HB 485 (2017)

Requires the Department of Environmental Services (DES) to use exposure scenarios in children and other vulnerable populations to determine criteria for emerging contaminants in drinking water. The House amended the bill to instead give DES power to set ambient groundwater quality standards stricter than federal law, and require the department to review the standards every five years. The amended bill also gives DES power to regulate air pollution that ends up contaminating soil and water. Lastly, the amended bill creates a toxicologist position and a human health risk assessor position in the department. The Senate further amended the bill to require DES to establish standards for PFCs in drinking water, groundwater, and surface water.