Chemical, Hazardous Substances, and Petroleum Spills: CRS Experts

January 13, 2014 (R43360)

In response to spills of chemicals, hazardous substances, and petroleum, illustrated by the January 2014 spill in West Virginia and recent railroad oil tanker derailments, concerns arise about impacts to public health (e.g., drinking water), as well as coordination of emergency response activities. The following table provides names and contact information for CRS experts on various issues associated with spills of chemicals, hazardous substances, and petroleum into surface water and onto land, including related drinking water, emergency response management, and public health issues.

Legislative Issues	Name/Title	Phone	E-mail
Chemical, hazardous substance, and oil spill response and cleanup	David Bearden, Specialist in Environmental Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
	Jonathan Ramseur, Specialist in Environmental Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Chemical toxicity and Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)	[author name scrubbed], Analyst in Environmental Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Drinking water, Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), drinking water standards, treatment, infrastructure financing and security	[author name scrubbed], Specialist in Environmental Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Legal aspects of water pollution, Clean Water Act, Oil Pollution Act, Safe Drinking Water Act	[author name scrubbed], Legislative Attorney	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)	[author name scrubbed], Analyst in Emergency Management Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
	[author name scrubbed], Analyst in American National Government	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
General Clean Water Act (CWA), water pollution discharges, water monitoring, water treatment and water infrastructure financing	[author name scrubbed], Specialist in Resources and Environmental Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Air emissions from oil and chemical facilities, "nuisance" authority	Richard Lattanzio, Analyst in Environmental Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
	[author name scrubbed], Section Research Manager	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Appropriations for Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state grants	[author name scrubbed], Specialist in Environmental Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
	David Bearden, Specialist in Environmental Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Public health and medical response to disasters	Sarah Lister, Specialist in Public Health and Epidemiology	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Toxics Release Inventory (TRI), Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), and "Superfund" (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, or CERCLA)	David Bearden, Specialist in Environmental Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
Oil Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasures (SPCC)	Jonathan Ramseur, Specialist in Environmental Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]
U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (Chemical Safety Board, or "CSB") Clean Air Act 112(r)(7)	David Bearden, Specialist in Environmental Policy	[phone number scrubbed]	[email address scrubbed]

Experts List Coordinator

[author name scrubbed], Coordinator, Section Research Manager ([email address scrubbed], [phone number scrubbed])