EPA holds in-person regional roadshow to help communities access historic Investing in America funding for local climate and environmental justice solutions

COLUMBIA, SC (May 16, 2024) — As part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Community, Equity & Resiliency initiative, a groundbreaking effort to help communities across the nation navigate the EPA’s Inflation Reduction Act investments and other new funding opportunities made possible by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the EPA is hosting a national series of in-person, community-based Regional Roadshow events. On Monday, May 13, 2024, the roadshow stopped in Florence, SC. to provide local leaders opportunities to come together to develop or leverage community-based partnerships to implement local climate and environmental justice solutions. 

“EPA’s Regional Roadshow is critical in helping communities learn and cultivate ideas on how to access unprecedented EPA resources to confront the climate crisis and advance environmental justice.” said Theresa Segovia, Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights. “We are so thankful that the communities in Florence, South Carolina have allowed us to share more about EPA’s opportunities, and we look forward to celebrating the work that’s already being done by local leaders and groups.”

“Ensuring that the unprecedented investments from the Inflation Reduction Act—a key component of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda—reach those most profoundly affected by climate and environmental challenges is of critical importance,” said Jennifer Macedonia, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Implementation for the Office of Air and Radiation. “Through EPA’s Community, Equity & Resiliency initiative and the Regional Roadshow events, we are equipping historically underserved communities with the essential resources, vital information, and unwavering support they need to create needed change.” 

“The Community, Equity & Resiliency initiative creates engagements that are designed to spark ideas on how to take advantage of Investing in America programs,” said Acting EPA Region 4 Administrator Jeaneanne Gettle. “The various sessions provided opportunities for local community leaders to leverage existing community-based partnerships and cultivate ideas on the Inflation Reduction Act and other programs.”

“It was an honor to host the CER Regional Roadshow for Region 4 in Florence, South Carolina. I believe the elements of this program will be a major tool in moving Florence forward and toward being a green city,” said Florence Mayor, Teresa Myers Ervin. “I would personally like to thank CER Regional Roadshow for providing resources for our citizens and neighboring communities, so that they may have access to resources to meet their individual goals.”

"As one of the Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (TCTAC) serving EPA Region 4 and the State of South Carolina, we were excited to co-sponsor this roadshow event," said Dr. Beverly Wright, Founder and Executive Director of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice. "The event was a great opportunity to share information about the technical assistance and training our Center offers to help community-based organizations seize this moment of opportunity to secure funding to accelerate their community vision for change."

Through this initiative, the EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation and Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights are providing spaces for communities to develop new or deeper community-based partnerships. Regional Roadshow attendees will learn about historic funding and technical assistance through programming that is designed to be especially helpful for overburdened communities. These events will help them confront the climate crisis and advance environmental justice locally as they learn, connect, and cultivate ideas on how to access these extraordinary resources. 

Discover more and register for the Regional Roadshow event in Florence, SC.

Upcoming Regional Roadshow Events and Community, Equity & Resiliency Resources 

To learn more about the Community, Equity & Resiliency initiative, watch the Virtual Open House panel discussions and fireside chats, access resources to help communities and register for upcoming events, visit the EPA’s Community, Equity & Resiliency webpage.

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Court Approves EPA Settlement Requiring Payment of Response Costs at Missouri Electric Works Superfund Site in Cape Girardeau, Missouri

LENEXA, KAN. (MAY 15, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the court approval of a settlement agreement with 36 private parties and three federal agencies for payment of EPA’s past and future cleanup costs at the Missouri Electric Works Superfund Site in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

The settlement agreement is issued under the authority of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), commonly known as Superfund.

Under the terms of the settlement, the polluting private parties will pay $6,074,739 and the federal agencies, also responsible for pollution, will pay $600,798 to the United States to satisfy EPA’s past and future cleanup costs. Additionally, the private parties will pay $625,261 and the federal agencies will pay $61,839 to the state of Missouri in settlement of state response costs.

The site is an approximately 6.4-acre parcel, located in Cape Girardeau, at which the former Missouri Electric Works Inc. sold, serviced, and remanufactured transformers and other equipment containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Releases of PCBs and volatile organic compounds from the facility resulted in soil and groundwater contamination at the site. EPA has been overseeing investigation and cleanup at the site since the 1980s.

EPA designated the property as a Superfund site in 1990. Under Superfund, EPA enforces the “polluter pays” principle, which holds responsible parties accountable for cleanup and reimbursement of EPA’s oversight costs throughout a contaminated site’s history.

For more information, visit the Missouri Electric Works Superfund Site Profile page.

Learn more about the Superfund program.

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EPA Announces Final Rule to Improve Public Awareness of Drinking Water Quality

WASHINGTON - Today, May 15, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a final rule to make annual drinking water quality reports more understandable and accessible to the public. These reports are an important tool that drinking water systems use to inform residents about water quality and any contaminants that have been found in the water. Starting in 2027, this final rule will ensure that these reports are easier to read and support access to translations in appropriate languages while enhancing information about lead in drinking water. EPA is also taking steps to streamline the delivery of reports by encouraging electronic methods.

“EPA is taking action today to help ensure that the American public has improved access to information about the drinking water in their communities by strengthening requirements for annual drinking water quality reports,” said acting Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Water Bruno Pigott. “Today's announcement will ensure these reports are easier to understand, and easier to access in additional languages to provide all people with the information they want and need about their water.”

The final rule will support public education by more clearly communicating important information in water quality reports and improving access to the reports. Water systems are currently required to provide annual drinking water reports to customers each year, and with this rule systems serving over 10,000 customers will be required to distribute reports twice per year. The final rule also introduces a new reporting requirement that will provide EPA with better information to make decisions on oversight, enforcement, regulatory revisions, and training and technical assistance. Today’s final rule will require states to submit compliance monitoring data they already receive from public water systems to EPA annually. 

Learn more about EPA’s Revised Consumer Report Rule, including upcoming webinars and fact sheet that provides more detail on the new requirements.

Background

A Consumer Confidence Report, sometimes called a “Drinking Water Quality Report,” summarizes information about the local drinking water. As part of the America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, Congress instructed EPA to revise the Consumer Confidence Report Rule. Today’s final rule will support the goal of the Safe Drinking Water Act “right-to-know” provisions by improving the Consumer Confidence Reports so that people can make better decisions about their drinking water. EPA’s final rule will work to further that goal by making sure important information in annual reports are accurate and accessible.

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EPA, DEQ, Panhandle Health celebrate 50 years of protecting children from lead poisoning

Today, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Basin Environmental Improvement Project Commission are celebrating decades of work to protect Silver Valley children from lead poisoning after the infamous 1973 Bunker Hill smelter baghouse fire, the worst lead poisoning event in U.S. history. The work has made the Silver Valley a much healthier place to live, work, and play.

For the last 50 years EPA and its partners – Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Panhandle Health District, and the Basin Commission -- have cleaned up countless abandoned mines, treated and re-forested hundreds of acres of metals-laden hillsides, and removed millions of tons of contaminated soil from over 7,000 residential and school yards, play areas, roads, streambeds, and mine sites.

Over the last 50 years, average blood lead levels in children tested by Panhandle Health District have declined from about 67 to 2 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL), well below the Centers for Disease Control’s reference value of 3.5 (µg/dL). The work at the Bunker Hill Superfund Site is nowhere near complete but vast improvements have been made and should be celebrated.

Background: Fire at the Bunker Hill Baghouse

By September 3, 1973, when a fire disabled much of the main pollution control device on the Bunker Hill Mine’s lead smelter in Smelterville, Idaho, the “Silver Valley” had been grappling for almost 100 years with significant environmental and public health problems caused by the mining and processing of the region’s abundant metals.

Some companies attempted to protect workers from debilitating illnesses that were cutting short their careers and their lives. In fact, in its 2005 report on cleanup of the Bunker Hill Superfund Site, the National Academies of Science noted that “By 1920, Bunker Hill management realized that their smelter could be causing some health risks for its employees and initiated an unproven electrolytic treatment for removing the lead from their bodies.”

And for decades, Bunker Hill Mining Corporation -- the largest lead and zinc mine in the U.S. -- and other mining companies in the Silver Valley had been compensating downstream farmers for damage to crops and livestock. The mining companies also purchased “pollution easements” allowing them to discharge mine tailings directly into the South Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River and several of its tributaries.

After the baghouse fire was extinguished, the mine’s owner, Gulf Resources, determined that the financial benefits of continuing to operate the crippled smelter were greater than the legal risks of spewing huge amounts of lead and other pollutants into the community. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry, a division within CDC, the smelter poured an average of 73 tons of lead each month into Smelterville and surrounding Kellogg neighborhoods from September 1973 until August 1974 when it was shut down.

Unsurprisingly, a 1976 study conducted by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare in the months following the fire found that 99 percent of Smelterville children had blood lead levels at or above the CDC’s level of concern at the time. These were among the highest blood levels ever recorded.

Armed at the time with limited authorities, health and environmental agencies scrambled to stop dangerous waste and pollution management practices and simultaneously reduce kids’ exposures to lead soil and dust. The work had near immediate impacts: By 1981 only 19 percent of Smelterville children tested had blood lead levels that exceeded that era’s national average.

Despite effective work combatting the acute crisis in Smelterville and Kellogg, annual flooding events, development, ongoing mine and smelting operations, and even mine closures continued to inject more pollution into communities throughout the Silver Valley, repeatedly exposing children to dangerous levels of lead.

Of particular concern was the impact of acidic smelter emissions on the inability of the surrounding hillsides to grow vegetation after they’d been heavily logged to build the mines, towns, and railroads. The denuded unfertile hillsides had become little more than enormous deposits of metals-laden soil with nothing to keep it in place during the yearly spring floods that regularly inundated and contaminated downstream communities like Wallace and Kellogg.

In 1983, EPA listed the Bunker Hill Mining and Metallurgical Complex as a Superfund site. Expanded in 2002, the BHSS includes environmental cleanup and restoration work in areas contaminated by mining waste in the Coeur d’Alene River Watershed totaling about 1,500 square miles. It is one of the largest Superfund sites in the nation.

Armed with a spate of new environmental statutes, state and federal agencies took on the problem, removing wastes from countless abandoned mines, treating and re-foresting the denuded hillsides, and placing millions of tons of contaminated soil into repositories where it is securely stored and monitored. Previously acidic streams once devoid of life now host abundant fish populations and nurse the trees and shrubs that stabilize their banks and reduce dangerous flooding.

Panhandle Health District’s Kellogg office has conducted free annual blood lead testing to help identify children with elevated blood lead levels and determine how they’re being exposed to lead. The EPA and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality focus their cleanup efforts on properties with high lead levels that pose the greatest risk to children. So far, EPA has removed leaded soils from over 7,000 properties throughout the Silver Valley.

Ultimately, the 1973 baghouse fire set in motion an enormous amount of work to mitigate the devastating impacts that mining and smelting had had on the environment and the health of the people in the Silver Valley and downstream communities. That work has protected generations of children from elevated blood lead levels and transformed much of the landscape that contributed to the public health risks confronted by the region’s residents.

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New EPA Survey Highlights Wastewater Infrastructure Needs to Protect Waterbodies in Communities Across the Country

WASHINGTON – Yesterday, May 13, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency transmitted a report to Congress outlining clean water infrastructure investments—including wastewater and stormwater system upgrades—that are needed over the next 20 years. Through the Clean Watersheds Needs Survey, states and U.S. territories report on future capital costs or investment needs to maintain and modernize publicly owned wastewater treatment works, stormwater infrastructure, nonpoint source control, and decentralized wastewater treatment systems like septic tanks. These investments are essential to supporting the Clean Water Act’s goal that our nation’s waters are fishable and swimmable.

 The 2022 survey represents the most recent comprehensive and robust report on wastewater, stormwater, and other clean water infrastructure needs in the U.S., and shows that at least $630 billion will be needed over the next 20 years to protect our nation’s waterbodies. 

“Protecting our nations waterways is vital for healthy communities. They provide sources of drinking water, support farming, power economic opportunity and transport and allow for recreation and fishing,” said Acting Assistant Administrator for Water Bruno Pigott. “This survey is an important estimate of needs that is based on information collected from the communities themselves. President Biden has secured the largest investments in history for water infrastructure, putting America in a strong position to help local systems protect our nation’s water quality.”

EPA has many federal funding resources available for communities and utilities to improve vital drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides a historic $50 billion investment in upgrading critical water infrastructure – with almost $13 billion going to wastewater and stormwater management. EPA’s Clean Water State Revolving fund has supported over $160 billion in infrastructure since its inception in 1987, and EPA’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program has issued over $43 billion in financing for water infrastructure projects since 2018.

 Learn more about the survey and access the interactive dashboard.

Background

 This is the 17^th survey conducted since the passage of the Clean Water Act over 50 years ago. The last survey was conducted in 2012. Along with the needs data, the survey also collected technical data from all existing treatment facilities (e.g., flow, population served, effluent level, etc.). As of January 2022, there are 17,544 POTWs serving 270.4 million Americans, or 82% of the population. This information can be viewed and downloaded on the CWNS website.

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EPA Announces Over $2.8M in Available Grants to Upgrade Stormwater and Sewer Infrastructure in Region 7

LENEXA, KAN. (MAY 14, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of $2,883,000 in funding through the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program to help communities address stormwater and sewer infrastructure needs in Region 7. Safely managing stormwater is critical to preventing contaminants, including untreated sewage, from polluting waterways.

EPA’s grant funding is available to states to support projects in cities and towns that will strengthen their stormwater collection systems to be more resilient against increasingly intense rain events made worse by the climate crisis.

Funding allotments available to Region 7 states are as follows:

• Iowa: $326,000
• Kansas: $461,000
• Missouri: $1,567,000
• Nebraska: $529,000

“This funding is an opportunity for small and financially struggling communities to obtain no-cost grants for critical stormwater and sewer system needs,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister. “No-cost grants help to ensure that upgrade prices do not get passed on to utility customers, and that’s a win for our community members.”

When rain and floodwaters overrun sewer and stormwater systems, they bypass treatment and transport pollution and sewage directly into creeks, streams, and rivers. These untreated discharges threaten human health, economic prosperity, and ecological function.

Stormwater management is a complex challenge for communities across the country. Through changes made by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this grant program will prioritize stormwater infrastructure projects in small and/or financially distressed and disadvantaged communities and prevent cost-share requirements from being passed on to these communities.

Additional funding for stormwater and wastewater upgrades is available through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and EPA’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is providing $11.7 billion to states to upgrade wastewater infrastructure through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. Additionally, the seventh round of EPA’s WIFIA financing is available – with $6.5 billion through WIFIA and $1 billion through the State infrastructure financing authority WIFIA (SWIFIA) program.

EPA is currently accepting letters of interest for WIFIA and SWIFIA, a loan program exclusively for state infrastructure financing authority borrowers. Learn more about submitting a letter of interest for a WIFIA loan. 

These programs advance President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which sets a goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal climate, clean energy, affordable and sustainable housing, and other investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.

Learn more about the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program.

Background

Stormwater can be a significant source of water pollution and a public health concern. It can collect various pollutants, including trash, chemicals, oils, and dirt/sediment, and convey them to nearby waterways. When mixed with domestic and industrial wastewater in combined sewers, stormwater can also contribute to combined sewer overflows during heavy storm events.

EPA is working with local and state partners to leverage the resources of the federal government to meet the needs of these communities. In the past, states and communities shared a fixed portion of the costs associated with all projects funded through the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law changed the program so that 25% of its funds go to available projects in small and/or financially distressed communities; it also limited states’ abilities to pass on the burden of cost sharing to these communities.

To encourage investment in these critical projects, EPA modified the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program so that state grantees are not required to contribute cost-share money for program projects located in small or financially distressed communities. However, grant portions that go to communities other than small or financially distressed ones will include a cost-share requirement.

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EPA, Congresswoman Wexton host event recognizing progress in accelerated cleanup, new waterline at Hidden Lane

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator and U.S. Rep. Jennifer Wexton (VA-10) celebrated the significant progress made in addressing contamination and restoring safe drinking water at the Hidden Lane Landfill Superfund site in Sterling, Virginia.  

EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz with Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton and Loudoun County Supervisor Juli Briskman.

Thanks to more than $22 million made available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the event marked the EPA’s aggressive remediation efforts in removing the TCE source area and preparing for installing a new waterline that will provide more than 110 homes with safe drinking water.   

"The EPA is committed to safeguarding our environment and communities," said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. "Thanks to resources provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the EPA and its partners have accelerated cleanup efforts at the Hidden Lane Landfill Superfund site to remove contaminants and provide safe drinking water. This incredible progress demonstrates the EPA's promise to remove contamination, revitalize communities and local economies, and deliver on our mission to protect public health and the environment." 

Loudoun County Supervisor Juli Briskman, community members and representatives from federal, state and local partners also joined the two officials.  

“I’m proud that thanks to our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we’re taking long-awaited action to clean up the Hidden Lane Superfund site in Sterling," said U.S. Rep. Jennifer Wexton (VA-10). This will make our community healthier and safer. I applaud the efforts currently underway here by the EPA and state and local agencies to remove toxic substances from the soil and groundwater, including the dangerous chemical TCE which has been tied to Parkinson’s Disease. I look forward to continuing to support this cleanup in any way that I can." 

 

The historic BIL funding invested $3.5 billion in Superfund cleanups across the country, dramatically empowering the EPA to address legacy pollution and protect public health and surrounding communities. The final wave of funding was announced in February. 

Altogether, the Hidden Lane Landfill Superfund site received: 

• Approximately $5 million for TCE source area cleanup 
• Approximately $17 million for the installation of a new public waterline 

Excavation at the site started Feb. 20 and is set to finish later this year. Construction on the waterline is also expected to begin later this year.  

The Hidden Lane Landfill Superfund site, located between the Broad Run Farms and CountrySide communities, was added to the National Priorities List in 2008. 

Community members can email r3-hidden.lane@epa.gov with questions or concerns about the cleanup process.  

Visit the Hidden Lane Landfill Superfund site profile page for more information.

EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz speaking at a podium.

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EPA completes removal of over 100,000 cubic yards of contamination at the Raymark Superfund Site

STRATFORD, CONN. (May 14, 2024) – Yesterday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash joined members of the Connecticut Congressional delegation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the Mayor of Stratford, and local community members to highlight the significant progress made at the Raymark Industries, Inc. Superfund Site under funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

"This unprecedented funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has allowed EPA and its partners to deliver on our promise to protect the community from legacy contamination, as well as cleanup and restore land for reuse in Stratford," said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. "Though there's still a long road ahead of us, we're looking forward to continuing full steam ahead, restoring additional properties and bringing the Raymark cleanup to completion."

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for the Stratford, Connecticut site propelled the cleanup forward, thus far EPA and its partners have been able to complete the following activities:

• More than 100,000 cubic yards of contamination excavated and removed;
• 28 properties cleaned up and restored, including 12 active businesses;
• 1/3 of a mile of Ferry Creek cleaned up and working to restore the natural habitat by planting over an acre of wetland seed, live stakes, and nearly 1,000 trees and shrubs;
• More than 10,000 air samples collected from 9 monitoring stations to confirm the air remained safe;
• Provided 30 to 50 jobs each workday including engineers, scientists, machine operators, laborers and truck drivers.

Officials took a tour of the remediated properties to view the progress and participated in a roundtable conversation with local community members to discuss the positive impacts that the cleanup has had on the town. EPA Regional Administrator Cash and partners also conducted a ceremonial removal of a Public Health Advisory sign which had been posted decades ago to warn against exposure to Raymark contamination in the upstream portion of Ferry Creek but is no longer needed now that this portion of the creek has been cleaned up.

What They Are Saying

"Thanks to $113 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Stratford's Raymark Superfund site is being transformed from a perilously polluted old industrial site to a healthy, economically viable property," said U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal. "Under the EPA's leadership, dangerous levels of pollution and contamination have been removed, natural wetland and woodland habitats have been restored, and 28 properties have been remediated. I am thrilled to see strong federal resources in action here in Stratford, and I will keep fighting for additional funding to complete these transformative projects across Connecticut."

"The progress made toward cleaning up the Raymark Superfund Site would not have been possible without the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 100,000 cubic yards is a big milestone, and it's great to see the EPA invested in making sure the project is completed. This cleanup will restore the natural habitat, bring good-paying jobs to Stratford, and, most importantly, give families and local businesses peace of mind for years to come," said U.S. Senator Chris Murphy.

"This is a great day for the Town of Stratford and the many residents and business owners who have been impacted by Raymark and though we still have work to do, I am so glad to see the incredible progress with the remediation work that has been completed to date," said U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro, CT-03. "I was proud to support the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for many reasons, and the $3.5 billion allocated for Superfund cleanup work was one, knowing what an impact it could make here in Stratford. Most importantly, this project is ensuring the remediation of environmental hazards, but with that has also come additional stormwater infrastructure that will have an impact for the entire community. We started this process with some very difficult challenges -- the partnership and trust that has been built between the community, the EPA, and DEEP has been hard won, and in working together real improvement is being realized."

"Connecticut DEEP applauds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its partnership in the cleanup of Raymark waste material from various parcels in southern Stratford," said Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Katie Dykes. "These efforts, made possible through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, have resulted in the removal of 100,000 cubic yards of Raymark waste from commercial properties, inland wetlands, coastal areas, and tidal wetlands. This incredible federal state, and local partnership is getting the job done as these historically contaminated sites are being properly remediated and restored to become places that will be safer to recreate in and utilized for positive re-use."

"First and foremost, I would like to recognize the EPA and its administrators over the years for understanding the importance and for continuing to advocate for the full scope of this remediation project. The EPA has championed moving the remediation forward in many ways, and I am grateful for the initial $95 million appropriated and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that continued to fund the collaborative efforts of the EPA and Stratford in the remediation process," said Stratford Mayor Laura R. Hoydick. I would also like to acknowledge our Health Director, Andrea Bossevain, and Health Program Associate, Alivia Coleman, for their dedication to such a substantial project. Andrea has spent 33+ years overseeing the partnership on this between the Town and the EPA, first as a consultant and then as our Health Director, and for the past ten years Alivia has worked with the EPA to ensure the project continues to run smoothly and efficiently. I am very proud of the progress that has been made as we work towards completing this critically important remediation. I would also like to thank Andrea, Alivia, and Stratford's departments, and the EPA, for their transparency and thoughtful communication with our residents throughout the process. We are fortunate to have a fantastic team making great strides while always keeping the public's health as a top priority. I am also grateful and thankful to Stratford's residents who have lived with the scars of Raybestos and who have continued to work with the federal, state and local governments through the long length of this project."

Background

The 34-acre Stratford site, added to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1995, was the location of the Raymark Industries, Inc., a manufacturer of automotive breaks, clutch parts, and other friction components. Raymark operated at this location from 1919 until 1989 when operations ceased, leaving behind contamination in area soil, sediment, surface water and groundwater that consisted of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), asbestos, lead, copper, and about a dozen other chemical compounds known to be carcinogenic or otherwise toxic to human health and the environment. The Raymark manufacturing waste was historically discharged to a series of unlined lagoons allowing chemicals to seep into the groundwater and overflow to a nearby creek. Periodically, sludge was removed from these lagoons and disposed of as fill on the former facility property. Over time, this waste material was given away as free fill used within the Town of Stratford at a minimum of 46 residential properties and over two dozen other commercial, recreational and municipal properties. In addition, several wetland areas near the Housatonic River were also filled in with Raymark's manufacturing waste.

In 1980, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), commonly known as Superfund, was passed. The novel law gave EPA the authority and funds to hold polluters accountable for cleaning up the most contaminated sites across the country. When no viable responsible party is found or cannot afford the cleanup, funds appropriated by Congress are used. A tax on chemical and petroleum industries provided funds to the Superfund Trust fund for Superfund cleanups up until the taxing authority expired in 1995. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law reinstated the chemical excise taxes and invested an additional $3.5 billion in environmental remediation at Superfund sites, making it one of the largest investments in American history to address the legacy pollution that harms human health and the environment of communities and neighborhoods.

More information:

Raymark Industries, Inc. Superfund Site webpage: epa.gov/superfund/raymark

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EPA grant set to bring recycling transformation to Northern Shenandoah

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz presented the Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission with a $3.9 million Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling grant for new and expanded recycling infrastructure during a ceremony in Winchester, Virginia.   Joined by state and local officials, the EPA celebrated awarding the grant that will help re-establish curbside recycling, upgrade tire grinding operations, and purchase upgraded recycling receptacles, which will have an immediate impact on the region, including rural underserved communities that don't have easy access to recycling services, in support of the agency's commitment to advancing sustainability initiatives.    "The Biden-Harris Administration's Investing in America agenda is tackling environmental challenges across our nation, and this is another historic investment to address waste management issues in our local communities," said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. "We're proud to deliver these critical resources provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support recycling initiatives and environmental stewardship to build a more resilient, sustainable and cleaner future for the Northern Shenandoah Valley."    The NSVRC was one of 25 community organizations selected for the SWIFR grant. This grant will support NSVRC’s plans for transforming recycling services to include: Approximately 10,000 curbside recycling containers 63 recycling containers at convenience centers, landfills and other sites Diverting more than 750 tons of tires from landfills   "We are honored to receive nearly $4 million in competitive funding from the EPA to enhance recycling infrastructure in the Northern Shenandoah Valley,” said Dennis Morris, Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission chairman. “This award will be instrumental in upgrading our recycling facilities, meeting the goals of our solid waste management plan, and fostering sustainable waste management practices through collaborative efforts."   The EPA announced more than $100 million from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda in September 2023 to expand recycling infrastructure and waste management systems across the country.   This funding is part of the EPA’s most significant recycling investment in 30 years, thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The SWIFR grant also supports the agency’s National Recycling Strategy by enabling a “circular economy” to keep materials and products in use longer.    Visit the EPA website for more information on the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling grant program. EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz and partners from the Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission and County and Local Officials holding a ceremonial check. EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz speaking at a podium.   EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz talking with Joe Wilder Dept. Director of Public Works for Frederick County.

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EPA Announces $39 million to Modernize Infrastructure in Illinois with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law from the Biden-Harris Administration

CHICAGO – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a $39 million Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan to Bloomington and Normal Water Reclamation District in central Illinois. This WIFIA loan will help finance the district’s Wastewater System Modernization and Rehabilitation Program, which will provide essential public health and environmental protections while supporting economic growth. 

“Investing in water infrastructure is one of the best bets we can make to help our communities grow and thrive,” said EPA Acting Assistant Administrator for Water Bruno Pigott. “Through our WIFIA program and historic funding delivered by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is investing in communities across the country to provide clean and safe water that is essential to residents, schools, and businesses. I’m excited that Bloomington, Illinois, has secured a $39 million WIFIA loan to upgrade wastewater treatment and better protect residents and the local environment.” 

Bloomington and Normal Water Reclamation District’s modernization and rehabilitation program will upgrade the wastewater system that serves over 130,000 residents. The district will rehabilitate its wastewater treatment plant and conveyance systems to comply with environmental regulations, increase system resiliency, and reduce combined sewer overflows. By converting backup generators from diesel fuel to natural gas and generating solar power, the district will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy costs, while improving air quality. Additionally, the district will conduct a study to identify sources of PFAS and recommend strategies to reduce discharges of these “forever chemicals” to local waters.  

“The district’s primary mission is the long-term protection of public health and the environment. Borrowing through the WIFIA program enables the accelerated renovation of aged facilities and construction of new facilities to meet and/or exceed NPDES permit standards,” said Tim Ervin, Executive Director of the Bloomington-Normal Water Reclamation District. “Through the strong support of Senator Duckworth and Senator Durbin of this EPA program, the construction and installation of this infrastructure will preserve and improve the water quality of Sugar and Little Kickapoo Creek for future generations in Central Illinois.”   

With this loan, the district expects to save $10 million and create about 250 jobs. It is the first Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act loan under a Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act master agreement that will commit $157 million accelerate rehabilitating the district’s wastewater system. 

Since its creation, EPA’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act program has announced over $20 billion in financing to support over $43 billion in water infrastructure projects that are strengthening drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure while creating over 140,000 jobs. 

EPA’s WIFIA loans are an important piece of the Biden-Harris Administration’s work Investing in America this Infrastructure Week. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, signed in November of 2021, provides $50 billion to invest in water infrastructure. Today, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law-funded projects are breaking ground nationwide while tackling legacy pollution, upgrading drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, and making communities more resilient to the effects of climate change.

Learn more about EPA’s WIFIA Program and water infrastructure investments under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

Background  

Established by the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014, the WIFIA program is a federal loan program administered by EPA. The WIFIA program aims to accelerate investment in the nation’s water infrastructure by providing long-term, low-cost supplemental credit assistance for regionally and nationally significant projects. The WIFIA program has an active pipeline of pending applications for projects that will result in billions of dollars in water infrastructure investment and thousands of jobs. 
 
EPA is currently in its 7th selection round for WIFIA financing. In this round, EPA is offering $6.5 billion through WIFIA, and $1 billion through SWIFIA, which is a loan program exclusively for State infrastructure financing authority borrowers. EPA is currently accepting letters of interest for WIFIA and SWIFIA loans. Learn more about submitting a letter of interest for a WIFIA loan. 
 
In addition to WIFIA loans, there are many federal funding resources available for communities and utilities to improve vital water and wastewater resources. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure and competitiveness. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides a historic $50 billion investment in upgrading critical water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure. 

  

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EPA and New York State Breaks Ground on Project to Ensure Clean Drinking Water for Hicksville, N.Y. Households

Hicksville, N.Y. (May 13, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the State of New York broke ground on a pivotal drinking water infrastructure project in Hicksville, N.Y. System operators will install a system to safeguard the community’s drinking water from PFAS chemicals, also known as ‘forever chemicals.’ The project received water infrastructure investments under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the New York State Water Infrastructure Improvement grant program.

“No matter where people live, they should feel confident about the water coming out of the faucet,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “This new system—along with other improvements under way and planned for this project—will give that assurance to the people of Hicksville.”

EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia joined U.S. Representative Tom Suozzi, New York State Department of Health Executive Deputy Commissioner Johanne Morne and New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation Director of Program Management Máire Cunningham in front of Hicksville Water District’s Plant 6 where construction is already underway. Nassau County Legislator Rose Marie Walker, Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino and Hicksville Water District Chairman Karl Schweitzer also joined the celebration.

This portion of the efforts to improve the Hicksville system is funded by a $2 million Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Emerging Contaminants grant through the New York Drinking Water State Revolving Fund program and a $3 million New York State Water Infrastructure Improvement grant. The new treatment system is designed to meet the EPA’s new final PFAS standards. In addition to the $5 million in grants for the project breaking ground today, New York State has awarded the Hicksville Water District $31 million in New York State grants to date to install treatment systems that remove emerging contaminants at their water supply well sites.

“Our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is supercharging the effort to clean-up our drinking water even while it creates good-paying jobs and boosts the Long Island economy. I’m proud that the EPA is putting $2 million in Infrastructure Law funding forward to help Hicksville Water District and New York build a water treatment system to more effectively screen out dangerous 1,4 Dioxane, PFOS, PFOA and other toxins from residents’ drinking water. This is just the beginning, and I will continue to advocate for more funding and safety improvements across Long Island,” said U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

“All New Yorkers deserve to have access to safe, reliable drinking water, yet far too many are still exposed to dangerous PFAS chemicals that are infiltrating New York water supplies,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I am thrilled to see work begin on this critical water infrastructure project that will remove PFAS chemicals from the drinking water supply for Hicksville area residents. I am proud to have helped secure the federal funding for this project by fighting to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will continue fighting for the resources needed to enhance public health and provide New Yorkers with access to safe drinking water.”

"I fought for the bipartisan infrastructure bill so we could get funding to places like the Hicksville Water District. We will need more money to protect our drinking water without raising taxes," said U.S. Representative Tom Suozzi (NY-3). "I will continue fight to bring more money back to water districts here on Long Island and in Queens."

“Today’s groundbreaking in Hicksville represents the continued commitment of both New York State and the Environmental Protection Agency to ensure our communities have access to clean drinking water, as this is a fundamentally important element to good health,”

New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald. “We thank our partners for their collaborative leadership and investments in protecting the drinking water here in Hicksville and throughout New York State.”

“EFC is proud to have provided critical grants to the Hicksville Water District since 2017 in support of vital projects that safeguard drinking water for thousands of residents in Nassau County. This financial assistance is projected to save local ratepayers over $57 million in costs the water district would have incurred if it had financed these projects on its own,” said New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation President and CEO Maureen A. Coleman. “Under the leadership of Governor Hochul, EFC and our partners in federal, state, and local government continue working to ensure that communities large and small receive the support they need to undertake projects that are vital to their residents’ public health and quality of life.”

“Thanks to the U.S. EPA under the leadership of Administrator Regan and Regional Administrator Garcia, New York State is advancing efforts to remove emerging contaminants like PFAS from drinking water in Hicksville, and communities across Long Island,” said New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar. “DEC continues to work closely with our local, state, and federal partners to upgrade critical water infrastructure statewide with significant investments thanks to the Biden Administration, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and New York State’s Clean Water Infrastructure Act and Environmental Bond Act.”

“I look forward to working together to address the remediation of emerging contaminants so that we can continue to provide safe drinking water in our communities,” said Nassau County Legislator Rose Marie Walker. “Our water districts cannot do this alone. They need all government agencies to work together so that the financial burden does not fall on the rate payers alone.”

“All over this region, we’re fighting contamination from corporations of the past where taxpayers are forced to clean up the mess. We thank the Federal and State government for allocating funds to this project and commend the Hicksville Water District for all they are doing to protect water at the tap,” stated Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino. “In Town government, we will continue doing everything we can to shine a light on the polluters who contaminated our soils and groundwater while demanding they be held accountable for the cleanup of their environmental mess.”

"The Hicksville Water District has spent the last several years aggressively planning and pursuing the most state-of-the-art treatment technology available as we treat for 1,4-dioxane and forever chemicals. Our community deserves the highest-quality drinking water possible, and we are proud to say that our efforts have been successful in doing so,” said Hicksville Water District Chairman Karl Schweitzer. “On behalf of the Hicksville community, we thank the EPA and New York State for the grant funding that has allowed us to do this work at a reduced cost to our residents."

Serving nearly 48,000 Nassau County residents, the Hicksville Water District has detected PFOA, PFOS and 1,4-dioxane in fourteen of their public water supply wells, including in the two wells at Plant No. 6 which supply 15 percent of Hicksville’s drinking water. Although levels of PFOA and PFOS at Plant No. 6 are less than the current state standard of 10 parts per trillion, they have exceeded the new federal maximum contaminant level of 4 parts per trillion. The 1,4-dioxane levels at the plant are nearing the state’s limit of 1 part per billion. 

The Hicksville Water District has been proactively blending the well water at the plant as a short-term measure to ensure that the water that comes from the tap meets water quality standards. As a long-term solution to address emerging contaminants at Plant No. 6, the Hicksville Water District will install treatment to remove PFOA, PFOS and 1,4-dioxane. The project enhances proactive public health protection with the goal of producing treated water free from detectable PFOS, PFOA and 1,4-dioxane.

Hicksville Water District has successfully completed the pre-construction phase for the new treatment building, which involved critical modifications to site piping and the placement of the electrical transformer. The project is currently on track for a June 2025 finish.

On April 10 of this year, the Biden-Harris Administration issued the first-ever national, legally enforceable drinking water standard to protect communities from exposure to harmful per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Exposure to PFAS has been linked to deadly cancers, impacts to the liver and heart, and immune and developmental damage to infants and children.

Follow EPA Region 2 on X and visit our Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.

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Biden-Harris Administration Announces $1,169,000 in Available Grants to Upgrade Stormwater and Sewer Infrastructure in Florida

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (May 10, 2024) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of nearly $1,169,000 for Florida through the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program to help communities address stormwater and sewer infrastructure needs. Safely managing stormwater is critical to preventing contaminants, including untreated sewage, from polluting waterways.  EPA’s grant funding is available to states to support projects in cities and towns that will strengthen their stormwater collection systems to be more resilient against increasingly intense rain events made worse by the climate crisis.

“Our nation’s waterways are vital to healthy communities. They provide sources of drinking water, support farming, power economic opportunity, and give us opportunities to swim and to fish. Keeping our waterways clean and safe is essential, and stormwater runoff is one of the biggest pollution challenges facing our water ecosystems,” said EPA Acting Assistant Administrator for Water Bruno Pigott. “Under President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, EPA is making grant funds available for stormwater solutions. Because it does not have to be paid back, this funding is especially effective in helping disadvantaged communities protect their waterways.”

“Sewer overflows can cause significant health and environmental problems in communities, and this historic grant funding for stormwater and sewer upgrades will encourage and support better health for people and the environment,” said Jeaneanne M. Gettle, Acting Region 4 Administrator. “By Improving the infrastructure in the Southeast communities will be able to meet the challenges presented by a changing climate.”

When rain and floodwaters overrun combined sewer and stormwater systems, they bypass treatment and transport pollution and sewage directly into creeks, streams, and rivers. These untreated discharges threaten human health, economic prosperity, and ecological function. Stormwater management is a complex challenge for communities across the country. Through changes made by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this grant program will prioritize stormwater infrastructure projects in rural (population of 10,000 or less) and/or financially distressed communities and prevent cost share requirements from being passed on to these communities.

Additional funding for stormwater and wastewater upgrades is available through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and EPA’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is providing $11.7 billion to states to upgrade wastewater infrastructure through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. Additionally, the seventh round of EPA’s WIFIA financing is available—with $6.5 billion through WIFIA and $1 billion through the State infrastructure financing authority WIFIA (SWIFIA). EPA is currently accepting letters of interest for WIFIA and SWIFIA, a loan program exclusively for State infrastructure financing authority borrowers. Learn more about submitting a letter of interest for a WIFIA loan.

 

These programs advance President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative which sets a goal that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal climate, clean energy, affordable and sustainable housing, and other investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.  

Learn more about the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program.

Background

Stormwater can be a significant source of water pollution and a public health concern. Stormwater can collect various pollutants including trash, chemicals, oils, and dirt/sediment and convey them to nearby waterways. When mixed with domestic and industrial wastewater in combined sewers, stormwater can also contribute to combined sewer overflows during heavy storm events.

EPA is working with local and state partners to leverage the resources of the federal government to meet the needs of these communities. In the past, states and communities shared a fixed portion of the costs associated with all projects funded through the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law changed the program so that 25% of Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program funds go to available projects in rural and/or financially distressed communities; it also limited states’ abilities to pass on the burden of cost sharing to these communities. To encourage investment in these critical projects, EPA modified the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program so that state grantees are not required to contribute cost share money for Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program projects located in rural or financially distressed communities. However, grant portions that go to communities other than rural or financially distressed communities will include a cost share requirement.

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Biden-Harris Administration Announces $327,000 in Available Grants to Upgrade Stormwater and Sewer Infrastructure in South Carolina

COLUMBIA, SC (May 10, 2024) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of nearly $327,000 for South Carolina through the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program to help communities address stormwater and sewer infrastructure needs. Safely managing stormwater is critical to preventing contaminants, including untreated sewage, from polluting waterways.  EPA’s grant funding is available to states to support projects in cities and towns that will strengthen their stormwater collection systems to be more resilient against increasingly intense rain events made worse by the climate crisis.  “Our nation’s waterways are vital to healthy communities. They provide sources of drinking water, support farming, power economic opportunity, and give us opportunities to swim and to fish. Keeping our waterways clean and safe is essential, and stormwater runoff is one of the biggest pollution challenges facing our water ecosystems,” said EPA Acting Assistant Administrator for Water Bruno Pigott. “Under President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, EPA is making grant funds available for stormwater solutions. Because it does not have to be paid back, this funding is especially effective in helping disadvantaged communities protect their waterways.” “Sewer overflows can cause significant health and environmental problems in communities, and this historic grant funding for stormwater and sewer upgrades will encourage and support better health for people and the environment,” said Jeaneanne M. Gettle, Acting Region 4 Administrator. “By Improving the infrastructure in the Southeast communities will be able to meet the challenges presented by a changing climate.” When rain and floodwaters overrun combined sewer and stormwater systems, they bypass treatment and transport pollution and sewage directly into creeks, streams, and rivers. These untreated discharges threaten human health, economic prosperity, and ecological function. Stormwater management is a complex challenge for communities across the country. Through changes made by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this grant program will prioritize stormwater infrastructure projects in rural (population of 10,000 or less) and/or financially distressed communities and prevent cost share requirements from being passed on to these communities. Additional funding for stormwater and wastewater upgrades is available through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and EPA’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is providing $11.7 billion to states to upgrade wastewater infrastructure through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. Additionally, the seventh round of EPA’s WIFIA financing is available—with $6.5 billion through WIFIA and $1 billion through the State infrastructure financing authority WIFIA (SWIFIA). EPA is currently accepting letters of interest for WIFIA and SWIFIA, a loan program exclusively for State infrastructure financing authority borrowers. Learn more about submitting a letter of interest for a WIFIA loan. These programs advance President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative which sets a goal that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal climate, clean energy, affordable and sustainable housing, and other investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.   Learn more about the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program. Background Stormwater can be a significant source of water pollution and a public health concern. Stormwater can collect various pollutants including trash, chemicals, oils, and dirt/sediment and convey them to nearby waterways. When mixed with domestic and industrial wastewater in combined sewers, stormwater can also contribute to combined sewer overflows during heavy storm events. EPA is working with local and state partners to leverage the resources of the federal government to meet the needs of these communities. In the past, states and communities shared a fixed portion of the costs associated with all projects funded through the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law changed the program so that 25% of Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program funds go to available projects in rural and/or financially distressed communities; it also limited states’ abilities to pass on the burden of cost sharing to these communities. To encourage investment in these critical projects, EPA modified the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program so that state grantees are not required to contribute cost share money for Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program projects located in rural or financially distressed communities. However, grant portions that go to communities other than rural or financially distressed communities will include a cost share requirement.                                                                                     ###

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Biden-Harris Administration Reports Significant Progress Toward Protecting Children from Lead Poisoning

WASHINGTON-Today, May 9, the President’s Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children is publishing the Progress Report on the Federal Lead Action Plan, a comprehensive update on the government’s progress since 2018 toward reducing childhood lead exposures. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), as co-leading members of the Task Force’s Lead Exposures Subcommittee, are leading aggressive actions to combat lead exposure.

“We’ve made excellent progress toward protecting children from the risks of lead exposure, advancing President Biden’s commitment to environmental justice and protections for all communities,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “The federal family has taken meaningful steps that will reduce lead exposure, and we are united in our commitment to improve children’s health and to ensure that populations overburdened with pollution have the opportunity to lead healthier lives.”

Children are our future. We must ensure that they have safe places to learn and grow. This progress report outlines the steps we are taking to ensure that healthier future by reducing childhood exposure to lead and shows the Biden-Harris commitment to environmental justice and health equity for all,” said Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Rachel Levine.

"Protecting the health of vulnerable populations, especially children and families with limited resources, is paramount. Our Task Force's progress in implementing the Action Plan reflects the Biden-Harris administration's shared commitment to investing resources in lead safety programs," said HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman. "The individual programs to implement Justice40 and additional administration initiatives are complemented by the many interagency activities described in the progress report."

The 2018 Federal Lead Action Plan was released with a clear vision: to reduce childhood exposure to lead and its harmful effects. Since then, the federal government has been working to implement strategies outlined in the plan, and leveraging partnerships with states, Tribes, local communities, business, and caregivers to achieve this shared goal.

The progress report summarizes the significant strides made toward reducing lead exposure and improving children’s health through landmark initiatives including:

• Reducing lead in drinking water, land, air, food, housing, and consumer products,
• Improving childhood lead poisoning testing to improve children’s health outcomes,
• Enhancing lead hazard communication with partners and the public with streamlined messaging,
• Supporting critical research that informs efforts to reduce lead exposures and health risks, and much more.

The President’s Task Force is the focal point for the federal government to scope, plan, and act together for the betterment of children’s environmental health and safety. The Task Force engages multiple government departments, agencies, and other federal partners to coordinate efforts to address the array of environmental and social stressors that threaten the health of children, with particular focus on areas including lead exposures, asthma disparities, chemical exposures, climate change, emergencies, and disasters. These efforts have complemented the Biden-Harris Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan, which laid out over 15 new commitments from more than 10 federal agencies to make sure that the federal government marshals every resource and every tool it can to make rapid progress towards ensuring a lead-free future. These efforts have also complemented the President’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.

Read the Progress Report on the Federal Lead Action Plan.

Learn more about The President’s Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children.

Join the Task Force email list

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