Karen Thurman on Environment Former Democratic Representative (FL-5)

Regulating 15 more contaminants under Clean Water Act.

Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) to publish a proposed list of at least 15 contaminants that may occur in public water systems and that are not currently subject to EPA regulation. Provides for proposed lists of at least 12 additional contaminants every four years. (Current law requires EPA to regulate 25 contaminants every three years.) Bases the determination to regulate a contaminant on findings that:

1. the contaminant is known to occur in public water systems;
2. the contaminant occurs in concentrations which may have adverse health effects; and
3. regulation of the contaminant presents an opportunity to reduce health risks.

Declare a forest health emergency on federal lands.

National Forest Health Act: To declare that a forest health emergency exists on Federal lands under their jurisdiction; to carry out accelerated forest health improvement programs to prevent further forest damage and reduce the risk of disaster wildfires on these lands; and to implement management strategies designed to produce sustained, diverse, and healthy forest ecosystems on these lands. The Congress finds the following:

• Forest health emergencies currently exist on many Federal forest lands that have substantial areas of dead and dying trees as a result of drought, insect infestations, disease, fire, windstorm, or other causes.
• There are many complex causes for these forest health emergencies, including historic and recent forest management methods, fire suppression policies, forest-type changes, and climate trends.
• When forest health emergencies exist and are allowed to spread, substantial economic losses are sustained, through the loss of timber, watershed quality and performance, recreational opportunities, and fishery and wildlife habitat.
• Federal forest lands subject to a forest health emergency, if properly thinned or otherwise treated to reduce unnatural levels of dry fuel, will have a better chance of resisting insect and disease epidemics, as well as being able to tolerate both prescribed fire and occasional wildfires.
• The removal of dead, dying, and excess live trees on Federal forest lands subject to a forest health emergency, if done expeditiously and with sensitivity to the need to retain some dead wood to help provide stand structure for multi-resource values, can begin the forest health restoration process