"If we do not act, this incredible lead-safe infrastructure and workforce will be gone and will be left with a thread-bare, incomplete group of lead-safe agencies struggling once again to mitigate the one dozen kids that are still being poisoned in state each and every day."
"The federal government gave New Jersey $180 million for lead remediation work - particularly lead paint remediation - through the pandemic-era American Rescue Plan Act."
"That money has been used in the years since to expand efforts on the ground, with the number of organizations and agencies licensed to handle lead remediation efforts around the Garden State growing from 13 before the pandemic to 55 today."
"Advocates are asking state lawmakers and Gov. Mikie Sherrill to appropriate $14 million in the state's next budget to keep the work going when the federal money runs out."
Lead remediation work in New Jersey has increased significantly due to federal pandemic relief funding and urgency from Newark's water crisis. However, as federal aid diminishes, experts warn that lead paint remains a major source of toxic exposure. Advocates emphasize the need for state funding to maintain progress, urging lawmakers to allocate $14 million in the next budget. The number of organizations handling lead remediation has grown from 13 to 55, allowing for the cleanup of up to 1,400 homes annually, a substantial increase from 200 homes before the funding boost.
Read at Gothamist
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