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Managing America

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Week Ending February 9, 2006

H.R.365 To provide for a research program for remediation of closed methamphetamine production laboratories, and for other purposes.

The significance of the Methamphetamine use and addiction problem may be illustrated by statistics that show treatment for methamphetamine use rose from 20,776 cases in 1993 to 116,604 in 2003. The drug can be made easily in home labs. Domestic methamphetamine lab seizures have increased from 7,438 in 1999 to 17,170 in 2004. Worldwide 30 million use the drug or related drugs, said the UN. More users than those using cocaine or heroin.

Environmentally, methamphetamine labs are gross polluters and this bill attempts to address that problem. In a year, the bill requires, the Administrator of the EPA in consultation with the National Institute of Standards and technology shall establish voluntary guidelines for the cleanup of former methamphetamine labs including residual contaminants. The guidelines should take into account the various lab locations, current laws, and the expected cost of thorough cleanups.

The guidelines should help states and local governments in developing and implementing laws and policies for remediation.

Specifically, research shall identify methamphetamine lab-related chemicals of concern, assess types and levels of exposure to chemicals of concern including routine and accidental exposures that may present a significant risk of adverse biological effects and to minimize human exposures.

An EPA-state official conference is called for to discuss technology transfer and other related matters. A report on the conference will be made to Congress. Six months later a study of residual effects of methamphetamine labs will be undertaken to identify research gaps and recommend further research agendas. The study will look to the impacts of those labs on residents of buildings where the labs were housed with the impact on children in particular. The impact on first responders is also to be studied.

Methamphetamine detection technologies will be researched with the emphasis on test kits and site detection.

Sponsor:  Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN-6^th)

Vote: Passed House Feb.6, 2007 426 to 2 (RC 78)

Cost to the taxpayers: $1.75 million yearly through 2008 for the EPA and $750,000 yearly through 2006 for the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

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