Committee hears plan to scale PCB testing in schools, but funding gap leaves many tests unpaid

The Education committee heard testimony on H.542 and the state budget’s treatment of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in school buildings, as Department of Environmental Conservation officials proposed narrowing a mandate for universal testing and creating a special fund to prioritize limited resources.

“For the record, my name is Matt Chapman. I am the Director of Waste Management Prevention with the Department of Environmental Conservation,” Chapman told the committee, and he said “there is not any funding in the governor’s 2027 budget for PCBs and schools.” He described $9.5 million in prior appropriations still in play and said about $4,000,000 remains available, largely earmarked for work at Green Mountain Union School.

Chapman outlined draft changes to H.542 that would remove the statutory 2027 deadline for universal testing, require testing when a school seeks state construction aid, and permit schools to test voluntarily under state supervision and potential reimbursement depending on future funding. He said the agency would encourage voluntary testing and provide guidance so testing…