Congress has passed a bill that would institute more rigorous oversight of industrial chemicals.
HR 2576 updates the 40-year-old Toxic Substances Control Act by removing barriers to repeat chemical testing, mandating new safety reviews, and making information more available to the public. It also would limit animal testing and set deadlines for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for decisions.
Republican Chris Gibson, who represents areas with drinking water contaminated by PFOA, including Hoosick Falls and Petersburgh, applauded the bill's passage and said "What transpired in Rensselaer County is totally unacceptable, and we can’t let it happen in more communities.”
The bill also would require the EPA to designate and investigate clusters of cancer patients across the country.
