (2) no additional measures will be required of a permittee who is already in compliance with the permit, unless extraordinary circumstances are present (with burden of proof upon the Secretary); (3) the Secretary shall pay 50 percent of the costs of implementing the terms and conditions of the permit; (4) the Secretary may issue interim (temporary) permits; and (5) the Secretary may assist such person in the development of a multiple species non-Federal conservation plan for the conservation of more than one endangered or threatened species. (Sec. 406) Authorizes the Secretary and the Secretary of Agriculture to encourage exchanges of land, waters, or related interests other than national park or wilderness units in order to protect habitat on non-Federal lands. Title V:  Providing for Habitat Conservation Incentive Programs - Authorizes the Secretary to enter into cooperative agreements with a State or group of States, a political subdivision of a State, or a local government for the administration and management of each area identified as a species' habitat.  Provides, with respect to such agreements, for:  (1) notification to affected parties; (2) species assessment; (3) submission, notification, and approval of, and public comments with respect to, such agreements; (4) critical habitat designation; (5) procedures for agreement violations; and (6) a Federal cost-sharing requirement of 50 percent of the costs of implementation. (Sec. 502) Provides grants to non-Federal persons for the habitat preservation of endangered or threatened species. Title VI:  Other Amendments Making the Endangered Species Act of 1973 More Effective and Less Burdensome - Provides additional requirements to be followed during the release of experimental populations (the release of a species outside of its current range), including that such releases take place only in units of the National Park or National Wildlife Refuge System. (Sec. 602) Directs the Secretary to recognize and authorizes the Secretary to utilize captive propagation to protect or conserve an endangered or threatened species.  Authorizes the Secretary to provide annual grants to non-Federal persons for such purposes. (Sec. 604) Provides priority in the issuance of permits for those whose purpose is to conduct research on alternative methods and technologies for reducing the incidental taking of an endangered or threatened species. (Sec. 605) Authorizes the Secretary or the Secretary of the Treasury to pay costs incurred by a person in providing temporary care for any endangered or threatened species. (Sec. 606) Directs the Secretary to provide notice through the Federal Register and appropriate local publications of any hearing or other public meeting required under provisions of the Act. (Sec. 607) Directs the Secretary, in carrying out specified provisions of the Act, to ensure the minimization of the Act's impact on the use and value of private property.  Protects the right of private property owners to receive compensation from the Government for the lost use or value of property caused by requirements of the Act.  States that certain provisions of the Act do not apply to:  (1) privately owned property of five contiguous acres or less, unless activity there presents an imminent threat to the existence of an endangered or threatened species; and (2) other property undertaking activities determined by the Secretary to be unlikely to jeopardize the continued existence of a species.  Authorizes the institution of private actions to remedy economic injury caused by provisions of the Act. (Sec. 608) Requires any water rights acquired or used by any party under the Act to be exercised in accordance with the law in the State in which the water will be used. (Sec. 609) Directs the Secretary to pay 50 percent of the costs in excess of $10 million incurred by a non-Federal person or Federal power marketing administration resulting from compliance with any provision of a conservation plan under the Act.  Authorizes the Secretary to pay a Federal share of costs less than or equal to $10 million.  Directs the Secretary to pay 50 percent of the allowed costs incurred by such parties resulting from consultation requirements under the Act. (Sec. 610) Authorizes the public display or exhibition of living wildlife in order to educate the public about the ecological role and conservation needs of the affected species.  Authorizes the issuance of educational permits for such persons.  Defines captive-bred wildlife for purposes of the Federal captive-bred wildlife registration system. Title VII:  Authorizing Increased Appropriations - Authorizes appropriations for the Act for FY 1996 through 2001. Authorizes appropriations to the Department of the Interior for such fiscal years for:  (1) cooperative management agreements; (2) convention implementation; (3) non-Federal conservation planning; and (4) habitat reserve grants.", "2025-08-21T20:15:46Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/768"], ["104-s-721", 104, "s", 721, "A bill to impose a moratorium on sanctions under the Clean Air Act with respect to marginal and moderate ozone nonattainment areas, and for other purposes.", "Environmental Protection", "1995-04-24", "1995-04-24", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]", "ME", "R", "S000663", 1, "Prohibits the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, during the one-year period beginning on this Act's enactment date, from initiating or continuing in effect an enforcement action against a State (including the withholding of certain grants, the promulgation of a Federal implementation plan, or the imposition of specified sanctions) with respect to areas classified as Marginal or Moderate ozone nonattainment areas under the Clean Air Act.", "2025-04-07T15:23:20Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/721"], ["104-s-718", 104, "s", 718, "Environmental Finance Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-04-07", "1995-04-07", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Moynihan, Daniel Patrick [D-NY]", "NY", "D", "M001054", 1, "Environmental Finance Act of 1995 - Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish:  (1) an Environmental Financial Advisory Board to provide expert advice on issues affecting the costs and financing of environmental activities at the Federal, State, and local levels; and (2) Environmental Finance Centers in institutions of higher education in each of the regions of the EPA. Authorizes the Centers to:  (1) provide training of State and local officials; (2) publish materials relating to financing of environmental infrastructure; (3) conduct conferences and advisory panels on specific environmental finance issues; (4) establish information services; (5) generate case studies and reports; (6) develop surveys of financial issues and needs of State and local governments; (7) identify financial programs and alternative financing mechanisms for training purposes; (8) hold public meetings; and (9) collaborate and exchange information. Permits the Administrator to make grants to institutions of higher education to carry out the Center program. Authorizes appropriations.", "2025-08-21T20:15:11Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/718"], ["104-s-689", 104, "s", 689, "Landfill Technological Improvement Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-04-06", "1995-04-06", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]", "WA", "D", "M001111", 1, "Landfill Technological Improvement Act of 1995 - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to provide that regulations governing the presence of certain liquids in landfills shall not prohibit usage in hazardous waste landfills of sorbents manufactured from processed organic materials that are not likely to degrade in an anaerobic environment until the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency issues final regulations concerning anaerobic landfill conditions and the use of organic sorbents.", "2025-08-21T20:14:57Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/689"], ["104-s-679", 104, "s", 679, "Edible Oil Regulatory Reform Act", "Environmental Protection", "1995-04-05", "1995-04-05", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Lugar, Richard G. [R-IN]", "IN", "R", "L000504", 15, "Edible Oil Regulatory Reform Act - Directs Federal agencies, in issuing or enforcing a regulation, an interpretation, or a guideline relating to a fat, oil, or grease under a Federal law, to:  (1) differentiate between and establish separate categories for animal fats, vegetable oils, and other oils, including petroleum oil; and (2) apply different standards to different classes of fat and oil, considering differences in physical, chemical, biological, and other properties and in the effects on human health and the environment. Amends the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to exempt tank vessels carrying animal fat or vegetable oil from liability limits and financial responsibility requirements for tank vessels under such Act.", "2025-08-21T20:14:27Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/679"], ["104-s-629", 104, "s", 629, "A bill to provide that no action be taken under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 for a renewal of a permit for grazing on National Forest System lands.", "Environmental Protection", "1995-03-27", "1995-03-27", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Thomas, Craig [R-WY]", "WY", "R", "T000162", 5, "Provides that neither the preparation of an environmental assessment nor any other action under the National Environmental Policy Act shall be required to be taken in connection with renewals of permits that have expired before, on, or after this Act's enactment for grazing on National Forest System lands for which a land and resource management plan under the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 is in effect.", "2025-01-14T17:12:38Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/629"], ["104-s-619", 104, "s", 619, "Mercury-Containing and Rechargeable Battery Management Act", "Environmental Protection", "1995-03-24", "1996-03-21", "Subcommittee Hearings Held.", "Senate", "Sen. Smith, Bob [R-NH]", "NH", "R", "S000606", 12, "TABLE OF CONTENTS:      Title I:  Rechargeable Battery Recycling Act      Title II:  Mercury-Containing Battery Management Act Mercury-Containing and Rechargeable Battery Management Act - Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a program to provide information on the proper handling and disposal of used regulated batteries and rechargeable consumer products with nonremovable batteries. Defines a \"regulated battery\" as a rechargeable battery that contains a cadmium or lead electrode or contains other electrode chemistries and is the subject of a specified determination by the Administrator. Establishes civil penalties for violations of this Act.  Prohibits enforcement actions by the Administrator against persons for selling or offering for sale or promotional purposes to the final consumer a battery or product governed by this Act that was purchased ready for final sale and sold or offered for sale or promotional purposes without modification. Sets forth recordkeeping requirements and establishes access authorities for the Administrator. Authorizes appropriations. Title I:  Rechargeable Battery Recycling Act - Rechargeable Battery Recycling Act - Prohibits any person from selling for use in the United States a regulated battery or a rechargeable consumer product ready for retail sale and manufactured on or after 12 months after this Act's enactment date unless:  (1) the battery is easily removable from the product or is sold separately; and (2) the rechargeable consumer product and the battery are labeled in accordance with this Act.  Sets forth labeling requirements, including that the label contain a statement that the battery must be recycled or disposed of properly. Authorizes the Administrator, upon determining that other rechargeable batteries having electrode chemistries different from regulated batteries are toxic and may cause substantial harm if discarded for land disposal or incineration, to promulgate requirements for:  (1) labeling such batteries and related products; and (2) easy removability of regulated batteries from rechargeable consumer products designed to contain such batteries. Provides for exemptions from this Act's requirements under certain conditions. Makes certain EPA regulations regarding unmanifested waste reports and waste analysis and recordkeeping inapplicable to persons collecting, storing, or transporting batteries or products regulated under this Act. Title II:  Mercury-Containing Battery Management Act - Mercury-Containing Battery Management Act - Prohibits the sale or offering for sale or promotional purposes of:  (1) alkaline-manganese batteries manufactured on or after January 1, 1996, with a mercury content that was intentionally introduced (limits the content in alkaline-manganese button cells to 25 milligrams of mercury per button cell); (2) zinc carbon batteries manufactured on or after January 1, 1996, that contain mercury that was intentionally introduced; (3) button cell mercuric-oxide batteries for use in the United States on or after January 1, 1996; and (4) any mercuric-oxide battery on or after January 1, 1996, unless the manufacturer identifies a collection site that has all required Federal, State, and local government approvals, to which persons may send such batteries for recycling or disposal and informs its purchasers of such site and of a telephone number to get information about sending such batteries for recycling or disposal. Authorizes the Administrator, upon the petition of a person that proposes a new use for a battery technology or the use of a battery described in this title in a new product, to exempt such new use or product from this title if there exist safeguards to ensure that the battery or product will not be disposed of in an incinerator, composting facility, or landfill (other than a facility regulated under subtitle C of the Solid Waste Disposal Act).", "2025-04-07T15:28:44Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/619"], ["104-s-622", 104, "s", 622, "A bill to amend the Clean Air Act to provide that a State containing an ozone nonattainment area that does not significantly contribute to ozone nonattainment in its own area or any other area shall be treated as satisfying certain requirements if the State makes certain submissions, and for other purposes.", "Environmental Protection", "1995-03-24", "1995-03-24", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Levin, Carl [D-MI]", "MI", "D", "L000261", 1, "Amends the Clean Air Act to revise provisions relating to rural transport areas.  Treats rural or nonrural areas that do not contribute significantly to nonattainment as satisfying requirements for ozone nonattainment areas if the State makes implementation plan submissions required for Marginal nonattainment areas.", "2025-04-07T15:27:23Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/622"], ["104-s-607", 104, "s", 607, "Superfund Recycling Equity Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-03-23", "1995-03-23", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Warner, John [R-VA]", "VA", "R", "W000154", 35, "Superfund Recycling Equity Act of 1995 - Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to absolve persons (other than owners or operators) who arranged for the recycling of recyclable material from liability for environmental response actions. Excludes from the definition of \"recyclable material\" any material that contains polychlorinated biphenyls in excess of 50 parts per million or any Federal standard promulgated after this Act's enactment. Considers transactions involving scrap paper, plastic, glass, textiles, rubber (other than whole tires), or metal or spent batteries to be arranging for recycling if the person arranging the transaction can demonstrate that:  (1) the recyclable material met a commercial specification grade and a market existed for the material; (2) a substantial portion of the material was made available for use as a feedstock for the manufacture of a new saleable product; (3) the material (or product to be made from the material) could have been a replacement for a virgin raw material; (4) in the case of transactions occurring no later than 90 days after this Act's enactment, the person exercised reasonable care to determine that the consuming facility was in compliance with Federal, State, or local environmental laws or regulations; (5) in the case of transactions involving scrap metal that occurred after the effective date of a regulation or standard associated with scrap metal recycling promulgated under the Solid Waste Disposal Act, the person was in compliance with such regulation or standard and did not melt the metal prior to the transaction; and (6) in the case of transactions involving batteries, the person did not recover the valuable components of the battery and the person was in compliance with Federal environmental regulations or standards regarding battery recycling. Makes the exemptions from liability under this Act inapplicable if the person:  (1) had an objectively reasonable basis to believe at the time of the recycling transaction that the recyclable material would not be recycled or would be burned as fuel or for energy recovery or incineration or that, in the case of transactions occurring no later than 90 days after this Act's enactment, the consuming facility was not in compliance with Federal, State, or local environmental laws or regulations; (2) added hazardous substances to the material for purposes other than processing for recycling; or (3) failed to exercise reasonable care with respect to the management of the material.", "2025-08-21T20:16:30Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/607"], ["104-s-589", 104, "s", 589, "Interstate Transportation of Municipal Waste Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-03-22", "1995-03-22", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Coats, Daniel [R-IN]", "IN", "R", "C000542", 4, "Interstate Transportation of Municipal Waste Act of 1995 - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to authorize a State Governor, if requested by an affected local government, to prohibit the disposal of out-of-State municipal waste in:  (1) any landfill or incinerator subject to the jurisdiction of the Governor or the local government; and (2) landfill cells that do not meet the State's design and location standards and leachate collection and groundwater monitoring requirements for new landfills. Permits such Governors, without the request of such entities, to limit the quantity of out-of-State municipal waste received for disposal, or the disposal of such waste, at landfills covered by exceptions under this Act. Authorizes States to ban imports from large exporting States if the volumes of municipal solid waste exported by such States did not meet reduction targets. Prohibits discrimination against any particular landfill and against shipments of out-of-State waste on the basis of State of origin. Exempts from a Governor's authority to prohibit the disposal of out-of-State waste:   (1) landfills that received documented shipments of such waste in 1993 and are in compliance with State laws relating to design and location standards, leachate collection, groundwater monitoring, and financial assurance for closure and post-closure and corrective action; (2) proposed landfills that, prior to January 1, 1993, received an authorization as part of a host community agreement from the affected local government to receive municipal waste generated out-of-State and a State notice of decision to grant a construction permit; or (3) incinerators that received documented shipments of such waste during 1993 and are in compliance with performance standards under the Clean Air Act and State laws relating to facility design and operations. Authorizes States to deny permits for the construction or operation of a new landfill or incinerator or a major modification of an existing landfill or incinerator if:  (1) the State has approved a State or local comprehensive solid waste management plan developed under Federal or State law; and (2) the denial is based on the State's determination that there is not a local or regional need of the landfill or incinerator in the State.", "2025-08-21T20:16:46Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/589"], ["104-s-582", 104, "s", 582, "Voluntary Environmental Audit Protection Act", "Environmental Protection", "1995-03-21", "1996-05-21", "Subcommittee on Oversight and Courts. Hearings held.", "Senate", "Sen. Hatfield, Mark O. [R-OR]", "OR", "R", "H000343", 7, "Voluntary Environmental Audit Protection Act - Provides that an environmental audit report constituting part of an environmental audit shall not be subject to discovery and admitted into evidence in civil or criminal actions or administrative proceedings before a Federal court or agency or under Federal law. Makes such exclusion inapplicable to information:  (1) required to be collected or reported to a regulatory agency pursuant to specified Federal environmental laws (covered laws); (2) obtained by observation, sampling, or monitoring by a regulatory agency; or (3) obtained from a source independent of the audit. Makes such exclusion inapplicable if:  (1) the owner or operator of the facility that initiated the audit expressly waives the right of the person or government entity that prepared the report to exclude such material from the evidence or proceeding; (2) after an in camera hearing, the appropriate Federal court determines that the environmental audit report provides evidence of noncompliance with a covered environmental law and efforts to achieve compliance were not pursued with diligence; or (3) the person or government entity is asserting the exclusion for a fraudulent purpose. Places the burden of proof regarding the applicability of the exclusion on the person invoking its protection. States that a person or entity that performs an audit may not be required to give testimony in a Federal court or an administrative proceeding of a Federal agency without his or her consent. Sets forth conditions under which disclosures of information relating to a covered Federal law to an appropriate Federal or State agency are considered voluntary.  Considers such disclosures involuntary if the person or government entity making the disclosure has committed repeated violations of Federal or State laws relating to environmental quality due to separate events giving rise to the violations during the three-year period prior to disclosure.  Presumes disclosures to be voluntary if the person or entity provides information supporting a claim that the information is a voluntary disclosure and makes such persons or entities immune from administrative, civil, or criminal penalties for violations unless such presumption is rebutted. Places the burden of rebuttal on Federal agencies.", "2025-08-21T20:14:41Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/582"], ["104-s-542", 104, "s", 542, "A bill to amend the Solid Waste Disposal Act to allow States to regulate the disposal of municipal solid waste generated outside of the State, and for other purposes.", "Environmental Protection", "1995-03-13", "1995-03-13", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Conrad, Kent [D-ND]", "ND", "D", "C000705", 0, "Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to authorize States to enact and enforce laws that regulate the treatment, incineration, and disposal of municipal solid waste generated in another State. Prohibits owners or operators of landfills, incinerators, or other waste disposal facilities from accepting municipal solid waste generated outside the State unless they have a written authorization from:  (1) the affected local government; and (2) any affected local solid waste planning unit. Exempts from such prohibition owners or operators that:  (1) otherwise comply with all State laws relating to the treatment, incineration, or disposal of municipal solid waste; and (2) prior to this Act's enactment, accepted municipal solid waste generated outside the State for such purposes. Continues the validity of authorizations to conduct such activities that were issued prior to this Act's enactment. Requires owners or operators who expand landfills, incinerators, or other waste disposal facilities to obtain such authorizations prior to accepting waste generated outside the State. Provides for disclosure to interested persons of information regarding the site, environmental controls, required permits, personnel requirements, violations of regulations, and capital and insurance requirements prior to issuance of an authorization by the affected local government and local solid waste planning unit. Requires each State Governor to designate the type of political subdivision that shall serve as the affected local government with respect to authorizing facilities to accept out-of-State municipal solid waste under this Act.", "2025-04-07T15:26:18Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/542"], ["104-s-534", 104, "s", 534, "Interstate Transportation of Municipal Solid Waste Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-03-10", "1995-05-26", "Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Hazardous Materials.", "Senate", "Sen. Smith, Bob [R-NH]", "NH", "R", "S000606", 2, "TABLE OF CONTENTS:      Title I:  Interstate Waste      Title II:  Flow Control      Title III:  Ground Water Monitoring      Title IV:  State or Regional Solid Waste Plans      Title V:  General Provisions Interstate Transportation of Municipal Solid Waste Act of 1995 - Title I:  Interstate Waste - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to authorize State Governors, if requested by an affected local government, to prohibit the disposal of out-of-State municipal solid waste in landfills or incinerators subject to their jurisdiction. Permits Governors to limit the quantity of out-of-State waste received at landfills and incinerators excepted from such prohibition to an annual amount equal to or greater than the quantity received during 1993. Authorizes States that imported more than 750,000 tons of out-of- State municipal solid waste in 1993 to limit the amount of such waste received for disposal at landfills and incinerators in the importing State as follows:  (1) in 1996, 95 percent of the amount exported to the State in 1993; (2) in 1997 through 2002, 95 percent of the amount exported to the State in the previous year; and (3) in 2003 and each succeeding year, 65 percent of the amount exported in 1993. Establishes limitations on waste exports to landfills or incinerators not covered by host community agreements or permits authorizing receipt of out-of-State municipal solid waste. Prohibits Governors from exercising authorities under this Act: (1) if such action would result in the violation of a host community agreement or a permit issued from the State to receive out-of-State municipal solid waste; or (2) except as otherwise provided, in a manner that would require landfills or incinerators covered by the exception to reduce the amount of out-of-State municipal solid waste received from any State to an annual quantity less than that received during 1993. Makes the authority to prohibit the disposal of out-of-State municipal solid waste inapplicable to landfills and incinerators that:    (1) received documented shipments of such waste during 1993; (2) in the case of landfills, are in compliance with all applicable Federal and State laws and regulations relating to operation, design and location, leachate collection, groundwater monitoring, and financial assurance for closure and corrective action; or (3) in the case of incinerators, are in compliance with applicable requirements of the Clean Air Act and State laws and regulations relating to facility design and operations.  Permits disposal of such waste at facilities that are not in compliance with applicable Federal and State laws and regulations unless disposal of waste that is generated within the State is also prohibited. Lists conditions under which host community agreements are prohibited. Authorizes States that imposed a special fee on the processing or disposal of out-of-State municipal waste on or before April 3, 1994, to continue to impose cost recovery surcharges for such activities subject to certain conditions. States conditions relating to demonstration of local or regional need under which a Governor may accept, deny, or modify an application for a municipal solid waste management facility permit. Title II:  Flow Control - Municipal Solid Waste Flow Control Act of 1995 - Authorizes States, political subdivisions, and public service authorities to exercise flow control authority for municipal solid waste and for recyclable materials voluntarily relinquished by the owner or generator that are generated in their jurisdictions by directing such waste and materials to waste management facilities or recyclables facilities if such authority:  (1)  had been exercised prior to and was being implemented on May 15, 1994, pursuant to a law, regulation, or other legally binding provision or had been exercised prior to such date but whose implementation was prevented by injunction, temporary restraining order, or other court action or was suspended by the State or political subdivision because of such actions; and (2) has been implemented by designating before such date the particular waste facilities or public service authorities in operation as of such date (or prior to but temporarily inoperative on such date) to which the waste or recyclable materials must be delivered. Limits such authority to categories of waste to which flow control authority requiring a movement to a facility was actually applied on or before May 15, 1994, or to the specific categories for which a State, political subdivision, or public service authority, prior to such date, had committed to the designation of a facility.  Establishes additional flow control authority for States or political subdivisions that, on or before January 1, 1984, adopted regulations that required the transportation, management, or disposal of solid waste from residential, commercial, institutional, or industrial sources to specifically identified waste management facilities. Authorizes a political subdivision to exercise such authority notwithstanding the requirement that facilities are designated before such date if the subdivision has taken specified actions, prior to such date, to commit to the designation of a facility to be constructed. Lists additional conditions under which political subdivisions, including State solid waste management districts, may exercise such authority. States conditions under which a political subdivision, if it had State authority to do so prior to May 15, 1994, may exercise flow control authority over waste generated within its jurisdiction. Permits States or political subdivisions, on the request of a municipal solid waste generator, to authorize the diversion of waste generated by such generator to an alternative solid waste facility where such diversion would provide a higher level of health and environmental protection or reduce potential liability of the generator under Federal or State law. Permits the exercise of flow control authority only if the State or political subdivision certifies that revenues derived from such authority will be used solely for solid waste management services. Considers laws, regulations, or acts of States or political subdivisions that implement flow control authority to be a reasonable regulation of commerce. Prohibits application of the exercise of flow control authority to any facility that is listed on the National Priorities List under the Comprehensive Environmental, Response, Compensation, and Liability Act or, as of May 15, 1994, was the subject of a pending proposal by the Administrator to be so listed. Title III:  Ground Water Monitoring - Makes certain groundwater monitoring requirements inapplicable to new or existing municipal solid waste landfill units or lateral expansions of such units that dispose of fewer than 20 tons of municipal solid waste daily, based on an annual average, if:  (1) there is no evidence of groundwater contamination from such units or expansions; and (2) the units or expansions serve a community that experiences an annual interruption of at least three consecutive months of surface transportation that prevents access to a regional waste management facility or that has no practicable waste management alternative and such units are located in an area that annually receives 25 inches of precipitation or less. Permits States to require monitoring of units that would otherwise be exempt if necessary to protect groundwater resources and ensure compliance with a State groundwater protection plan.  Allows the State of Alaska to exempt units of Alaska Native villages or in or near small, remote Alaska villages from some or all of such requirements if such requirements would be infeasible, would not be cost-effective, or would be inappropriate because of the unit's remote location.  Applies this exemption only to landfills that dispose of less than 20 tons of municipal solid waste daily. Allows the suspension of groundwater monitoring requirements if a landfill operator demonstrates that there is no potential for migration of hazardous constituents from the unit to the uppermost aquifer during the active life of the unit and the post-closure care period. Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to promulgate revisions allowing States to promulgate alternate design, operating, landfill gas monitor, financial assurance, and closure requirements for landfills which receive no more than 20 tons of municipal solid waste daily, provided such requirements are sufficient to protect human health and the environment. Declares that it is the intent of this title to reinstate Environmental Protection Agency rules promulgated on October 9, 1991, regarding groundwater monitoring at municipal solid waste landfill units. Title IV:  State or Regional Solid Waste Plans - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to state the finding that the Nation's improved standard of living has resulted in an increase in the amount of solid waste generated per capita, and the Nation has not given adequate consideration to solid waste reduction strategies.  States as an objective of the Act (and the State and regional solid waste planning provisions in particular) the promotion of local and regional planning for effective solid waste collection and disposal and reduction of the amount generated per capita through the use of waste reduction strategies.  Includes expeditious reduction and elimination of solid waste generation as a national policy. Allows a State to include in its plan provisions for establishment of a State per capita solid waste reduction goal and a program that ensures that local and regional plans are consistent with State plans developed for landfills, dumps, and regional solid waste management. Title V:  General Provisions - Authorizes the Administrator to study and report to the Congress on:  (1) solid waste management issues associated with increased border use resulting from implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement; and (2) the effect on the U.S.-Canada border region of solid waste border traffic resulting from implementation of the United States-Canada Free Trade Agreement.  Directs the Administrator to study and report to the Congress on the quantities of hazardous waste and sludge (including sewage sludge) being transported across State lines and the ultimate disposition of such waste and sludge.", "2025-12-19T17:38:43Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/534"], ["104-s-540", 104, "s", 540, "Assessment and Remediation of Contaminated Sediments Reauthorization Act", "Environmental Protection", "1995-03-10", "1995-03-10", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Glenn, John H., Jr. [D-OH]", "OH", "D", "G000236", 2, "Assessment and Remediation of Contaminated Sediments Reauthorization Act - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, acting through the Great Lakes National Program Office, to conduct at least three demonstration projects involving promising technologies and practices to remedy contaminated sediments at sites in the Great Lakes system. Gives priority for demonstration projects to:  (1) the Ashtabula River in Ohio; (2) the Buffalo River in New York; (3) Duluth and Superior Harbor in Minnesota; (4) the Fox River in Wisconsin; (5) the Grand Calumet River in Indiana; and (6) Saginaw Bay in Michigan. Permits the Administrator to conduct additional projects at other sites in the Great Lakes System. Authorizes appropriations. Permits the Administrator to provide technical information and assistance involving the remediation of contaminated sediments upon request. Authorizes appropriations. Extends the authorization of appropriations for the Great Lakes water quality program through 2001.", "2025-08-21T20:15:51Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/540"], ["104-s-541", 104, "s", 541, "Great Lakes Federal Effectiveness Act", "Environmental Protection", "1995-03-10", "1995-03-10", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Glenn, John H., Jr. [D-OH]", "OH", "D", "G000236", 3, "Great Lakes Federal Effectiveness Act - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to replace provisions regarding the Great Lakes Research Office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with those establishing an interagency Great Lakes Research Council. Directs the Council to:  (1) promote the coordination of Federal Great Lakes research activities to avoid duplication and ensure effectiveness in achieving protection of the Great Lakes ecosystem through the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement; (2) prepare a document that assesses research activities and Federal expertise in such activities needed to fulfill Agreement goals; (3) identify topics for and participate in workshops and conferences on Great Lakes research issues; (4) make recommendations for the uniform collection of data for enhancing research and management protocols relating to the Great Lakes ecosystem; (5) advise in improving the integration of multimedia data concerning the ecosystem and in efforts to establish a multimedia data base for the ecosystem; and (6) ensure that findings and information regarding such research are disseminated in a timely manner.", "2025-08-21T20:15:01Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/541"], ["104-s-503", 104, "s", 503, "Endangered Species Listing Moratorium Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-03-06", "1995-03-14", "Subcommittee on Water, Fisheries, and Wildlife. Approved for full committee consideration with amendments favorably.", "Senate", "Sen. Hutchison, Kay Bailey [R-TX]", "TX", "R", "H001016", 3, "Endangered Species Listing Moratorium Act of 1995 - Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to prohibit the Secretary of the Interior, during the period beginning on March 7, 1995, and ending on September 7, 1995, from:  (1) determining that a species is endangered or threatened; or (2) designating a habitat of a species as a critical habitat.", "2025-08-21T20:16:31Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/503"], ["104-s-505", 104, "s", 505, "Common Sense in Fishing Regulations Act", "Environmental Protection", "1995-03-06", "1995-03-06", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Harkin, Tom [D-IA]", "IA", "D", "H000206", 1, "Common Sense in Fishing Regulations Act - Prohibits the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, under the authority of the Toxic Substances Control Act, from taking action to prohibit or restrict the manufacturing, processing, distributing, or use of any fishing sinkers or lures containing lead, zinc, or brass. Directs the Administrator, if he or she obtains a substantially greater amount of evidence of risk of injury to health or the environment than that which was adduced in the proceedings described in a proposed rule to limit the manufacture and use of lead sinkers, to report such findings to the Congress, with recommendations for legislative action.", "2025-08-21T20:16:43Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/505"], ["104-s-485", 104, "s", 485, "Municipal Waste Flow Control Transition Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-03-02", "1995-03-02", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Hutchison, Kay Bailey [R-TX]", "TX", "R", "H001016", 0, "Municipal Waste Flow Control Transition Act of 1995 - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to authorize States and political subdivisions to exercise flow control authority for municipal solid waste, and recyclable materials voluntarily relinquished by the owner or generator, generated in their jurisdictions directing such waste and materials to waste management facilities or recyclables facilities if such authority:  (1) is exercised pursuant to a law, regulation, or other legally binding provision in effect on May 15, 1994; and (2) has been implemented by designating before such date the particular waste facilities in operation as of such date to which the waste or recyclable materials must be delivered. Limits such authority to categories, volumes, or sources of waste to which flow control authority requiring a movement to a facility was actually applied on May 15, 1994, or to the specific categories for which a State or political subdivision, prior to such date, had committed to the designation of a facility.  Authorizes a political subdivision to exercise such authority notwithstanding the requirement that facilities are designated before such date if the subdivision has taken specified actions, prior to such date, to commit to the designation of a facility to be constructed. Permits States or political subdivisions, upon the request of a municipal solid waste generator, to authorize the diversion of waste generated by such generator to a solid waste facility other than the designated facility where such diversion would provide a higher level of health and environmental protection or indemnify or reduce potential liability of the generator under Federal or State law. Considers laws, regulations, or acts of States or political subdivisions that implement flow control authority to be a reasonable regulation of commerce. Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to study and report to the Congress on the extent to which the Supreme Court decision in C&A Carbone v. Clarkstown, New York has affected the ability of public and private entities to secure or retain financing for solid waste management facilities or services and is likely to interfere with the implementation of State solid waste management plans, recycling, or composting.", "2025-08-21T20:17:00Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/485"], ["104-s-490", 104, "s", 490, "A bill to amend the Clean Air Act to exempt agriculture-related facilities from certain permitting requirements, and for other purposes.", "Environmental Protection", "1995-03-02", "1995-03-02", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]", "IA", "R", "G000386", 14, "Amends the Clean Air Act to add specified definitions relating to agriculture-related facilities (grain elevators, grain, feed, or rice mills, or grain processing facilities).  Defines \"potential to emit\" as the potential of a facility to emit during a one-year period under maximum realistic operation. Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, in determining the maximum realistic operation of an agriculture-related facility, to consider:  (1) the cyclical or seasonal nature of the facility; and (2) the maximum hours of operation of the facility that actually occurred during any of the preceding five years in the case of a facility in operation on the date of determination. Requires the Administrator to consider the effect of control equipment and techniques in lowering the potential to emit of an agriculture-related facility. Exempts a source from permitting requirements if the source is not a major source and is subject to emissions standards for new stationary sources or requirements for stationary sources of hazardous air pollutants.", "2025-04-07T15:23:16Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/490"], ["104-s-477", 104, "s", 477, "A bill to provide for the temporary suspension of the reformulated gasoline requirements under the Clean Air Act in States where bona fide health concerns have been raised until those concerns are appropriately addressed.", "Environmental Protection", "1995-02-27", "1995-02-27", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Kohl, Herb [D-WI]", "WI", "D", "K000305", 1, "Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, upon certification by appropriate State health officials that bona fide health concerns have been raised with respect to the use of reformulated gasoline as required by rules issued by the Administrator under the Clean Air Act, to suspend such rules in the State until the later of:  (1) April 1, 1995; or (2) the date on which the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Administrator certify that reformulated gasoline used to achieve the objectives of such Act is not causing human health problems. Requires the Secretary and the Administrator to:  (1) investigate health complaints associated with use of reformulated gasoline; (2) report the results of such investigation to the Congress; and (3) include in such report recommendations for alternative formulations that will meet with requirements of the Clean Air Act without causing the reported health problems.", "2025-01-14T17:12:38Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/477"], ["104-s-465", 104, "s", 465, "State and Local Government Interstate Waste Control Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-02-23", "1995-02-23", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Baucus, Max [D-MT]", "MT", "D", "B000243", 1, "State and Local Government Interstate Waste Control Act of 1995 - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to prohibit a landfill or incinerator, effective January 1, 1996, from receiving out-of-State municipal solid waste for disposal or incineration unless the owner or operator of the landfill or incinerator obtains authorization (as part of a host community agreement) from the affected local government. Requires owners or operators to make specified information regarding the facility available prior to seeking such authorization. Authorizes State Governors, unless inconsistent with a host community agreement or permit authorizing the receipt of out-of-State waste, to limit the quantity of out-of-State waste received at landfills and incinerators that received documented shipments of such waste in 1993 (or were authorized to receive pursuant to an agreement or permit entered into prior to this Act's enactment) to an annual amount equal to the quantity received in 1993. Permits State Governors, unless inconsistent with a host community agreement or permit, to prohibit the disposal of such waste at landfills and incinerators that received such waste in 1993 (or were authorized to pursuant to a prior agreement or permit) if the waste is generated in a State determined to have exported more than the following amounts of waste to landfills or incinerators not covered by host community agreements:  (1) 3.5 million tons in 1996; (2) 3 million tons in 1997 and 1998; (3) 2.5 million tons in 1999 and 2000; (4) 1.5 million tons in 2001 and 2002; and (5) 1 million tons in 2003 and thereafter. Establishes limitations on waste exports to landfills or incinerators not covered by host community agreements or permits. Exempts from the prohibition on receipt of out-of-State waste, except as otherwise provided, landfills and incinerators that:  (1) received documented shipments of such waste during 1993; or (2) prior to this Act's enactment, entered into host community agreements or received permits authorizing the acceptance of such waste. Prohibits landfills or incinerators from receiving out-of-State waste in the absence of a host community agreement if the operating permit or license for the facility was denied or revoked.  Permits the receipt of such waste without an authorization from the affected local government if the waste is generated within, and the landfill or incinerator is located within, the same bi-State level A metropolitan statistical area that contains two contiguous major cities located in different States.", "2025-08-21T20:16:45Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/465"], ["104-s-462", 104, "s", 462, "A bill to provide for the temporary suspension of the reformulated gasoline rules under the Clean Air Act.", "Environmental Protection", "1995-02-22", "1995-02-22", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI]", "WI", "D", "F000061", 0, "Suspends Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules establishing requirements for the use of reformulated gasoline in specified nonattainment areas until the EPA Administrator:  (1) demonstrates that reformulated gasoline manufactured and distributed in accordance with such rules does not cause adverse health effects or revises such rules to eliminate such effects; and (2) reports to the appropriate congressional committees on steps taken under this Act.", "2025-01-14T17:12:38Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/462"], ["104-s-428", 104, "s", 428, "Fish and Wildlife Management Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-02-16", "1995-02-16", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Roth Jr., William V. [R-DE]", "DE", "R", "R000460", 17, "Fish and Wildlife Management Act of 1995 - Makes technical changes to the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act. Amends the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 to designate a portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System.", "2025-08-21T20:14:05Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/428"], ["104-s-455", 104, "s", 455, "Consultation Clarification Act", "Environmental Protection", "1995-02-16", "1995-02-16", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Kempthorne, Dirk [R-ID]", "ID", "R", "K000088", 1, "Consultation Clarification Act - Provides that whenever the listing of a species as threatened or endangered or procedures or decisions relating to such listing require consultation with the Secretary of the Interior under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 on a resource management plan, any action consistent with the plan may be undertaken on lands prior to the completion of the consultation if the land management agency responsible for the action determines the action is:  (1) not likely to affect the species; (2) not likely to adversely affect the species and the Secretary or the Secretary of Commerce, as appropriate, concurs; or (3) likely to adversely affect the species and the appropriate Secretary issues a biological opinion which finds that the action is not likely to jeopardize the species or result in destruction or adverse modification of its critical habitat or is unlikely to jeopardize such species or result in habitat destruction or modification and the land management agency agrees to a reasonable alternative to such action.  (Current law requires Federal agencies to consult with the Secretary to insure that actions are not likely to jeopardize any endangered or threatened species or result in habitat destruction or modification.)", "2025-08-21T20:16:22Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/455"], ["104-s-398", 104, "s", 398, "Flow Control Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-02-13", "1995-02-13", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ]", "NJ", "D", "L000123", 5, "Flow Control Act of 1995 - Authorizes a State or qualified political subdivision to exercise flow control authority for municipal solid waste, incinerator ash, and construction or demolition debris generated within its boundaries if, before May 15, 1994, such entity: (1) adopted a law, regulation, or legally binding provision that contains such authority and directs the waste, ash, or debris to a waste management facility designated before such date or identifies the use of waste management methods; and (2) committed to the designation of a facility for such methods.  Authorizes such an entity to exercise such authority for voluntarily relinquished recyclable materials generated within its boundaries.  Establishes similar authority for States and subdivisions that meet such requirements after this Act's enactment. Provides that laws, regulations, or legally binding provisions that implement flow control authority shall be considered to be a reasonable regulation of commerce. Permits such authority with respect to recyclable materials only if:  (1) the generator or owner of the materials voluntarily made the materials available to the State or subdivision and relinquished any rights to, or ownership of, such materials; and (2) the State or subdivision assumes such rights or ownership. Allows such authority with respect to solid waste or recyclable materials only if the State or subdivision establishes a program to separate or divert recyclable materials for purposes of recycling, reclamation, or reuse.  Makes such condition inapplicable in certain cases. Establishes additional conditions on the exercise of flow control authority, including requirements that:  (1) such authority is necessary to meet current or anticipated waste management needs; (2) revenues derived from the exercise of such authority are devoted primarily to solid waste management services; and (3) States and subdivisions implement a competitive designation process with respect to waste management facilities or facilities for recyclable materials. Retains the applicability of certain existing laws and contracts and considers such laws and contracts to be a reasonable regulation of commerce.", "2025-08-21T20:16:40Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/398"], ["104-s-373", 104, "s", 373, "State Regulation and Management of Solid Waste Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-02-08", "1995-02-08", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Breaux, John B. [D-LA]", "LA", "D", "B000780", 0, "TABLE OF CONTENTS:      Title I:  General Amendments      Title II:  State Solid Waste Management Plans      Title III:  Interstate Transport of Waste      Title IV:  Financial Assistance State Regulation and Management of Solid Waste Act of 1995 - Title I:  General Amendments - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to revise provisions concerning congressional findings and objectives. Title II:  State Solid Waste Management Plans - Sets forth as the objective of this title the reduction of solid waste generated and disposed of prior to the year 2015 by requiring States to develop programs which:  (1) reduce the generation of solid waste, encourage resource conservation, and meet other specified objectives; and (2) facilitate the recycling of, and the use of valuable resources from, such waste. Requires State waste management plans to:  (1) identify the quantities, types, sources, and characteristics of solid wastes that are expected to be generated within, transported to, or managed by, the State during each of the 20 years following 1995; (2) ensure the availability of capacity to manage waste in an environmentally sound manner; (3) provide for annual certifications to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency with respect to meeting objectives and capacity to manage waste; (4) provide that all solid waste management facilities in the State meet Federal and State laws and allow only registered facilities to manage waste; (5) provide for technical and financial assistance to local communities to meet plan requirements; and (6) specify the conditions under which the State will authorize the acceptance of solid waste from other States. Title III:  Interstate Transport of Waste - Authorizes a State with an approved solid waste management plan to prohibit or restrict the importation of solid waste from another State for management purposes (other than transportation).  Permits States to levy fees on solid waste.  Requires at least 50 percent of such fees to be allocated to the local government managing the waste. Title IV:  Financial Assistance - Authorizes appropriations for: (1) assistance to States and local and regional authorities for developing and implementing solid waste management plans; (2) grants to States to encourage recycling and resource recovery and conservation; and (3) assistance to rural communities for solid waste management.", "2025-08-21T20:16:45Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/373"], ["104-s-375", 104, "s", 375, "A bill to impose a moratorium on sanctions under the Clean Air Act with respect to marginal and moderate ozone nonattainment areas and with respect to enhanced vehicle inspection and maintenance programs, and for other purposes.", "Environmental Protection", "1995-02-08", "1995-02-08", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Abraham, Spencer [R-MI]", "MI", "R", "A000355", 3, "Prohibits the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, during the two-year period beginning on this Act's enactment date, from taking an enforcement action (including the withholding of certain grants, the promulgation of a Federal implementation plan, or the imposition of specified sanctions) with respect to areas classified as Marginal or Moderate ozone nonattainment areas under the Clean Air Act. Prohibits, during such period, specified adverse actions against States by the Administrator or the Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration with respect to failures of enhanced vehicle inspection and maintenance programs in Serious ozone nonattainment areas.", "2025-04-07T15:23:20Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/375"], ["104-s-365", 104, "s", 365, "Publicly Owned Treatment Works Biological Monitoring Use Act", "Environmental Protection", "1995-02-07", "1995-02-07", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Brown, Hank [R-CO]", "CO", "R", "B000919", 1, "Publicly Owned Treatment Works Biological Monitoring Use Act - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to require permits for discharges from publicly owned treatment works to contain terms for biological monitoring or whole effluent toxicity testing and for establishing a process to reduce the cause of such toxicity if the permitting authority determines that such discharges cause, have the potential to cause, or contribute to an in-stream excursion above a narrative or numeric criterion for whole effluent toxicity. Provides that if the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency determines that it is necessary to include biological monitoring, whole effluent toxicity testing, or assessment methods as a permit condition for publicly owned treatment works, the failure of such tests shall not result in a finding of violation.", "2025-08-21T20:14:28Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/365"], ["104-s-352", 104, "s", 352, "Comprehensive Wetlands Conservation and Management Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-02-03", "1995-02-03", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Pressler, Larry [R-SD]", "SD", "R", "P000513", 0, "Comprehensive Wetlands Conservation and Management Act of 1995 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to prohibit, unless such activity is undertaken pursuant to a permit issued by the Secretary of the Army:  (1) the discharge of dredged or fill material into U.S. waters; or (2) the draining, channelization, or excavation of wetlands. (Sec. 3) Requires the Secretary, upon receiving permit applications, to:  (1) classify as Type A wetlands those that are of critical significance to the long-term conservation of an ecosystem and meet other specified conditions; (2) classify as Type B wetlands those that provide habitat for a significant population of wildlife or provide other significant wetlands functions and values; and (3) classify as Type C wetlands those that serve marginal functions but exist in such abundance that regulation of activities is not necessary to conserve wetlands values and functions, are prior converted cropland, are fastlands, or are lands within areas that do not serve significant wetlands functions and values. Prohibits more than 20 percent of any county, parish, or borough from being classified as Type A wetlands. Permits owners of interests in Type A wetlands to seek compensation for the fair market value of such lands.  Provides that title for such lands shall pass to the United States on acceptance of an offer for compensation. Requires the Secretary to deny a permit authorizing activities in Type A wetlands unless:  (1) such activities can be undertaken with minimal alteration or disturbance; or (2) the proposed use of the land will result in overall environmental benefits.  Authorizes the Secretary to issue a permit for activities in Type B wetlands subject to conditions that ensure that the wetland ecosystem does not suffer loss or degradation.  Imposes requirements for mitigation when such activities result in permanent wetland loss or degradation. Directs the Secretary to establish a mitigation banking program in each State to ensure compensation for loss and degradation of wetlands. Requires the primary objective of such programs to be to provide for the restoration, enhancement, or creation of ecologically significant wetlands on an ecosystem basis. Exempts specified activities from this Act's requirements. Authorizes the Secretary to establish standards to govern the delineation of wetlands, to be binding on all Federal agencies. Requires the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to conduct a project to identify and classify U.S. wetlands. Authorizes civil actions and prescribes penalties for permit violations. Authorizes States to administer permit programs for activities covered by this Act, subject to the Secretary's approval.", "2025-08-21T20:14:45Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/352"], ["104-s-333", 104, "s", 333, "Risk Management Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-02-02", "1995-05-25", "Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 116.", "Senate", "Sen. Murkowski, Frank H. [R-AK]", "AK", "R", "M001085", 2, "Risk Management Act of 1995 - Declares that this Act applies to all risk assessments prepared by, or on behalf of, an agency in connection with health, safety, and environmental risks. (Sec. 4) Declares that an agency head shall not be required to prepare a risk assessment for:  (1) an emergency situation; (2) a rule or agency action that authorizes the introduction into commerce, or recognizes the marketable status of, a product; (3) a health, safety, or environmental inspection or individual facility permitting action; (4) product registrations, re-registrations, tolerance settings, and reviews of premanufacturing notices and existing chemicals under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act and the Toxic Substances Control Act; (5) any individual food, drug, or other product label, or any risk communication appearing on any such label; or (6) a screening analysis. (Sec. 6) Requires a Federal agency to prepare a risk assessment under this Act:  (1) for each major rule relating to human health, safety, or the environment; (2) for each major risk communication; and (3) before conducting an environmental management activity to eliminate a risk or reduce it to reasonable limits, if the agency head determines that the estimated cost of that activity is more than $25 million. (Sec. 7) Requires agencies to conduct and make publicly available specified risk comparisons, cost-benefit analyses, and effectiveness certifications of major rules and environmental management activities before promulgating a final major rule or conducting such an activity. (Sec. 8) Prescribes principles to be followed by an agency when preparing:  (1) risk assessments; (2) major risk communications; (3) regulatory proposals or decisions; and (4) any other public communication concerning the conclusion of a risk assessment. (Sec. 10) Prescribes guidelines under which the President shall promulgate a final rule for the review and revision of previously- prepared agency risk assessments. (Sec. 11) Prescribes guidelines under which an agency head shall: (1) use risk assessment to set priorities for the use of available resources; (2) use risk assessment priorities to support a regulatory agenda; and (3) incorporate risk-based priorities into the agency's annual budget request to the Congress. (Sec. 13) Instructs the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to develop a systematic program to oversee the use and quality of peer review by agencies developing risk assessments under this Act. Requires the Secretary of Energy to direct a national program to foster and improve comparative risk analysis as a tool in regulatory and environmental management decision making. (Sec. 14) Provides that a risk assessment, peer review, cost- benefit analysis, or certification prescribed under this Act shall not be subject to judicial review separate and apart from any final agency action to which it relates, but shall be made part of the administrative record for judicial review of any final agency action to which it relates.", "2026-03-24T12:48:03Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/333"], ["104-s-344", 104, "s", 344, "Coastal Barrier Technical Corrections Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-02-02", "1995-02-02", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Shelby, Richard C. [R-AL]", "AL", "R", "S000320", 1, "Coastal Barrier Technical Corrections Act of 1995 - Amends the Coastal Barrier Resources Act to declare that areas depicted in maps dealt with by this Act are part of the Coastal Barrier Resources System.  Directs the Secretary of the Interior to make corrections to specified maps of the System as necessary to ensure that:  (1) those maps are consistent with other maps on file with the Secretary; and (2) the System does not include any area that, before enactment of this Act, was part of unit Q01 of the System.", "2025-08-21T20:16:40Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/344"], ["104-s-328", 104, "s", 328, "A bill to amend the Clean Air Act to provide for an optional provision for the reduction of work-related vehicle trips and miles travelled in ozone nonattainment areas designated as severe, and for other purposes.", "Environmental Protection", "1995-02-01", "1995-02-01", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Santorum, Rick [R-PA]", "PA", "R", "S000059", 6, "Amends the Clean Air Act to authorize a State in which all or part of a Severe ozone nonattainment area is located to submit a plan revision requiring employers in such area to implement programs to reduce work-related vehicle trips and miles by employees.  (Current law requires such States to submit such revision within two years of the enactment of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990.) Authorizes such revision to require employers in such areas to increase average passenger occupancy per vehicle in commuting trips between home and workplace during peak travel periods.  (Current law requires specified increases in average passenger occupancy.) Authorizes (current law requires) the revision to require employers subject to a vehicle occupancy requirement to submit a compliance plan.", "2025-04-07T15:23:20Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/328"], ["104-s-275", 104, "s", 275, "A bill to establish a temporary moratorium on the Interagency Memorandum of Agreement Concerning Wetlands Determinations until enactment of a law that is the successor to the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990, and for other purposes.", "Environmental Protection", "1995-01-25", "1995-01-27", "Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1702-1703)", "Senate", "Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]", "IA", "R", "G000386", 19, "Establishes a moratorium on the Interagency Memorandum of Agreement Concerning Wetlands Determinations until enactment of a successor law to the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990.", "2025-01-14T16:41:20Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/275"], ["104-s-248", 104, "s", 248, "Auto Inspection Reform (AIR) Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-01-19", "1995-01-19", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Gregg, Judd [R-NH]", "NH", "R", "G000445", 7, "Auto Inspection Reform (AIR) Act of 1995 - Provides that States will not be required to implement enhanced vehicle inspection and maintenance programs (required for Serious, Severe, and Extreme ozone nonattainment areas) under the Clean Air Act prior to March 1, 1996. Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to immediately rescind regulations relating to the operation of such programs on a centralized basis and issue new regulations to allow the operation of such programs on a centralized or decentralized basis at the option of each State. Prohibits, until the Administrator carries out such requirements, the imposition of sanctions for failures by States to implement such programs or specified adverse actions against States by the Administrator or the Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration. Requires the Administrator to:  (1) deem that emissions reductions calculated by States for inspection and maintenance under State implementation plans would be achieved as if the planned program had been implemented; or (2) consider the operation of the program on a decentralized basis as equivalent to operation on a centralized basis if the State demonstrates that such equivalency is reasonable.", "2025-08-21T20:15:14Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/248"], ["104-s-235", 104, "s", 235, "A bill to amend the Clean Air Act to prohibit the Federal government from requiring State plans to mandate trip reduction measures.", "Environmental Protection", "1995-01-18", "1995-01-18", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Hutchison, Kay Bailey [R-TX]", "TX", "R", "H001016", 0, "Amends the Clean Air Act to provide that revisions of State implementation plans that provide for transportation control measures for Serious ozone nonattainment areas shall not be required to include trip reduction ordinances.", "2025-01-14T17:12:38Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/235"], ["104-s-236", 104, "s", 236, "A bill to amend the Clean Air Act to repeal the mandatory requirement for State motor vehicle inspection and maintenance programs for ozone nonattainment areas.", "Environmental Protection", "1995-01-18", "1995-01-18", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Hutchison, Kay Bailey [R-TX]", "TX", "R", "H001016", 0, "Amends the Clean Air Act to authorize (but not require) States to include provisions for vehicle inspection and maintenance programs in implementation plans for Marginal ozone nonattainment areas. Repeals provisions that require States to submit plan revisions that provide for:  (1)  vehicle inspection and maintenance programs in Moderate ozone nonattainment areas; and (2) enhanced vehicle inspection and maintenance programs to reduce hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide emissions in Serious ozone nonattainment areas.", "2025-01-14T17:12:38Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/236"], ["104-s-229", 104, "s", 229, "A bill to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to conduct risk assessments and cost-benefit analyses in promulgating regulations relating to human health and the environment, and for other purposes.", "Environmental Protection", "1995-01-13", "1995-01-13", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Baucus, Max [D-MT]", "MT", "D", "B000243", 0, "Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, in promulgating any proposed or final major regulation relating to human health or the environment, to publish in the Federal Register, along with the regulation, a statement that:  (1) describes and quantifies the risks to human health and the environment to be addressed by the regulation; (2) compares such risks to other risks chosen by the Administrator; (3) estimates the costs to the U.S.  Government, State and local governments, and the private sector of implementing and complying with the regulation and the benefits of the regulation; and (4) contains a certification that analyses performed are based on the best obtainable scientific information, the regulation is likely to reduce the risks to be addressed, there is no regulatory alternative that would achieve an equivalent reduction in risk in a more cost-effective manner, and the regulation is likely to produce benefits to human health or the environment that will justify the costs of compliance. Defines a \"major regulation\" as one that may have an effect on the economy of $100 million or more in any one year. Authorizes the Administrator, if a final regulation is substantially similar to the proposed version, to publish a reference to the statement of the proposed regulation in lieu of publishing a new statement for the final regulation.", "2025-04-07T15:23:16Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/229"], ["104-s-191", 104, "s", 191, "Farm, Ranch, and Homestead Protection Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-01-11", "1995-03-07", "Subcommittee on Water, Fisheries, and Wildlife. Hearings held.", "Senate", "Sen. Hutchison, Kay Bailey [R-TX]", "TX", "R", "H001016", 12, "Farm, Ranch, and Homestead Protection Act of 1995 - Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to prohibit the Secretary of the Interior, until the Act's reauthorization, from:  (1) determining that a species is an endangered or threatened species; or (2) designating a species habitat as a critical habitat. Exempts Federal agencies, until the Act's reauthorization, from complying with specified requirements, including:  (1) carrying out programs for the conservation of threatened and endangered species; and (2) insuring that Federal actions are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of endangered or threatened species or result in the destruction of habitat.", "2025-08-21T20:15:56Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/191"], ["104-s-196", 104, "s", 196, "United States-Mexico Border Environmental Protection Act", "Environmental Protection", "1995-01-11", "1995-01-11", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.", "Senate", "Sen. McCain, John [R-AZ]", "AZ", "R", "M000303", 0, "United States-Mexico Border Environmental Protection Act - Establishes in the Treasury the United States-Mexico Border Environmental Protection Fund to be used to investigate and respond to conditions that the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency determines present a substantial threat to the land, air, or water resources of the Border Environment Zone (as defined by the La Paz Agreement between the United States and Mexico). Requires the Secretary of State to transfer a specified amount to the Fund. Authorizes the Administrator to declare an environmental emergency in the Zone if conditions present a substantial threat to the land, air, or water resources in the area.   Prohibits such a declaration if the condition is specifically within the sole jurisdiction of the International Boundary and Water Commission. Authorizes the Administrator to establish a system for information sharing and for early warning to the United States, the several States, political subdivisions, and Indian tribes of environmental problems affecting the Zone. Permits the Secretary, acting through the U.S. Commissioner of the International Boundary and Water Commission, to enter into agreements with the Ministry of Foreign Relations of Mexico for the correction of and response to border sanitation emergencies. Prohibits the expenditure of U.S. funds for emergency investigation or remediation in Mexico without a cost-sharing agreement unless the expenditure would be cost-effective and in the U.S. interest. Establishes the United States International Boundary and Water Commission Fund to carry out international agreements under this Act. Requires the Secretary to transfer a specified amount to the Commission Fund.", "2025-08-21T20:16:35Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/196"], ["104-s-123", 104, "s", 123, "Environmental Risk Evaluation Act of 1995", "Environmental Protection", "1995-01-04", "1995-01-04", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Moynihan, Daniel Patrick [D-NY]", "NY", "D", "M001054", 1, "Environmental Risk Evaluation Act of 1995 - Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to:  (1) rank sources of pollution with respect to the relative degree of risk of adverse effects on human health, the environment, and public welfare; (2) evaluate the private and public costs associated with each pollution source and the costs and benefits of complying with regulations designed to protect against risks associated with such pollution; and (3) evaluate the public and private costs and benefits associated with other Federal actions with impacts on human health, the environment, or public welfare. Requires the Administrator to identify opportunities to achieve risk reduction through modifications in environmental regulations and programs and other Federal actions with impacts on health, the environment, or public welfare. Directs the Administrator to:  (1) identify the major uncertainties associated with the risks and explain the meaning of the uncertainties in terms of interpreting the ranking and evaluation; and (2) determine the type and nature of research that would likely reduce such uncertainties and the cost of conducting such research.  Requires the Administrator to consider and estimate the monetary and other values of the benefits associated with reducing risk to health and the environment. Establishes triennial reporting requirements with respect to rankings and evaluations and requires such reports to evaluate risk management decisions under Federal environmental laws that present inherent and unavoidable choices between competing risks.  Provides for review of reports by the Science Advisory Board prior to submission.", "2025-08-21T20:15:18Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/123"], ["104-s-33", 104, "s", 33, "A bill to amend the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to clarify the financial responsibility requirements for offshore facilities.", "Environmental Protection", "1995-01-04", "1995-01-04", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Breaux, John B. [D-LA]", "LA", "D", "B000780", 2, "Amends the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to revise general financial responsibility requirements for offshore facilities.  Requires responsible parties (except as provided in provisions regarding deepwater ports) to maintain financial responsibility as described by this Act with respect to offshore facilities seaward of the U.S. coastline that are used for drilling for, producing, or processing oil or that have the capacity to transport, store, transfer, or handle more than 1,000 barrels of oil at any one time. Directs the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to determine the amount of financial responsibility based on an assessment of the facility's risk to meet the amount of liability for oil pollution to which a responsible party could be subjected in a case in which the party would be entitled to limit liability.  Requires such amount to range from $35 million to $150 million. Provides that in cases where a person is the responsible party for more than one facility, evidence of responsibility need be established only to meet the maximum liability applicable to the facility having the greatest maximum liability.", "2025-01-14T17:12:38Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/33"], ["104-s-49", 104, "s", 49, "Alaska Wetlands Conservation Credit Procedures Act of 1994", "Environmental Protection", "1995-01-04", "1995-01-04", "Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.", "Senate", "Sen. Stevens, Ted [R-AK]", "AK", "R", "S000888", 1, "Alaska Wetlands Conservation Credit Procedures Act of 1994 - Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to provide that specified guidelines for disposal sites for the discharge of dredged and fill material into navigable waters for States with substantial conserved wetlands areas:  (1) shall not include requirements or standards for mitigation to compensate for wetlands loss and adverse impacts to wetlands; (2) may include requirements or standards for minimization of such adverse impacts; and (3) may include standards or requirements for avoidance of impacts only if the discharge permit applicant is not required to establish that upland alternative sites do not exist. Directs the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers and at the request of a State with substantial conserved wetlands areas, to issue general permits for such States which contain a regulatory standard for such discharges that is no greater than the standard contained in the guidelines described above. Makes the discharge of dredged or fill material in connection with the following activities exempt from regulation under related provisions governing permits:  (1) airport safety in a State with substantial conserved wetlands areas and in any case necessary for public safety; (2) construction and maintenance of log transfer facilities; (3) construction of tailings impoundments utilized for treatment facilities; and (4) construction of ice pads and ice roads and for snow storage and removal purposes. Requires the Secretary to issue individual and general permits pursuant to the standards and requirements of this Act for a State with substantial conserved wetlands areas. Directs the Secretary, for permits issued for economic base lands (specified lands conveyed to or owned by Alaska Native entities or the State of Alaska), to:  (1) balance the standards and policies of this Act against U.S. obligations to allow such lands to be used to create and sustain economic activity; (2) give substantial weight to the social and economic needs of Alaska Natives; and (3) account for regional differences in the abundance and value of wetlands. Requires the Secretary, for lands owned by Alaska Native villages, to issue general permits for disposition of dredge and fill material for critical infrastructure in rural villages without a determination that activities authorized by such a permit cause only minimal adverse environmental effects.", "2025-08-21T20:16:25Z", "https://www.congress.gov/bill/104th-congress/senate-bill/49"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 88, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["bill_id", "congress", "bill_type", "bill_number", "title", "policy_area", "introduced_date", "latest_action_date", "latest_action_text", "origin_chamber", "sponsor_name", "sponsor_state", "sponsor_party", "sponsor_bioguide_id", "cosponsor_count", "summary_text", "update_date", "url"], "primary_keys": ["bill_id"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select bill_id, congress, bill_type, bill_number, title, policy_area, introduced_date, latest_action_date, latest_action_text, origin_chamber, sponsor_name, sponsor_state, sponsor_party, sponsor_bioguide_id, cosponsor_count, summary_text, update_date, url from legislation where \"bill_type\" = :p0 and \"congress\" = :p1 and \"policy_area\" = :p2 order by introduced_date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "s", "p1": "104", "p2": "Environmental Protection"}}, "facet_results": {"congress": {"name": "congress", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/openregs/legislation.json?bill_type=s&congress=104&policy_area=Environmental+Protection", "results": [{"value": 104, "label": 104, "count": 88, "toggle_url": "https://regs.datadawn.org/openregs/legislation.json?bill_type=s&policy_area=Environmental+Protection", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "bill_type": {"name": "bill_type", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/openregs/legislation.json?bill_type=s&congress=104&policy_area=Environmental+Protection", "results": [{"value": "s", "label": "s", "count": 88, "toggle_url": "https://regs.datadawn.org/openregs/legislation.json?congress=104&policy_area=Environmental+Protection", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "policy_area": {"name": "policy_area", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/openregs/legislation.json?bill_type=s&congress=104&policy_area=Environmental+Protection", "results": [{"value": "Environmental Protection", "label": "Environmental Protection", "count": 88, "toggle_url": "https://regs.datadawn.org/openregs/legislation.json?bill_type=s&congress=104", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": null, "next_url": null, "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 18.443937005940825, "source": "Federal Register API & Regulations.gov API", "source_url": "https://www.federalregister.gov/developers/api/v1", "license": "Public Domain (U.S. Government data)", "license_url": "https://www.regulations.gov/faq"}