Kaptur Introduces House Bill to Bolster Federal Response to Algae Crisis

Senators Portman, Brown Offer Companion LegislationWASHINGTON, D.C. – Working together with Ohio's two senators, U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (Ohio-9) today introduced legislation directing the federal EPA to publish a health advisory on microcystin and to submit reports on what constitutes a safe level of the toxin in drinking water.

Because there is no U.S. national drinking water safety standard for mycrosystis in drinking water, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency defaulted to the World Health Organization standard of 1 part per billion in carrying out tests of Toledo's water quality during the emergency last month.

The Kaptur bill would require the U.S. EPA administrator to issue within 90 days a health advisory on microcystins and the threat they pose to drinking water.

"Our legislation would fill a gap in the EPA's response to date on toxic algae," Kaptur said.

"The water emergency in Toledo highlighted the need for a more robust federal response, and our local communities still very much need recommendations on consumption, treatment and testing."

While Kaptur introduced the bill on the House side, Senators Rob Portman and Sherrod Brown introduced the bipartisan Safe and Secure Drinking Water Act in the upper chamber.

"After the Toledo water crisis, it's critical that all levels of government work together to determine if our drinking water is safe for human consumption," Portman stated. "As we continue to work to ensure that Ohioans have access to safe and clean drinking water, this legislation is an important step toward knowing what is safe and what is not."

Microcystin is a byproduct of blooming algae. Despite requests that state and federal regulators set microcystins limits in drinking water, local water plant operators generally rely on the WHO guidance. The EPA has been working on developing a federal limit for years, but has yet to issue one. This legislation by Kaptur, Portman and Brown would direct the agency to publish, as an interim measure, an advisory that would help inform and educate local and state officials while EPA continues to work on a federal mandate.

Congresswoman Kaptur said she hopes the bill will prod USEPA to issue long-awaited standards on drinking water for areas affected by toxic algae blooms. "I hope our bill expedites the work on drinking water standards," she said.

The bill requires the EPA Administrator to make a progress report to Congress within 120 days on consumption, treating and testing.

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