On May 9, the President’s Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children published the Progress Report on the Federal Lead Action Plan. This comprehensive update outlines the government's progress since 2018 in reducing childhood lead exposures. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are spearheading aggressive actions as co-leading members of the Task Force’s Lead Exposures Subcommittee.
EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe stated, “We’ve made excellent progress toward protecting children from the risks of lead exposure, advancing President Biden’s commitment to environmental justice and protections for all communities.” She emphasized that "the federal family has taken meaningful steps that will reduce lead exposure" and expressed their united commitment to improving children's health and ensuring overburdened populations have healthier lives.
Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Rachel Levine also expressed her commitment to ensuring a healthier future for children by reducing their exposure to lead, stating, "Children are our future. We must ensure that they have safe places to learn and grow."
HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the importance of protecting vulnerable populations' health, particularly children and families with limited resources. She highlighted their shared commitment to investing resources in lead safety programs.
The 2018 Federal Lead Action Plan was released with a clear vision: to reduce childhood exposure to lead and its harmful effects. Since then, strategies outlined in the plan have been implemented through partnerships with states, Tribes, local communities, businesses, and caregivers.
The progress report highlights significant strides made toward reducing lead exposure and improving children’s health through initiatives such as:
- Reducing lead in drinking water, land, air, food, housing, and consumer products,
- Improving childhood lead poisoning testing,
- Enhancing communication about lead hazards,
- Supporting critical research that informs efforts to reduce lead exposures and health risks.
The President’s Task Force serves as the focal point for federal efforts to improve children’s environmental health and safety. It coordinates with multiple government departments, agencies, and other federal partners to address environmental and social stressors threatening children's health, with a particular focus on areas including lead exposures, asthma disparities, chemical exposures, climate change, emergencies, and disasters.
These efforts complement the Biden-Harris Administration’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan, which outlined over 15 new commitments from more than 10 federal agencies to ensure a lead-free future. They also align with the President’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims for 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to flow to disadvantaged communities marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
