House concurs in Senate changes to school PCB-testing requirement, extending deadline to 2035

The House voted by voice to concur in the Senate’s amended version of House Bill 542, which changes the state’s approach to required PCB testing in schools built before 1980.

Member from Cornwall told the chamber the Senate’s strike-all amendment departs from the House-passed language: instead of ending testing requirements, the Senate extends the deadline for schools to complete PCB testing to 2035 to allow time for potential funding to become available. The amendment also establishes a special fund to receive any future appropriations or the proceeds of litigation against PCB manufacturers that could be used for testing and remediation, requires schools seeking major renovation funds to test before qualifying for state construction dollars, and asks the Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) for an estimate of testing, mitigation and remediation costs and a funding plan.

In response to an interrogation from Member from Walden, presenters clarified that the amendment does not provide a carve-out for schools that already completed testing and remediation; to date, remediation that exceeded Vermont action levels has been reimbursed by the state. Committees recommended concurrence on favorable straw polls, and the presiding officer announced the chamber’s concurrence by voice vote.

The clerk had emailed the Senate proposal of amendment to members earlier in the day and paper copies were available at the main table.