The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded a $445,000 grant to the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (NPAIHB) to identify lead in drinking water at tribally-operated schools and child care facilities.
The nonprofit NPAIHB serves 43 federally recognized tribes in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, an EPA press release said. The participating schools use the EPA's ‘3Ts’ - Training, Testing and Taking Action - to reduce lead in drinking water.
“Schools should be safe places for students to learn and grow,” Michelle Pirzadeh, EPA's Region 10 Acting Regional Administrator said in the release. “We know there is no safe level of lead for children, and with this funding, tribes will be able to help protect their children by making their schools and childcare centers healthier and safer.”
EPA is providing about $4.3 million to participating tribes under the Voluntary Lead Testing in School and Child Care program.
"The Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board is pleased to be receiving funds through the EPA WIIN Act Grant Program to enhance the environmental health services we are able to provide to our member tribes,” Celeste Davis, NPAIHB Environmental Public Health Program director said in the release.
The U.S. has instituted several federal laws aimed at reducing blood lead levels in children, the Federal Action Plan to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposures and Associated Health Impacts said. Lead concentration in blood of children aged 1-5 decreased from 15 micrograms per deciliter in 1976-1980 to .7 micrograms per deciliter in 2013-2014. Some children in America however, especially in families below the poverty level, are still exposed to high lead levels.
"Lead is particularly dangerous to children because their growing bodies absorb more lead than adults, and their brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead," EPA said In the release.
