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P ,Ilr,,SeDAte debates xwds4bbM passes reg-review measure m The Senate at press time was nearing agreement on a bill that •) wands q r + . would uwdnd most of$1.3 billion in appropriated but unspent SDWA state revolving loan funds.The House-passed version of the bill cut all • . the previously approved SRF money,but long by EPA,water C suppliers and state and local officials convinced the Senate to retain of 5500 million of the AMds,which would be added to$500 million EPA uM n seeks in FY96. The Senate bad little trouble,however.passing a regulatory reform ie llea boto measure that would subject all new regulations to a 45-day �.7„ppointe atetn `r congressional review and passible veto.Senators hsnsfme voted 100-0 to pass the bill(S.219),which is at odds e, ill nniul�be�i ei+ with a House-passed measure(HJL450)that would ( � ich'41S istr age u `• 'conk' impose a temporary moratorium mon rules. gatlon uid I On other Contract"issues,meanwhile.the Senate Government . oi;fro'm `ieJSan os h mAffairs Committee March 24 unanimously passed a risk bill(S291) ygs�re a that Is mare moderate than one(H.R.1022)passed by the House. ,a Senate leaders also blended various"takings"bills into an omnibus package(S.605)that would establish a property owner's"bill of rights" Unlike the House risk brill,S291 would not have cost considerations elan 'ud o i supersede health based factors for setting environmental standards.It instead would have agencies make"a reasonable determination"that New�lNeid e h n a regulation's benefits justify its costs as long as such analysis is a itt as� consistent with the pertinent statute.The Judiciary Committee. meanwhile,was set to mark up a competing risk bill(5.343)that e e would allow the public to petition for cast benefit analyses of existing �gdee m -ag regulations. aas ding s t ea r e And while Clean Water Act reauthoiizatiaa is not yet on the � cadesSenate's environmental agenda,the House Transportation and 'Kgrxibe w � rn esu Infrastructure Committee last week began markup of an industry- Marn ng, ha�$as iRerltiypian ed�*hi� friendly CWA measure(H.R.961)that has drawn stinging criticism �roJect i `p jigs o out s#,e from EPA official and environmental groups. Colorado `f ata`(e ewNl�xTco� _5.- �� rig `� •.r 10- USGS stadp prompts aanoern about MTBE in groundwater 's IncM,ased luti n. a I'. ndad `ig o �� _ ey -gasoline additive MTBE is %`N0stVhh t&tre s[u. � �and" �prom�g groundwater concerns that have centered on Denver but spread across the country. ath�NeuiVllle"x�co. `'dP11 yflie USGS officials are expected this week to release results of MTBE Sumdu zI Reclamiilori;,�vvtdch whitb`aiid contamination in eight other US cities.Last month,officials announced Anima`sda Plata,'�stiould�ondumorr3l} that low levels of MTBE were found xi 23 of 29 shallow wells in the studeS on the ifl " on _d!rid i rl9f�ts;settlemj �yy" � fiver metro area,prompting concerns about the gasoline additive's m Cast$7t0 mTlllon. use in the city's oxygenated fuel Program,which is used to reduce • ; � 's+ •- a�, carbon monoxide in waiter months The Denver groundwater results, N eff��A elp�nellove which averaged 0 6 pg/L.were the highest in the country. -� am aha Awa Already,a Wisconsin lawmaker by asked his state to test for • � atet�c MTBE contamination in six southeastern Wisconsin counties The `�` ` estra rid „�m ►oe ms e s o counties—Milwaukee.Waukesha.Racine,Kenosha.Washington and �n Ozaukee—have been using the additive since Jan. I because the do MZerriseilrNg' I mlllWii'people:lti•�`two= g Y Year:X40-million Jirbject`'to connec coo`,, not meet federal clean air standards.Results are expected this week, additional pumping sltes will help-ease = but Milwaukee offidaLs-announced April 2 that tests of their dnnlong z varpurnpin' ng Welffields, pits µ, water did not find any MTBE. • Ali-spin ihe;eJioq-s";a6teep bll teens, - Colorado health officials say that MTBE,which has bee in use ang fio,ot�r`s'�als m the Wesf�oast k since n fours at levels too low to be considered a health R9D16?W Waw"'"' ,Authority, 4nwhile, [adda`INwer_Co y. 'k• ut ey voiced concern that the problem could Be growing and 1uj d plans;of;irtiiiater tpeline g ni called for more study State drinking water officials have a request I A'fferi�aridoijnd' aii�esiKhh �mpa before the Legislature for$150,000 in stream water quality monitoring { � kr10igg oiltleal a pos an funds that could be used to help study MTBE, and EPA Region 8 also is looking for money.