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Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2015 - 2016 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted:	March 22, 2016 02:25 PM
From:	Senator John T. Yudichak and Sen. Vincent J. Hughes, Sen. Wayne D. Fontana, Sen. Shirley M. Kitchen, Sen. Art Haywood, Sen. Jay Costa
To:	All Senate members
Subject:	LEAD PACKAGE: Creation of Task Force on Lead

In the near future we plan to introduce a package of bills to address the recent reports surrounding elevated lead levels in the Commonwealth. News reports on the contaminated water supply in Flint, Michigan have brought the conversation about lead to the national forefront. We believe we must be proactive in analyzing Pennsylvania’s lead situation to protect our residents against the possibility of a Flint-like incident occurring here. A 2014 Department of Health study found that children in more than eighteen communities throughout the Commonwealth have tested positive for lead at levels higher than those in Flint. Some of the communities in that report are: Allentown, Altoona, Bethlehem, Erie, Johnstown, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Reading, and Scranton. While the tragedy in Flint focuses on the water supply, the dangers of lead in Pennsylvania also extend to our schools, day cares, and housing stock through lead-based paint. It is time we take action to analyze the Commonwealth’s potential lead issues and ensure that our children and our communities are safe. This bill creates a Task Force on Lead to study the scope of the lead issue throughout this Commonwealth. The Task Force would study the age of our housing stock, lead pipes, school buildings and day care centers. In addition, the task force would study best practices and make recommendations to remediate the lead issues throughout the Commonwealth. Please join us in cosponsoring this bill.

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