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HR 4196 110th Congress House

National Public Notification of Environmental Hazards Act of 2007

Official title: To amend the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to improve public notification and community relations concerning ac… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To amend the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to improve public notification and community relations concerning actions for the removal of environmental hazards.

Introduced: November 15, 2007 Introduced by: Smith, Christopher H. Republican · New Jersey See on congress.gov
Environmental Protection Citizen participationCost accountingEconomics and Public FinanceElectronic government information
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Executive reorganizationGovernment Operations and PoliticsGovernment publicationsGovernment publicityHazardous wastesLawLiability for environmental damagesPublic meetingsScience, Technology, CommunicationsTelephone
This bill died when the 110th Congress ended
It never became law before the 110th Congress (2007–2008) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Nov 16, 2007
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
Nov 15, 2007
Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials.
Nov 15, 2007
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Nov 15, 2007
Introduced in House
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 Latest action November 16, 2007

Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

National Public Notification of Environmental Hazards Act of 2007 - Amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to require the President to revise the national contingency plan to provide for improved public notification and community relations in the case of a response action.

Requires the head of the lead agency for a response action to: (1) designate a spokesperson, who shall provide notice of the action, respond to inquiries, and provide information to the public; (2) issue a press release within a specified time frame; (3) ensure coordination of press releases and other statements; (4) establish a public information office at or near the response site; (5) establish at least one local information repository; (6) make the administrative record file available for public inspection; (7) provide a public comment period; (8) conduct public meetings; (9) establish a toll-free telephone number and a public Internet website; (10) ensure that each residence and business within a half-mile radius of the response site is visited by a lead agency representative; and (11) mail printed materials containing information about the removal action to such residences and businesses.

Directs the head: (1) to take specified actions if the President determines, based on a site evaluation, that an action is appropriate and the head determines that a planning period of at least 180 days exists prior to initiation of on-site activities, including making the engineering evaluation and cost analysis available to the public; and (2) for actions lasting more than 120 days, to interview local officials, community residents, and specified others about their concerns, information needs, and how they would like to be involved and prepare a formal community relations plan.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 4
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 4196: National Public Notification of Environmental Hazards Act of 2007. 110th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/110-HR-4196/
MLA
"H.R. 4196: National Public Notification of Environmental Hazards Act of 2007." 110th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/110-HR-4196/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 4196, 110th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/110-HR-4196/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 4196: National Public Notification of Environmental Hazards Act of 2007](https://openamerica.io/bill/110-HR-4196/)
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