What This Bill Does
The Fix Moldy Housing Act directs the Environmental Protection Agency to research mold assessment and cleanup. The bill requires the EPA to create national standards for mold testing and removal, and to help state and tribal governments establish programs and pay for mold cleanup in buildings and homes.
Who It Affects
State governments, tribal governments, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, people living in homes with mold damage, schools, and public building operators.
Key Provisions
• The EPA must hire the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study when mold assessment and cleanup is needed and how to do it safely (Sec. 2)
• The EPA must create national standards within two years that identify mold levels requiring action and outline proper assessment and cleanup methods (Sec. 3)
• The EPA must award grants to state and tribal governments to help them create licensing programs for mold assessors and remediators (Sec. 4)
• The EPA must award grants to state and tribal governments to pay for mold assessment and cleanup in public buildings, schools, and private homes (Sec. 5)
• Grant recipients may use funds to pay for temporary housing for up to six months, including moving costs, for people severely affected by mold who lack insurance and cannot afford housing on their own (Sec. 5)
What Changes
If this becomes law, state and tribal governments will receive federal money to test for mold, clean it up, and train people to do this work properly. People with severe mold damage in their homes who cannot afford repairs and have no insurance may receive temporary housing assistance paid for by grant money.
Important Definitions
Mold: a fungal growth that forms and spreads on damp or decaying organic matter. Administrator: the head of the Environmental Protection Agency. State: the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories.
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 1104
To assist State and Tribal governments in assessing and remediating mold,
and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 17, 2023
Ms. STEVENS (for herself and Mrs. GONZA´LEZ-COLO´N) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To assist State and Tribal governments in assessing and
remediating mold, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fix Moldy Housing
4
Act’’.
5
SEC. 2. STUDY ON CONDITIONS IN WHICH MOLD ASSESS-
6
MENT AND REMEDIATION IS WARRANTED.
7
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Envi-
8
ronmental Protection Agency shall enter into an arrange-
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•HR 1104 IH
ment with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineer-
1
ing, and Medicine to conduct a study on—
2
(1) the conditions in which indoor mold assess-
3
ment and remediation is warranted; and
4
(2) how to assess and remediate indoor mold
5
properly and safely.
6
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date
7
of enactment of this Act—
8
(1) the study under subsection (a) shall be com-
9
pleted; and
10
(2) the Administrator shall submit a report to
11
the Congress on the results of such study.
12
SEC. 3. STANDARDS FOR ASSESSING AND REMEDIATING
13
MOLD.
14
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the
15
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in con-
16
junction with the heads of appropriate Federal agencies,
17
shall issue nonbinding national standards that—
18
(1) identify levels of mold that should be as-
19
sessed and remediated; and
20
(2) outline standards for—
21
(A) properly and safely assessing mold;
22
and
23
(B) properly and safely remediating mold.
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(b) CONSIDERATION.—In issuing the standards
1
under subsection (a), the Administrator shall take into
2
consideration the results of the study conducted under sec-
3
tion 2.
4
SEC. 4. PROGRAM TO ASSIST STATE AND TRIBAL GOVERN-
5
MENTS WITH ASSESSING AND REMEDIATING
6
MOLD.
7
(a) PROGRAM.—Taking into consideration the results
8
of the study under section 2 and the national standards
9
under section 3, the Administrator shall carry out a pro-
10
gram to assist State and Tribal governments in carrying
11
out programs and activities to assess and remediate mold.
12
(b) GRANTS.—
13
(1) AUTHORIZATION.—In carrying out the pro-
14
gram under subsection (a), the Administrator shall
15
award grants to State and Tribal governments to es-
16
tablish a licensing program for persons engaged in
17
assessing and remediating mold.
18
(2) PERMISSIBLE
USE.—A grant awarded
19
under paragraph (1) may be used to pay the costs
20
of operating a licensing program described in para-
21
graph (1), including administrative costs.
22
(3) PREFERENCE.—In awarding grants under
23
paragraph (1), the Administrator shall give pref-
24
erence to State and Tribal governments that include
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•HR 1104 IH
geographic areas that are highly susceptible to in-
1
door mold contamination based on—
2
(A) the national standards established
3
under section 3;
4
(B) outdoor environmental conditions, such
5
as humidity; or
6
(C) other factors identified by the Admin-
7
istrator.
8
(c) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—In carrying out the
9
program under subsection (a), the Administrator shall
10
provide technical assistance to State and Tribal programs
11
to assess and remediate mold.
12
(d) TRAINING PROGRAM.—In carrying out the pro-
13
gram under subsection (a), the Administrator shall admin-
14
ister training seminars on assessing and remediating
15
mold.
16
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry
17
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated
18
$50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029.
19
SEC. 5. GRANTS FOR ASSESSMENT AND REMEDIATION OF
20
MOLD IN PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND SEVERELY
21
IMPACTED HOMES.
22
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall award
23
grants to State and Tribal governments to cover the costs
24
associated with assessing and remediating mold in—
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(1) buildings owned or leased by such govern-
1
ments, including schools and housing; and
2
(2) private residential properties, including sin-
3
gle family and multifamily properties.
4
(b) ADDITIONAL PERMISSIBLE USES OF FUNDS.—
5
In addition to uses allowed under subsection (a), a grant
6
awarded under this section may also be used to cover the
7
costs of temporary housing for periods not in excess of
8
6 months, including moving costs, for individuals who—
9
(1) are severely impacted by mold in their resi-
10
dences;
11
(2) are without insurance coverage for mold;
12
and
13
(3) do not have sufficient financial resources to
14
obtain alternative housing, as determined on a case-
15
by-case basis by the State or Tribal government.
16
(c) LICENSING PROGRAM.—As a condition on receipt
17
of a grant awarded under this section, a State or Tribal
18
government shall agree to implement a licensing program
19
for persons in the relevant jurisdiction engaged in assess-
20
ing and remediating mold.
21
(d) NOT
FOR USE
FOR HIGH-INCOME HOUSE-
22
HOLDS.—As a condition on receipt of a grant awarded
23
under this section, a State or Tribal government shall
24
agree to refrain from using the grant to assess or reme-
25
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diate mold in housing occupied by households that are,
1
as determined by the Administrator, high-income.
2
(e) PRIORITIZATION.—In awarding grants under this
3
section, the Administrator shall give priority to—
4
(1) applicants proposing to use a grant under
5
this section to assess and remediate mold in—
6
(A) housing occupied by households that
7
are, as determined by the Administrator, low-
8
income; or
9
(B) buildings serving communities that
10
are, as determined by the Administrator, low-
11
income; and
12
(2) State and Tribal governments that include
13
geographic areas that are highly susceptible to in-
14
door mold contamination based on—
15
(A) the national standards established
16
under section 3;
17
(B) outdoor environmental conditions, such
18
as humidity; or
19
(C) other factors identified by the Admin-
20
istrator.
21
(f) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of the cost
22
of activities implemented with a grant under this section
23
in any fiscal year shall not exceed 60 percent of the costs
24
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incurred by the State or Tribal government receiving the
1
grant in implementing such activities.
2
(g) ALLOCATION.—Of the funds made available to
3
carry out this section each fiscal year—
4
(1) at least 20 percent shall be used pursuant
5
to subsection (a) to cover costs associated with as-
6
sessing and remediating mold in buildings owned or
7
leased by governments; and
8
(2) at least 20 percent shall be used pursuant
9
to subsection (a) to cover costs associated with as-
10
sessing and remediating mold in private residential
11
properties.
12
(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry
13
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated
14
$50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029.
15
SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.
16
In this Act:
17
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
18
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Environ-
19
mental Protection Agency.
20
(2) MOLD.—The term ‘‘mold’’ means a fungal
21
growth that forms and spreads on various kinds of
22
damp or decaying organic matter.
23
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(3) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ includes, in ad-
1
dition to the several States, the District of Columbia
2
and any territory of the United States.
3
Æ
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