The House Education Committee returned after lunch on Thursday to review a strike-all amendment to S.133 that would continue PCB remediation with 100% funding. Completion dates for the program would be set for 2027.

Chairman Conlon wanted the bill, as amendment, to be voted out before they left for the Summer. He hoped to get a report from the Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) by January 2024 that included “a summary of all the schools tested, testing results and summary of the completed or planned remediation or removal, including the actual costs of testing and the actual costs or cost estimates of remediation or removal.”

As he described the program, he suggested removal or remediation of PCB contamination in Independent Schools should be funded from “sources other than the Education Fund.”

NOTE: He was not specific in his statements, so these comments are open to interpretation.

He also proceeded to identify the need for a program to test and remediate licensed childcare facilities and even registered home programs. He envisioned funding for “contingency plans for providing alternate childcare services that PCB testing requires interruption or relocation of services.”

Upon reaching the Senate the bill was referred to the Senate Education Committee and remained there. It will await further action in January.