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November 6, 2023
WASHINGTON – Today in New Brunswick, New Jersey, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox announced a partnership with the State of New Jersey to assist 10 communities in accelerating progress toward lead service line identification and replacement, as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to deliver clean drinking water to families and children, and EPA’s “Lead Service Line Replacement Accelerators” initiative. This initiative, which is in partnership with the Department of Labor and New Jersey, will work to provide targeted technical assistance services to help underserved communities reduce exposure to lead in drinking water and to protect health of New Jersey children and families.
“Collaboration across all sectors is essential to eradicate lead. Our leaders and officials must foster relationships with grassroots organizations and research institutions to get the lead out,” said Shereyl Snider, Community Organizer with the East Trenton Collaborative. “As the Lead-Free New Jersey Hub, the East Trenton Collaborative is partnering with Rutgers (EOHSI), Ph.D. Student Sean Stratton and Dr. Brian Buckley to educate and advocate for lead remediation; without these partnerships, our children continue to be exposed to lead.”
“We know that accelerating the replacement of lead service lines is critical to taking back the tap for communities already overburdened by multiple pollution sources,” stated Amy Goldsmith, NJ State Director, Clean Water Action. “With the help of the NJ Congressional delegation, USEPA and federal funding, more of NJ’s BIPOC and low-income communities will be able to replicate what Newark did in just three years (i.e. replaced all residential lead service lines).” Goldsmith continued, “This federal accelerator program brings us closer to achieving water justice by putting New Jersey in the fast lane when it comes to replacing more lead service lines faster where people are most vulnerable and in need.”
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