The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is recognizing October as Children’s Health Month. Each year, the agency aims to highlight the importance of a healthy environment for the well-being of children across the United States.
“Every child deserves to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and live in healthy, thriving neighborhoods,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “At EPA we are committed to making this a reality by advancing policies that reduce health disparities and ensure that communities have the tools to safeguard their children’s future and lifelong health.”
Children in vulnerable communities are particularly at risk from pollution and climate change. Their developing bodies are sensitive to toxins, and where they live can increase their exposure to pollutants. Poverty can also affect their ability to recover from environmental exposures. Early exposure to pollutants can have long-lasting effects.
The EPA has recently taken several actions aimed at protecting children's health:
- The Kids and Climate Health Zone was launched as a resource providing stories and information about how climate stressors impact children’s health across different regions of the U.S.
- Nearly $900 million was awarded through the EPA Clean School Bus Program Awards to approximately 530 school districts for purchasing over 3,400 zero-emission and clean school buses, part of a $5 billion investment aimed at reducing diesel emissions.
- Through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), $3 billion was announced to help identify and replace lead service lines as part of a $9 billion total investment targeting an estimated 1.7 million lead service lines nationwide. Additionally, $50 million was allocated for reducing lead exposure in schools.
- An investment of $10 billion is being made to tackle PFAS in water by establishing the first-ever national drinking water standard for these chemicals, aiming to protect over 100 million people. Cleanup efforts at Superfund sites are also being initiated.
- Standards were finalized to reduce air pollution from fossil fuel-fired power plants with investments supporting a transition to a clean energy economy.
- Strengthened safeguards were put in place to protect families and children from lead in contaminated soil at residential sites.
These initiatives are part of broader efforts under the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda which includes historic investments from both the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act.
The public is encouraged to join in celebrating Children’s Health Month this October by getting involved and learning more about children’s environmental health.
