The Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments (SDWAA) signed by President Bill Clinton on 6 August 1996 contain a little noted provision that may one day be regarded as an important milestone in environmental law. Currently, multiple statutes each narrowly focused on a single environmental medium (e.g., air, water, or land) form the basis of U.S. environmental protection efforts. Section 109(b) of the SDWAA represents a departure from this type of medium-by-medium regulation, however. It embraces a more holistic approach, allowing states to have multimedia radon reduction programs in lieu of compliance with the radon drinking water standard and requiring the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to approve such programs provided they offer equivalent health benefits.
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