Mastodawn

MicroWave May 3, 2024

EPA earmarks $3 billion to replace lead pipes nationwide

EPA earmarks $3 billion to replace lead pipes nationwide - Lemmy.World

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it will spend $3 billion to help states and territories identify and replace lead water pipes. “The science is clear, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and the primary source of harmful exposure in drinking water is through lead pipes,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan [https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/epa-administrator] said, announcing the funding Thursday in an agency news release. Lead poses serious health risks and can cause irreversible brain damage in children. The funding announced Thursday is part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which President Joe Biden signed into law in 2021. It sets aside $15 billion overall to identify and replace lead pipes.

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Flying Squid May 3, 2024

That sounds like a lot. It isn’t. It’s a drop in the bucket. So is the $15 billion.

After conducting a survey of these lead pipes in the United States, NRDC estimates that there is a range of 9.7 million to 12.8 million pipes that are, or may be, lead, spread across all 50 states, including those that claim to have none.

nrdc.org/…/lead-pipes-are-widespread-and-used-eve…

No way is $15 billion going to be enough to dig up and replace that much lead piping.

Finding Lead Water Pipes: New NRDC Map Shows the Hot Spots in Every State

Federal and state governments acknowledge the widespread presence of lead pipes throughout the country—NRDC’s new map reveals where they are. The EPA, states, and cities must act now to solve this problem.

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Xhieron May 3, 2024

Probably not, but it sure beats $0.

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Flying Squid May 3, 2024

I’m not trying to let the perfect be the enemy of the good, but this is being sold as a cure when it’s a band-aid.

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ZombiFrancis May 4, 2024

The main thing it is not a federal task force or anything, so it will be funding given to state and local governments that have already failed or even outright refused to replace lead pipes.

Like for example: DeSantis will replace pipes in certain areas but will undoubtedly only identify them in others.

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Flying Squid

Guess which areas won’t be getting them replaced first if at all in terms of demographics…