What's happening
This bill adds hexavalent chromium (chromium-6) to New York's list of emerging contaminants in the public health law.
Why it matters
Protects Public Health. By formally designating hexavalent chromium (chromium-6) as an "emerging contaminant," the bill requires state agencies to monitor and potentially regulate this toxic chemical in drinking water, addressing concerns about its links to cancer and other health risks.
Triggers Mandatory Testing. Public water systems in New York will now need to test for chromium-6, ensuring that residents are informed about its presence and potential exposure—something not previously required for this specific contaminant.
Lays Groundwork for Future Standards. Adding chromium-6 to the emerging contaminants list is a first step toward establishing enforceable limits or remediation requirements, which could lead to stricter water quality regulations and possible infrastructure upgrades.
Responds to Public Concern and Scientific Evidence. The amendment acknowledges growing scientific and public awareness of the dangers of chromium-6, reflecting pressure to update water safety laws in light of new research and high-profile contamination incidents nationwide.
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Headline styles
Add Chromium-6 to Contaminants
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to health
- Print number 4381a
- Amend (t) and recommit to health
- Referred to health
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Add Chromium-6 to Contaminants
In Assembly Committee · Health · Sponsor Fred Thiele
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4381--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 10, 2017
Introduced by Sens. BROOKS, ADDABBO, BAILEY, DILAN, KAMINSKY, KRUEGER, PARKER, SANDERS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Health -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to including hexavalent chromium in the list of emerging contaminants
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph c of subdivision 3 of section 1112 of the public health law, as added by section 1 of part M of chapter 57 of the laws of 2017, is amended to read as follows:
c. The commissioner shall, at a minimum, include the following chemicals identified as emerging contaminants: 1,4-dioxane; hexavalent chromium (chromium-6); perfluorooctanesulfonic acid; and perfluorooctanoic acid.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09680-02-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to including hexavalent chromium in the list of emerging contaminants
Purpose
This bill adds hexavalent chromium (Chromium-6) to the list of emerging contaminants.
Summary of provisions
Section one of the bill adds hexavalent chromium (Chromium-6) to the list of contaminants that must be designated as emerging contaminants by the Department of Health.
Section two establishes the effective date of immediately.
Justification
Since the discovery of chromium-6 (hexavalent chromium) water contamination in Hinkley, California, by Erin Brockovich there has been broad public and scientific acknowledgement of the harms it presents to human health. Despite this acknowledgement, New York does not have a maximum contaminant level (MCL) for chromium-6 in public water systems.
New York has an MCL for total chromium of .1 mg/1 - which includes chromium metal, trivalent chromium and hexavalent chromium. However, while chromium metal and trivalent chromium are not considered to be toxic, the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer recognizes hexavalent chromium as carcinogenic to mammals. Treating these different types of chemicals the same in regulation, does not make sense from a public health perspective.
The prevalence of chromium-6 in public drinking water is of significant concern to residents on Long Island and communities across New York State. Recent tests of public water systems under the Third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule for chromium-6 have revealed widespread contamination of drinking water systems. On Long Island 1,247 out of 1,417 samples of drinking water tested positive for chromium-6. In Nassau County alone, this included 27 out of 28 water systems that tested at an average of .338 ppb, ranging up to 3.9 ppb. Comparatively, the public health goal set by California for chromium-6 is .02 ppb.
The 2017-18 Adopted Budget added a new provision to the Public Health Law that authorizes the Department of Health to designate certain substances as "emerging contaminants." Every public water system would have to test drinking water at least once every three years for the presence of these emerging contaminants and notify residents if levels for a certain contaminant are above a certain level set by the Department. The Department of Health would have the authority to consider what substances should be added to the list of emerging contaminants, but at a minimum the chemicals 1,4-dioxane, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) must be added to the list of "emerging contaminants."
This bill would add hexavalent chromium to the list of substances that the Department of Health must add to the list of emerging contaminants. This would require the Department of Health to also set a notification level for hexavalent chromium and require all public water systems to test drinking water supplies for the present of hexavalent chromium at least once every three years.
Legislative history
This is a new bill.
Budget implications
Minimal.
Effective date
This act would take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.