Press Releases

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Reps. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), and Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), co-chairs of the Get the Lead Out Caucus in the House, alongside Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), co-founders of the Senate Lead Task Force, lauded the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to finalize the Biden Administration’s proposed Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI). The LCRI would lower the lead action level to better protect human health and require water systems to replace old and deteriorating lead pipes within a decade. In addition to the LCRI, the EPA also announced $2.6 billion in newly available drinking water infrastructure funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) to support lead-related activities, including lead pipe replacement projects. The finalized rule comes ahead of the October 16th finalization deadline to not only help ensure these important improvements are implemented as quickly as possible, but also prevent water systems from being forced to temporarily comply with the prior rule proposed by the Trump Administration—also known as the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR)—which would put public health at risk.

“Today’s announcement from the Biden-Harris Administration is a win-win for our communities because it delivers on our shared commitment to replace all lead pipes across the country within 10 years and protect public health,” said Rep. Blunt Rochester, co-lead of the congressional Get the Lead Out Caucus. “I am proud to have helped push for the swift finalization of the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements with my colleagues in Congress. Thanks to our advocacy, and with the leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris, we are closer than ever to actualizing a 100% lead-free future.”

“As the founder of the Get the Lead Out Caucus, I know that clean drinking water is a human right,” said Rep. Tlaib. “We must move urgently to replace all lead pipes in our country within the next 10 years, and I’m glad to see the EPA announce the final Lead and Copper Rule Improvements to continue the critical work toward this objective. Congress must continue to work to appropriate the funding necessary to help all of our communities identify, remove, and replace every lead pipe over this next decade.”

“Clean and safe drinking water is a basic human right, and the science is clear – no amount of lead is safe. There are millions of people across the country who don’t even know if they are drinking lead, and I’ve had parents come up to me with tears in their eyes, worried for the wellbeing of their children because of lead in the water at school,” said Rep. Dingell. “I thank the Biden-Harris Administration for their continued commitment to replacing every lead service line in our country to guarantee access to safe water for every community and finally give peace of mind to families.”

“Today, EPA estimates that nearly 9 million homes are served through lead pipes across the country – and disproportionally, many of these homes are located in low-income communities and communities of color,” said Rep. Lee. “Clean and safe drinking water is a human right, and we must treat it that way. I am proud of the work of my colleagues and I in Congress to achieve our goal of removing every lead pipe in the United States over the next ten years and thank the Biden-Harris Administration for their work in fighting to ensure that communities across our country have access to lead-free water.”

“Every American, no matter their zip-code, deserves access to safe drinking water,” said Senator Duckworth. “We’ve been working hard in Congress to achieve our goal of removing every lead pipe in America over the next decade, and this historic rule from the Biden Administration and billions in new funding will help us make it a reality while preventing Trump-era policies that would harm human health from going into effect. This is a win-win for all Americans.”

“The EPA’s bold leadership in finalizing this critical rule will help us eliminate lead pipes within a decade and put a stop to lead exposure that continues to threaten the health of far too many families and children in our nation today,” said Senator Booker. “Every American deserves access to clean and safe drinking water, and by modernizing our aging water infrastructure we are investing in a future where every family can turn on the tap and know their water is clean. I am proud to have helped lead the call in Congress for a strong final rule, and I thank the Biden-Harris administration for their commitment to environmental justice and public health.”

The finalized rule also improves communication within communities so that families are better informed about the risk of lead in drinking water, the location of lead pipes and plans for replacing them. Exposure to lead is harmful to health, especially for young children. In children, low levels of exposure have been linked to damage to the nervous system, learning disabilities, shorter stature, impaired hearing and impaired formation and function of blood cells. 

Last month, Blunt Rochester called on the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to expedite its review of LCRI. In May, Blunt Rochester, alongside Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons (both D-Del.) announced over $28 million from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to identify and replace lead pipes and help prevent lead poisoning among Delaware’s children and families. The funding came from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, legislation Blunt Rochester, Carper, and Coons championed in Congress.

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