text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Children's Environmental Protection 
  Act of 1996''.
  
  SEC. 2. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION FOR CHILDREN.
  
      The Toxic Substances Control Act (15 U.S.C. 2601 et seq.) is 
  amended by adding at the end the following:
  
              ``TITLE V--ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION FOR CHILDREN
  
  ``SEC. 501. FINDINGS AND POLICY.
  
      ``(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
              ``(1) public health and safety depends on citizens and 
          local officials knowing the toxic dangers that exist in their 
          communities and neighborhoods;
              ``(2) children and other vulnerable subpopulations are more 
          at risk from environmental pollutants than adults and therefore 
          face unique health threats that need special attention;
              ``(3) a study conducted by the National Academy of Sciences 
          on the effects of pesticides in the diets of infants and 
          children concluded that current approaches to risk assessment 
          typically do not consider risks to children and, as a result, 
          current standards and tolerances often fail to adequately 
          protect infants and children;
              ``(4) risk assessments of pesticides and other 
          environmental pollutants conducted by the Environmental 
          Protection Agency do not clearly differentiate between the 
          risks to children and the risks to adults;
              ``(5) data are lacking that would allow adequate 
          quantification and evaluation of child-specific and other-
          vulnerable-subpopulation-specific susceptibility and exposure 
          to environmental pollutants; and
              ``(6) the absence of data precludes effective government 
          regulation of environmental pollutants, and denies individuals 
          the ability to exercise a right to know and make informed 
          decisions to protect their families.
      ``(b) Policy.--It is the policy of the United States that--
              ``(1) all environmental and public health standards set by 
          the Environmental Protection Agency must be adequate to protect 
          children and other vulnerable subpopulations that are at 
          greater risk from exposure to environmental pollutants;
              ``(2) adequate hazard data should be developed with respect 
          to the special vulnerability and exposure to environmental 
          pollutants of children and other vulnerable subpopulations to 
          better assess where, and at what levels, children and other 
          vulnerable subpopulations are being exposed;
              ``(3) scientific research opportunities should be 
          identified by the Environmental Protection Agency to study the 
          health effects of cumulative and simultaneous exposures of 
          children and other vulnerable subpopulations to environmental 
          pollutants;
              ``(4) information should be made readily available by the 
          Environmental Protection Agency to the general public to 
          advance the public's right-to-know, and allow the public to 
          avoid unnecessary and involuntary exposure; and
              ``(5) a family right-to-know initiative should be developed 
          by the Environmental Protection Agency to provide parents with 
          basic information so the parents can make informed choices to 
          protect their children from environmental health threats in 
          their homes, schools, and communities.
  
  ``SEC. 502. DEFINITIONS.
  
      ``In this title:
              ``(1) Children.--The term `children' includes adolescents 
          and infants.
              ``(2) Environmental pollutant.--The term `environmental 
          pollutant' means a hazardous substance, as defined in section 
          101 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, 
          and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601), or a pesticide, as 
          defined in section 2 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and 
          Rodenticide Act (7 U.S.C. 136).
              ``(3) User.--The term `user' means any commercial 
          applicator of, or any person who applies, an environmental 
          pollutant in a school, park, or public area that is reasonably 
          accessible to children.
              ``(4) Vulnerable subpopulations.--The term `vulnerable 
          subpopulations' means children, pregnant women, the elderly, 
          individuals with a history of serious illness, and other 
          subpopulations identified by the Administrator as likely to 
          experience elevated health risks from environmental pollutants.
  
  ``SEC. 503. FAMILY RIGHT-TO-KNOW INITIATIVE.
  
      ``(a) In General.--The Administrator shall work with each State to 
  develop a family right-to-know initiative in accordance with this 
  section.
      ``(b) Grants.--
              ``(1) In general.--The Administrator shall make grants to 
          States to develop and carry out a family right-to-know 
          initiative in accordance with this section.
              ``(2) Terms and conditions.--Grants made under this 
          subsection shall be subject to such terms and conditions as the 
          Administrator establishes to further the purposes of this 
          title.
      ``(c) Requirements of Initiative.--A State carrying out a family 
  right-to-know initiative shall--
              ``(1) require that any user who applies an environmental 
          pollutant in a public area that is reasonably accessible to 
          children complete a simple, easy-to-understand form that 
          provides the amount of environmental pollutant applied, where 
          the environmental pollutant was applied, and when the 
          environmental pollutant was applied;
              ``(2) work with the Administrator to--
                      ``(A) develop a uniform definition of the term 
                  `public area that is reasonably accessible to children' 
                  for purposes of this section, that shall include, at a 
                  minimum, schools, shopping malls, movie theaters, and 
                  parks;
                      ``(B) develop a uniform form to be completed by 
                  users under paragraph (1);
                      ``(C) determine the manner and length of time of 
                  keeping the forms completed by users; and
                      ``(D) determine the format for reporting 
                  information collected under paragraph (1) to the 
                  public;
              ``(3) prepare annual State reports summarizing the 
          information collected under paragraph (1) for distribution to 
          the Administrator;
              ``(4) provide the public with copies of annual State 
          reports and local recordkeeping for schools, parks, and public 
          areas;
              ``(5) make State reports available to the public on the 
          Internet;
              ``(6) provide the Administrator with such data as the 
          Administrator requests to prepare a nationwide survey under 
          subsection (d); and
              ``(7) satisfy such other requirements as the Administrator 
          prescribes to carry out this section.
      ``(d) Nationwide Surveys.--
              ``(1) In general.--The Administrator shall prepare a 
          biennial nationwide survey of the information collected under 
          this section.
              ``(2) Assessment.--The nationwide survey shall assess the 
          extent to which environmental pollutants are present in private 
          office and commercial buildings that are reasonably accessible 
          to children.
              ``(3) Recommendation.--The nationwide survey shall 
          recommend whether public recordkeeping and public reporting 
          concerning application of environmental pollutants in areas 
          that are reasonably accessible to children should be required.
      ``(e) Public Availability of Information.--
              ``(1) In general.--On request by a member of the public, 
          the Administrator shall provide a copy of any State report or 
          nationwide survey prepared under this section.
              ``(2) Internet.--The Administrator shall make any State 
          report or nationwide survey prepared under this section 
          available to the public on the Internet.
  
  ``SEC. 504. SAFE SCHOOLS AND PARKS.
  
      ``(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
  enactment of this title, the Administrator shall--
              ``(1) identify hazardous substances and pesticides commonly 
          used in schools and parks;
              ``(2) create, after peer review, a list of the substances 
          identified in paragraph (1) with high hazard health risks to 
          children and other vulnerable subpopulations;
              ``(3) make the list created under paragraph (2) available 
          to the public;
              ``(4) review the list created under paragraph (2) on a 
          biennial basis; and
              ``(5) develop and issue an Environmental Protection Agency 
          approved sign and label for posting by a school or park to 
          indicate that high hazard environmental pollutants were not 
          used in the school or park.
      ``(b) Cooperation.--The Administrator shall work with the Secretary 
  of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary 
  of the Interior, and the Secretary of Agriculture to ensure wide public 
  distribution of the list created under subsection (a)(2).
      ``(c) Compliance by Schools and Parks.--Not later than 1 year after 
  the list created under subsection (a)(2) is made available to the 
  public, the Administrator shall prohibit a school or park from using 
  any environmental pollutant on the list.
  
  ``SEC. 505. RESEARCH TO IMPROVE INFORMATION ON EFFECTS ON CHILDREN.
  
      ``(a) Toxicity Data.--The Administrator, the Secretary of 
  Agriculture, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
  coordinate the development and implementation of research studies to 
  examine the physiological and pharmacokinetic differences in the 
  effects and toxicity of pesticides (including active and inert 
  ingredients) and other environmental pollutants on children and other 
  vulnerable subpopulations, as identified in the study of the National 
  Academy of Sciences entitled `Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and 
  Children'.
      ``(b) Exposure Data.--The Administrator, the Secretary of 
  Agriculture, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
  conduct surveys and applied research to document differences between 
  children and adults with respect to dietary, dermal, and inhalation 
  exposure to pesticides and other environmental pollutants.
      ``(c) Biennial Reports.--The Administrator, the Secretary of 
  Agriculture, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
  submit biennial reports to Congress on actions taken to carry out this 
  section.
  
  ``SEC. 506. SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN AND OTHER VULNERABLE SUBPOPULATIONS.
  
      ``(a) In General.--The Administrator shall--
              ``(1) evaluate environmental health risks to vulnerable 
          subpopulations in all of the risk assessments, risk 
          characterizations, environmental and public health standards, 
          and general regulatory decisions carried out by the 
          Administrator;
              ``(2) carry out paragraph (1) in accordance with the policy 
          of the Environmental Protection Agency on the assessment of 
          risks to children in effect on November 1, 1995; and
              ``(3) develop and use a separate assessment or finding of 
          risks to vulnerable subpopulations or publish in the Federal 
          Register an explanation of why the separate assessment or 
          finding is not used.
      ``(b) Reevaluation of Current Public Health and Environmental 
  Standards.--
              ``(1) In general.--As part of any risk assessment, risk 
          characterization, environmental or public health standard, or 
          general regulatory decision carried out by the Administrator, 
          the Administrator shall evaluate the environmental health risks 
          to children and other vulnerable subpopulations.
              ``(2) Implementation.--In carrying out paragraph (1), not 
          later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this title, 
          the Administrator shall--
                      ``(A) develop an administrative strategy and an 
                  administrative process for reviewing standards;
                      ``(B) identify a list of standards that may need 
                  revision to ensure the protection of children and 
                  vulnerable subpopulations;
                      ``(C) prioritize the list according to the 
                  standards that are most important for expedited review 
                  to protect children and vulnerable subpopulations;
                      ``(D) identify which standards on the list will 
                  require additional research in order to be reevaluated 
  and outline the time and resources required to carry out the research; 
  and
                      ``(E) identify, through public input and peer 
                  review, not fewer than 5 public health and 
                  environmental standards of the Environmental Protection 
                  Agency to be repromulgated on an expedited basis to 
                  meet the criteria of this subsection.
              ``(3) Revised standards.--Not later than 6 years after the 
          date of enactment of this title, the Administrator shall 
          propose not fewer than 5 revised standards that meet the 
          criteria of this subsection.
              ``(4) Completed revision of standards.--Not later than 15 
          years after the date of enactment of this title, the 
          Administrator shall complete the revision of standards in 
          accordance with this subsection.
              ``(5) Report.--The Administrator shall report to Congress 
          on an annual basis on progress made by the Administrator in 
          carrying out the objectives and policy of this subsection.
  
  ``SEC. 507. PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF DATA.
  
      ``(a) Disclosure of Health Effects and Exposure Data.--Subject to 
  subsection (b), any data or information known by a Federal agency 
  concerning any test of a pesticide, residue of a pesticide, or other 
  environmental pollutant to determine the potential levels of exposure 
  or health effects shall be available for disclosure to the public, 
  except to the extent the data or information relates to--
              ``(1) a manufacturing or quality control process;
              ``(2) a method for detecting the quantity of any 
          deliberately added inert ingredient of a chemical substance 
          other than a method for detecting a residue of the inert 
          ingredient in or on food; or
              ``(3) explicit information derived from a pesticide use 
          form submitted under section 1491 of the Food, Agriculture, 
          Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 136i-1).
      ``(b) Data and Information Submitted Under FIFRA.--Any data or 
  information described in subsection (a) that was submitted to the 
  Administrator under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide 
  Act (7 U.S.C. 136 et seq.) shall be made available for disclosure to 
  the public in accordance with section 10 of the Act (7 U.S.C. 136h).
      ``(c) Disclosure.--This section shall not restrict the release of--
              ``(1) information that is otherwise subject to disclosure 
          under section 552 of title 5, United States Code; or
              ``(2) information available through--
                      ``(A) a material safety data sheet;
                      ``(B) published scientific literature; or
                      ``(C) a government document.
  
  ``SEC. 508. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
  
      ``There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are 
  necessary to carry out this title.''.
target: Children's Environmental Protection Act of 1996 - Amends the Toxic Substances Control Act to state U.S. policy regarding the adequacy of protection of children and other vulnerable subpopulations from exposure to environmental pollutants.  Defines "vulnerable subpopulations" to include children, pregnant women, the elderly, individuals with a history of serious illness, and other subpopulations identified by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as likely to experience elevated health risks from environmental pollutants. 
  Directs the Administrator to:  (1) work with each State, including by making grants, to develop a family right-to-know initiative requiring disclosure of the details of application of a pollutant in a public area accessible to children, State reports of such information, and provision of data for a nationwide survey; (2) identify and make publicly available a list of hazardous substances and pesticides commonly used in schools and parks; (3) create a list of substances with high hazard risks; (4) develop and issue an EPA-approved warning sign and label for posting in such areas; and (5) prohibit a school or park from using any pollutant on the high hazard risk list. 
  Directs the Administrator and the Secretaries of Agriculture and of Health and Human Services to:  (1) coordinate and implement research studies of the physiological and pharmacokinetic differences in the effects and toxicity of pesticides and other pollutants on children and other vulnerable subpopulations; (2) conduct surveys and research to document differences between children and adults with respect to exposure; and (3) report to the Congress. 
  Directs the Administrator to evaluate environmental health risks to children and vulnerable subpopulations in all risk assessments and characterizations, environmental or public health standards, or general regulatory decisions and develop and use a separate assessment with respect to vulnerable subpopulations.  Requires a report to the Congress. 
  Requires public availability, subject to restrictions, of information concerning any test of a pesticide, pesticide residue, or other pollutant to determine potential levels of exposure or health effects. 
  Authorizes appropriations.
feat_title: Children's Environmental Protection Act of 1996