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Agency official outlines draft to extend PCB testing deadline for older schools, says state funding is not available
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Summary
An agency official told the Education Committee that draft 3.1 would move the testing deadline for schools built or renovated before 1980 to after Aug. 1, 2033, and set up an ANR-administered grant fund; the presenter said there is currently no money in the governor’s budget to pay for it.
An agency official told the Education Committee that draft 3.1 would push the deadline for PCB testing of public and approved schools built or renovated before 1980 to a date after Aug. 1, 2033, and would create a fund administered by the entity identified in the transcript as ANR to pay for grants for investigation, remediation and mitigation. The official cautioned that the state’s budget currently contains no funds to implement the proposal.
The official, presenting draft 3.1 (dated 04/22 at 11:16 a.m.), said the first section (line 21) “pushes out the deadline for all public schools and approved and recognized schools that were constructed or renovated before 1980 to do that PCB testing” and sets that deadline after 08/01/2033. The presenter added, “The big caveat is there’s no there’s no money,” noting the governor’s budget and related appropriations did not include funding for this work and that the environmental contingency fund lacks sufficient resources.
Section 2 of the draft, as described to the committee, would establish a fund accepting deposits to pay grants for investigation, remediation and mitigation. The agency official said the fund could include reimbursements from litigation recoveries and appropriated monies over time, and that ANR would administer grant programs to school districts “to the extent funds that are available,” with prioritization tied to facilities master plans and PCB management plans.
On the timing, the presenter said the August target was chosen to place testing after summer, giving ANR an extra season when students are not in school to complete testing logistics. The official also noted some stakeholders oppose embedding long-term prioritization of investigation and mitigation into construction rules; the committee had directed a short- to mid-term extension to allow time to look for funding and consider priorities.
A committee member asked who paid to build schools historically — the state or local communities — and the agency official responded that the state generally did not decide to build schools. The audio briefly cut out during the exchange; the meeting later referenced Act 46.
The draft as presented does not include a funding source adequate to cover the tests and remediation the official described. The committee did not take formal action on the draft during the provided transcript; the agency official said Senator Ron Hinsale had indicated she might seek funding sources.
