 Adjust Text Size
For Immediate Release
September 19, 2002
White/Musto:
Environmental Lab Registration Deadline is October 2
Harrisburg – State Sen. Mary Jo
White (R-21) and State Sen. Raphael Musto (D-14) are reminding operators of
environmental laboratories that a new law requires them to register their
facilities with the state by October 2.
White and Musto jointly sponsored legislation signed
into law by the governor in April that requires all laboratories performing
environmental testing in Pennsylvania to register with the state Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP) and eventually become accredited.
An environmental laboratory is any facility that
tests environmental samples used to monitor compliance with health and
environmental laws.
“Our environmental statutes don’t do much good if
the data they are based on is not reliable. There’s a lot riding on these
tests, so it makes sense to establish a registration and accreditation process
for those labs conducting them,” said White, who chairs the Senate Environmental
Resources and Energy Committee.
Rules and regulations for accreditation will be
developed over the next two years. In the interim, labs must register with
DEP. Currently, the only laboratories
accredited by DEP are those in the drinking water, oil and gas, and radon
testing programs.
“Registration and accreditation help ensure that DEP
receives accurate and credible information.
This program will increase awareness and confidence that our
environmental laws are being followed,” said Musto, who serves as Democratic
Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee.
Operators of environmental
laboratories and municipal authorities can obtain more information about the
new law on the Internet by going to www.dep.state.pa.us
and typing “lab certification” in the DirectLink box.
| 
