October 5, 2009

$4 million HUD grant fights childhood lead poisoning

A $4 million grant to the Kenosha County Department of Health is targeted at fighting childhood lead poisoning in Kenosha and Racine, according to Sen. Herb Kohl, D-WI.

In a release announcing the grant from HUD, Kohl says: "The Center for Disease Control says lead poisoning is the number one environmental health problem affecting young children in the U.S. The risk for lead exposure is particularly high in urban areas, such as Racine and Kenosha, the oldest cities in their respective counties, where many children live in homes built more than 30 years ago. The grant will allow agencies to target at least 360 children under the age of six who live in at-risk housing primarily in low-income areas. In addition to lead abatement, the agencies will focus on education of lead hazards and safety, as well as increase coordination of resources from local government, non-profit and faith-based organizations, and landlords."

“I am pleased to support the Kenosha County Department of Human Services Lead-Hazard Reduction Demonstration Program. This funding will allow the program to work with the cities of Racine and Kenosha to protect our children and fight childhood lead poisoning,” Kohl said.

3 comments:

  1. Why not enforce the laws we have and require landlords to remediate these old houses?

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  2. Black Sabbath10/05/2009 3:57 PM

    This is just ridiculous! 4mill? C'mon you could do the same with a quarter of a mill.

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  3. In Kenosha, they built the Brass Community elementry school on a 100 year old foundry that tested with hot spots 10 times the adult lead threshold limit. Now the EPA is claiming childrens threshold limit is actually 10 times below an adults. The school district violated every part of the state remediation plan and still does today.

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