OAN Staff James Myers
10:08 AM – Tuesday, October 8, 2024
Nearly a decade after the devastating Flint water crisis, the Biden administration is calling for most of the nation's lead-contaminated water pipes to be removed within 10 years.
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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a final rule requiring water systems to replace pipes containing lead within 10 years. The agency also estimates that 96% to 99% of systems will be able to achieve this.
Meanwhile, Biden is expected to announce new rules during a visit to Milwaukee on Tuesday, as the Biden administration claims federal funding has cut lead pipe replacement deadlines from 60 years to 10 years.
Exposure to lead is known to cause damage to the brain and nervous system in children. In adults, lead can cause reproductive problems, neurological disorders, high blood pressure, and even memory problems.
The Biden administration says it expects the rule will prevent 900,000 infants from having low birth weight, 2,600 children from developing ADHD and 1,500 premature deaths from heart disease each year. .
“President Biden is the president who will finally end this generational public health crisis,” said EPA Administrator Michael Regan.
“Achieving a lead-free America is President Biden's legacy,” he added. “This is a public health issue, an environmental justice issue, a fundamental human rights issue that is finally being addressed with the urgency it requires.”
The announcement comes more than a decade after the nation's famous lead pollution crisis began. In 2014, a water switch in Flint, Michigan corroded a lead pipe, contaminating the city's water and exposing approximately 100,000 people to lead.
“Once you have a chronic health condition like this, all you can do is manage it,” said Nayira Sharif, director of Flint Rising, a local advocacy group. “We are still … fighting for funding for the support systems our communities need.”
Public health advocates hailed the new rules as a victory in the fight against lead exposure.
“This would be the most significant improvement in protection against lead-contaminated tap water in more than 30 years,” said Eric Olson, senior strategic director for health at the Natural Resources Defense Council. .
But Olson said the rule has several “gaps,” including not requiring utilities to pay the full cost of replacing service lines. This could potentially result in tenants and landlords being sued for damages, he argued.
Additionally, Biden is expected to announce the use of $2.6 billion in water infrastructure funding from the bipartisan infrastructure law during a visit to the Badger State this week. In total, the new law would put $15 billion into lead lines and an additional $11.7 billion into water.
Experts estimate that the total cost of replacing major service lines could reach up to $60 billion. Similarly, EPA estimated that the new rule would cost between $1.47 billion and $1.95 billion annually over 35 years.
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