2023 -- H 5861 SUBSTITUTE A AS AMENDED

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LC002186/SUB A

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION -- PFAS IN DRINKING WATER,

GROUNDWATER, AND SURFACE WATER

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Speakman, and Cortvriend

     Date Introduced: March 01, 2023

     Referred To: House Environment and Natural Resources

     (Dept. of Health)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Sections 46-32-2 and 46-32-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 46-32 entitled

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"PFAS in Drinking Water, Groundwater, and Surface Waters" are hereby amended to read as

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follows:

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     46-32-2. Interim drinking water standard and testing requirements.

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     (a) As used in this chapter, “PFAS contaminants” means perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA),

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perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorononanoic

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acid (PFNA), and perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA).

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     (b) On or before July 1, 2023, all public water supply systems in the state as defined by §

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46-13-2, except transient, non-community water systems as defined by the department of health in

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216-RICR-50-05-1 as may be amended, shall conduct monitoring for the presence of PFAS

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contaminants in drinking water supplied by the system. Regular monitoring shall be conducted as

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follows until adoption of maximum contaminant level rules pursuant to § 46-32-4:

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     (1) If monitoring results detect the presence of any PFAS contaminants individually or in

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combination in excess of the interim drinking water standard level of twenty parts per trillion (20

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ppt), the public water supply system shall conduct continued quarterly monitoring.

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     (2) If monitoring results detect the presence of any PFAS contaminants individually or in

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combination at a level equal to or below the interim drinking water standard level of twenty parts

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per trillion (20 ppt), the public water supply system shall conduct continued monitoring annually.

 

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     (3) If monitoring results do not detect the presence of any PFAS contaminants, the public

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water supply system shall conduct continued monitoring every two (2) years.

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     (c) If monitoring results under subsection (b) of this section confirm the presence of any

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PFAS contaminants individually or in combination in excess of the interim drinking water standard

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level of twenty parts per trillion (20 ppt), the department of health shall require monitoring in a

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manner consistent with applicable regulations governing synthetic organic contaminants, including

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but not limited to, requiring a confirmation sample, prior to directing the public water supply system

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to implement treatment or other remedy to reduce the levels of PFAS contaminants in the drinking

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water of the public water supply system below the interim drinking water standard level.

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     (d) On or before July 1, 2023, if the PFAS contaminants exceed the level of twenty parts

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per trillion (20 ppt), the public water supply system shall provide potable water through other means

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to all customers or users of the system. The requirement for a public water supply system to provide

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potable water to customers and users of the system through other means shall cease when

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monitoring results indicate that the levels of PFAS contaminants in the drinking water of the public

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water supply system are below the interim drinking water standard level of twenty parts per trillion

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(20 ppt). If the PFAs contaminants exceed the interim drinking water standard, the department

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shall, within one-hundred and eighty (180) days of being notified of the exceedance, draft and enter

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into a consent agreement with a public water supply system requiring dates for submittal of

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construction plans and specifications, prepared and stamped by a professional engineer registered

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in accordance with the provisions of chapter 8 of title 5 to the department of health, to implement

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treatment or other remedy to reduce the levels of PFAS contaminants in the drinking water of the

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public water supply system to at or below the interim drinking water standard level. If the

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department has not approved a consent agreement within one hundred eighty (180) days, the

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director of the department will take any and all action necessary to obtain compliance in accordance

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with subsection (e) of this section.

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     (e) The director of the department of health is authorized to enforce the requirements of

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this chapter in accordance with the provisions of chapter 13 of this title and violations will be

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subject to the penalties imposed pursuant to § 46-13-16. A person may contest or appeal a decision

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of the director, a penalty imposed for violation, or the fact of violation pursuant to the provisions

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of chapter 35 of title 42 (the “administrative procedures act”).

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     46-32-3. Drinking water standards for PFAS contaminants.

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     If the director of the department of health decides to publish a notice pursuant to the

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provisions of § 46-32-4(b)(1) then on or before June 1, 2024, the director of the department of

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health shall, pursuant to this section, file under § 42-35-4 a final rule with the secretary of state

 

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regarding adoption of the interim drinking water standard level of twenty parts per trillion (20 ppt)

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for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorohexane

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sulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), and

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perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) as a maximum contaminant level (MCL). Upon the effective date

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of the final rule, the drinking water monitoring provisions of § 46-32-2 may be suspended,

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modified, or superseded by the provisions of the final rules rule and the maximum contaminant

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level, as specified pursuant to § 46-32-4, shall apply to § 46-32-2(d).

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     SECTION 2. Section 23-18.13-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-18.13 entitled "Toxic

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Packaging Reduction Act" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     23-18.13-4. Prohibition — Schedule for removal of incidental amounts.

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     (a) No package or packaging component shall be offered for sale or for promotional

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purposes by its manufacturer or distributor in the state, which includes, in the package itself or in

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any packaging component, inks, dyes, pigments, adhesives, stabilizers, or any other additives, any

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lead, cadmium, mercury, or hexavalent chromium that has been intentionally introduced as an

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element during manufacturing or distribution as opposed to the incidental presence of any of these

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elements.

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     (b) No product shall be offered for sale or for promotional purposes by its manufacturer or

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distributor in the state in a package which includes, in the package itself or in any of its packaging

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components, inks, dyes, pigments, adhesives, stabilizers, or any other additives, any lead, cadmium,

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mercury, or hexavalent chromium that has been intentionally introduced as an element during

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manufacturing or distribution as opposed to the incidental presence of any of these elements.

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     (c) The sum on the concentration levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, and hexavalent

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chromium present in any package or packaging component shall not exceed 100 parts per million

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by weight (0.01%).

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     (d) Effective January 1, 2024 July 31, 2024, no food package to which PFAS have been

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intentionally introduced during manufacturing or distribution in any amount shall be offered for

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sale or for promotional purposes by its manufacturer or distributor in the state.

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     (e) No substitute material used to replace a chemical regulated by this chapter in a package

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or packaging component may be used in a quantity or manner that creates a hazard as great as or

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greater than the hazard created by the chemical regulated by this act. The certificate of compliance

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required by § 23-18.13-6 shall require an assurance to this effect.

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     (f) Interstate clearinghouse. The department is authorized to participate in the

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establishment and implementation of a regional or national, multi-state clearinghouse to assist in

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carrying out the requirements of this chapter and to help coordinate reviews of the regulatory

 

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applicability, certificates of compliance, education and outreach activities, and any other related

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functions. The clearinghouse may also maintain reports on the effectiveness of the program,

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certificates of analysis and compliance for product packaging.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION -- PFAS IN DRINKING WATER,

GROUNDWATER, AND SURFACE WATER

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     This act would provide that water supply systems that have PFAS contaminants that exceed

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the interim drinking water standard be required to enter into a consent agreement with department

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of health to implement treatment to reduce the levels of PFAS contaminants.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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