A bill to amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to provide for the protection of aquifers which are the sole or principal source of drinking water for public water systems.
Safe Drinking Water Act Sole Source Aquifer Amendments of 1985 - Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to provide a program for the protection of certain recharge areas overlying sole source underground water supplies.
Authorizes municipalities within a sole source area to petition the Governor to designate a part of such area as a "special protection area."
Requires the Governor, if approving the petition, to: (1) designate or establish an entity to develop a comprehensive management plan; (2) assure and encourage public participation; and (3) submit to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency the proposed boundaries of the area and a description of the planning entity.
Authorizes the Administrator, if approving the Governor's submission, to provide such State with a 50 percent matching grant for the costs of preparing the petition and developing and implementing the plan. Increases the Federal share to 70 percent for aquifers serving populations of 50,000 or less.
Requires the plan to maintain the quality of the ground water recharged through the special protection area by maintenance, to the maximum extent possible, of the natural vegetative and hydrological conditions.
Permits the resubmission of modified plans if earlier submissions to the Governor or Administrator are rejected.
Authorizes the Administrator or a State with primary enforcing responsibility to order certain contaminators of a sole or principal source aquifer which supplies a public water system to provide potable water to affected persons. Establishes civil penalties for violations.
Directs the Administrator to establish criteria for sole or principal source areas.
Authorizes appropriations for FY 1986 through 1988 for plan development and for FY 1986 through 1989 for plan implementation. Restricts the use of such funds to sole source aquifer protection.
House Incorporated this Measure (Amended) in S.124 as an Amendment.
For Further Action See H.R.1650.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Referred to Subcommittee on Health and the Environment.
For Further Action See H.R.1650.
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