Bill Nelson: “the Boxer-Nelson of Florida amendment seeks to safeguard public health and improve our nation's drinking water by aiding…”

“the Boxer-Nelson of Florida amendment seeks to safeguard public health and improve our nation's drinking water by aiding water companies to secure tax-exempt bond to comply with the 10 parts per billion arsenic drinking water standard. Ironically, we offer this amendment today, May 23, 2001, one day after Environmental Protection Agency finalized its decision to delay implementation of a new arsenic standard until February 22, 2002. Thus, the 1942 arsenic standard of 50 parts per billion, a standard put in place before arsenic was known to cause cancer, remains the standard for our nation's drinking water. This is true despite the scientific data which shows that the 50 parts per billion standard could result in one additional case of cancer for every 100 people consuming drinking water. The EPA knows arsenic is dangerous. In fact, the EPA has found another danger associated with arsenic in addition to cancer: genetic alteration of our DNA. In April of this year, a team of EPA scientists published a report in 'Chemical Research Toxicology' that demonstrates that in addition to causing cancer, arsenic can induce genetic alterations to human DNA. The risks associated with arsenic are widely known not just in this country, but throughout the world. For that reason, the European Union and the World Health Organization have endorsed the 10 parts per billion standard.”