Sponsor
Michael Lawler
Representative · R-NY
Representative · R-NY
The bill mandates a short-turnaround, standardized GAO count of homes and public housing near Superfund sites that improves information for residents and policymakers but imposes administrative costs, may be limited by the tight six-month deadline, and does not itself require cleanup or funding.
Residents living within one mile of NPL (Superfund) sites will receive clearer, standardized counts of nearby homes and public housing, giving communities actionable information for health and housing decisions.
State and local policymakers and agencies will have standardized, nationwide data to better prioritize cleanup, community assistance, and resource allocation near hazardous sites.
Public housing and low-income residents could be identified for targeted remediation, relocation, or assistance policies if the study documents high concentrations of public housing near Superfund sites.
Residents near NPL sites may learn about proximity risks from the report but receive no guaranteed cleanup, funding, or immediate relief as a result of the study.
The six-month statutory deadline could force a rushed or incomplete analysis, reducing accuracy and limiting the report's usefulness for communities and decisionmakers.
Preparing the required GAO study will impose administrative workload and may require additional resources or divert staff time from other oversight tasks.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires GAO to report counts of residential and public housing units within one mile of each Superfund NPL site and deliver the report within six months.
Official title: To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study that identifies how many residential dwelling units, and how many dwelling units in public housing, are located within 1 mile of a superfund site.
Introduced February 17, 2026 by Michael Lawler · Last progress February 17, 2026
Requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study and report how many residential dwelling units — including public housing units (as defined in federal law) — are located within one mile of every Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) site. The GAO must deliver the report to Congress within six months of the law taking effect. The law otherwise contains only a short title and the reporting requirement.