“To assist State and Tribal governments in assessing and remediating mold, and for other purposes.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator to enter into an arrangement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study on (1) the conditions in which indoor mold assessment and remediation is warranted and (2) how to assess and remediate indoor mold properly and safely. The section requires the study to be completed, and EPA to submit a report to Congress on the results, not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act.
This section directs the Administrator, in conjunction with heads of appropriate federal agencies, to issue nonbinding national standards within two years of enactment that (1) identify levels of mold requiring assessment and remediation and (2) outline standards for properly and safely assessing and remediating mold. In issuing the standards, the Administrator must consider the results of the study conducted under section 2.
This section establishes a program to assist state and tribal governments in assessing and remediating mold, taking into consideration a study under section 2 and national standards under section 3. The program requires the Administrator to (1) award grants to state and tribal governments to establish and operate licensing programs for persons engaged in mold assessment and remediation (with preference for governments including areas highly susceptible to indoor mold based on such standards, humidity, or other Administrator-identified factors); (2) provide technical assistance to state and tribal mold assessment and remediation programs; and (3) administer training seminars on mold assessment and remediation. To carry out the program, $50 million is authorized to be appropriated for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
This section establishes a grant program under which the Administrator awards funds to state and tribal governments for assessing and remediating mold in government-owned or leased buildings—including schools and housing—and private residential properties, including single-family and multifamily homes. Grants may also cover temporary housing (up to six months, including moving costs) for severely impacted residents lacking mold insurance or sufficient resources, as determined case-by-case. As grant conditions, recipients must (1) implement a licensing program for mold assessors and remediators and (2) refrain from using funds for high-income households, as determined by the Administrator. In awarding grants, the Administrator must prioritize (1) low-income housing or buildings serving low-income communities and (2) jurisdictions highly susceptible to indoor mold based on national standards (under section 3), humidity, or other factors. The federal share is capped at 60% of costs, with at least 20% of funds reserved for government buildings and 20% for private residences. The section authorizes $50 million annually for FY2026 through 2030.
This section establishes definitions for terms used in the Act, including (1) Administrator, meaning the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; (2) mold, meaning a fungal growth that forms and spreads on various kinds of damp or decaying organic matter; and (3) State, meaning the several states, the District of Columbia, and any territory of the United States.