Requires EPA to test chemicals that may be found in drinking water
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today re-introduced the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Enhancement Act, legislation that updates the original Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program established to test chemicals for their potential to disrupt the endocrine system, which regulates growth, metabolism and reproduction. When first established in 1996, the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program was required to test all pesticides that may come into contact with food for their ability to interfere with the body’s hormonal system. Reps. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Jim Moran (D-Va.), and Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) are original cosponsors of this legislation.
 
“Endocrine disruptors can cause lifelong health problems, especially for children. Ensuring that our food and drinking water is safe for America’s children is the foundation of a healthy society,” said Rep. Markey. “This bill will drastically beef up our capacity to quickly screen chemicals to determine their effects on human health and will utilize the most up-to-date scientific technologies to create a more transparent program that ensures our water is safe.”
 
Specifically Rep. Markey’s bill:

• Requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to test non-pesticide chemicals that may be found in drinking water, and to come up with a plan and schedule for identifying substances to be tested.

• Mandates the EPA to periodically review the current state of science to determine if significant technological advancements warrant revision of testing protocols, and ensures that technologies that can reduce the need for animal testing and increase the speed at which chemicals can be tested are considered.
• Allows the EPA to accelerate the testing of substances that are suspected endocrine disruptors and provides a petition process for members of the public to suggest chemicals for testing or acceleration.

In November 2010, EPA, for the first time, exercised their discretionary authority through the program to screen chemicals that may be found in sources of drinking water, however testing of these substances has not yet commenced.
 
Last year, Rep. Markey introduced a similar bill that made revisions to the existing EPA Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program. That bill was incorporated into the Assistance, Quality, and Affordability Act of 2010 (AQUA Act) which was passed by the House of Representatives on July 30, 2010 and referred to the Senate, where it was blocked by Senate Republicans.
 
This legislation has also been endorsed by the Breast Cancer Fund, TEDX (The Endocrine Disruption Exchange), the Natural Resources Defense Council and Consumers Union.
 
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