118th Congress Environmental Protection
H.R. 2820: Justice for Jana Elementary Act of 2023
Introduced
- Introduced (completed)
- Passed House (not reached)
- Passed Senate (not reached)
- To the President (not reached)
- Became law (not reached)
Summary
This bill establishes a program and requirements regarding schools impacted by radioactive contaminants, including in the Hazelwood School District in Missouri.
Specifically, the bill requires the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to establish and execute new remediation goals for Jana Elementary School in the Hazelwood School District so that no portion of the site is subjected to radiation above background levels. (The school is located near Coldwater Creek, which is contaminated with radioactive waste from nearby sites used for the World War II nuclear weapons program.)
The bill establishes a Radioactive School Assistance Program (and fund) to provide financial assistance to local educational agencies that have been financially impacted by the presence of radioactive contaminants stemming from U.S. atomic energy activities.
Read the full summary
Under the bill, schools in the Hazelwood School District in Missouri must be designated as vicinity properties of the St. Louis Airport Site for purposes of the USACE Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program. Such schools must be investigated, including via on-site inspections and sampling, in accordance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the National Contingency Plan (i.e., the national plan for responding to spills or releases of hazardous substances).
The Department of Energy must review and report on the methodology and results of all tests for radioactive contaminants conducted at Jana Elementary School.
Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.
Roll calls
No roll call votes have been held on this bill.
Amendments
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History
- Introduced in the House by Cori Bush.
Show the full action history (4 actions)
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials.
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
- Introduced in House
- Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.