ARCC Letter to Bioterrorism Conference Committee

(This letter went to nine Senators and sixteen Representatives
on the Bioterrorism Conference Committee.)

March 19, 2002

The Honorable ______
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Senator ______:

The Alliance for the Responsible Use of Chlorine Chemistry urges the conferees to accept the language of Title IV of the Tauzin-Dingell Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Response Act of 2001 (H.R. 3448), which was approved overwhelmingly by the U.S. House of Representatives. The Alliance, comprised of unions and companies, recognizes its responsibility to ensure that the products of chlorine-related industries are safely used, so as to protect both people and the environment. This responsibility extends to the use of chlorine-based disinfectants by community water systems.

To help ensure the continued delivery of a safe and reliable supply of drinking water, Title IV of H.R. 3448 would require community water systems to
1) conduct comprehensive assessments of their vulnerability to terrorist attack,
2) certify to EPA that the required vulnerability assessments were conducted; and
3) prepare emergency response plans based on the results of these assessments.
We believe these new requirements are appropriate, and will help improve the security of our nation's water systems.

However, we are concerned that some groups are advocating changes to Title IV that may be unrelated to the goal of improved security. H.R. 3448 will help water systems address security challenges, considering the unique needs, resources, and conditions of the communities they serve. As the conference committee considers bioterrorism legislation, we urge you to support Title IV of the House bill as written.