The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be holding a series of virtual public listening sessions, including one on Feb. 22 for residents of the Southwest Pacific region, to help them draft their strategy on combatting lead. 

On Oct. 28, the EPA released the first draft of Strategy to Reduce Lead Exposures and Disparities in U.S. Communities (or simply Lead Strategy) for public comment. The draft has since been revised in light of the funding granted by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which will allow for lead pipes to be replaced. There will be sessions for each of the EPA regions throughout February and March.

“Communities of color and low-income communities are often disproportionately exposed to lead, which can cause life-long negative effects,” said Carlton Waterhouse, the EPA's deputy assistant administrator for the Office of Land and Emergency Management. He invites communities affected by lead to attend the sessions to make the draft as comprehensive as possible.

Lead in water remains a problem for many communities across the country and the EPA wants to do everything it can to help solve this issue.

Even low levels of lead found in children's blood have been linked to decreased intellect, concentration and educational achievement.

The EPA encourages individuals to attend another region's sessions if they can't make their own.