SENATE RESOLUTION No. 81

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED MARCH 10, 1997

By Senator CIESLA

A Senate Resolution memorializing the Congress of the United States and the United States Environmental Protection Agency to establish a safe drinking water standard for acrylonitrile-styrene.

Whereas, In recognition of the fact that the maintenance of high-quality potable water is essential to safeguard the health and welfare of the nation's citizens, the federal government enacted the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. §300 et al.); and

Whereas, The State of New Jersey enacted the "Safe Drinking Water Act" in 1977, empowering the Department of Environmental Protection to assume primary enforcement responsibility under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, and to adopt and enforce additional State rules and regulations to purify drinking water prior to its consumption by the public; and

Whereas, It was recently discovered that the drinking water in parts of Ocean County, most notably in Toms River and Dover Township, contain a chemical mixture called acrylonitrile-styrene; and

Whereas, Although acrylonitrile, through scientific analysis, has been associated with certain brain and central nervous system cancers, and styrene is listed in the federal regulations as a substance that must be tested for in public drinking water supplies, there are no drinking water standards for the various compounds created when these two independently hazardous substances are combined; and

Whereas, The abnormally high incidence of cancer, especially in children, in the Toms River area of Ocean County, coupled with the identification of high levels of a potentially carcinogenic chemical in that area's drinking water supply, have created an urgent need for additional action; and

Whereas, Further testing is necessary to determine the effects of acrylonitrile-styrene on human health and to establish a federal standard, the exceedance of which would result in immediate remediation efforts; now, therefore,

    Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:

    1. This House memorializes the Congress of the United States and the United States Environmental Protection Agency to establish a safe drinking water standard for acrylonitrile-styrene.

    2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the President of the Senate and attested by the Secretary thereof, shall be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the majority and minority leaders of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, each member of Congress elected from the State of New Jersey, the Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Region II Administrator of that agency, the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health.

STATEMENT

    This resolution memorializes the Congress of the United States and the United States Environmental Protection Agency to supplement federal safe drinking water standards to include acrylonitrile-styrene and its various compounds and isomers.

Memorializes Congress and EPA to include acrylonitrile-styrene in drinking water standards.