Drinking Water Protection Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, harmful algal blooms are a serious and growing threat to public health. The toxins they produce threaten communities that draw their water from coastal areas and the Great Lakes. They also pose risks to those who swim in contaminated waters or eat contaminated fish.

Health impacts include skin and eye irritation, gastrointestinal illness, cancer, paralysis, and even death. Economic impacts are also serious, adversely affecting fishing, recreation, and tourism. Estimates of annual costs of these algal blooms in the United States are in the billions of dollars.

This summer, Toledo, Ohio, experienced a profound disruption when citizens woke to a ``do not drink'' order. The impacts were significant and widespread. But the problem is not limited to Ohio or Lake Erie. Harmful algal blooms have been a recurring problem in my home State of New Jersey for decades. So I appreciate that the majority is taking up this bipartisan legislation to begin to address this most important environmental problem.

This bill is a good step. More needs to be done. I am happy to say that language reported from the Energy and Commerce Committee reflects several changes sought by Democratic members of the committee. The bill was broadened to ensure that EPA will look at all algal toxins that may have an adverse effect on human health and consider source water protection measures, which are the preferred and most effective approach to managing harmful algal blooms.

I thank the chairmen and majority staff for working with Ranking Member Tonko, myself, and the Democratic staff to improve the bill.

For too long, Republicans in Congress have been more interested in attacking the EPA than supporting the important work the Agency does to protect human health, and safe drinking water should be a bipartisan issue. Unfortunately, this bill does lack resources.

Addressing cyanotoxins in drinking water is very expensive for States and water utilities. If Congress doesn't make funding available at the Federal level, the money will have to come out of already strained State budgets or out of consumers' pockets. The cooperative agreements envisioned in the bill can address some of these costs, Mr. Speaker, but only if they are funded, and the strategic plan will have no impact if there are no resources to carry it out.

So I hope this bill can be the start of broader drinking water work to address important threats like climate change, fracking, security, and aging infrastructure. As we continue our drinking water work this Congress, I hope the majority will recognize the importance of funding in addressing these needs.

Resources are central to the conversation about safe drinking water. Much of our Nation's drinking water infrastructure is well beyond its useful life and in desperate need of replacement. Algae and other emerging threats, spurred by climate change and other factors, add to the challenge. Investing in drinking water infrastructure protects public health, creates jobs, and boosts the economy, and this is something that we should all support.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Latta), and my good friend from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) for their hard work to address an important environmental threat.

I support this bill. I urge its adoption.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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