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Biden administration announces plan to replace 100% of lead pipes in US homes
The Biden administration on Thursday announced a "whole of government strategy" to remove dangerous lead from Americans' drinking water, including billions of dollars to begin replacing 100% of the lead pipes servicing the nation's homes.
Environmental groups praised the plan, which includes a promise to begin the process of strengthening the nation's drinking water standards to reflect the science showing that lead is toxic for children at any level.
But lawyers at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), which has been leading efforts to fight lead, said they worry that the plan lacks a solid timeline and fails to deliver enforceable requirements.
The set of actions announced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) included the release of the first $2.9bn of $15bn approved in Biden's infrastructure plan for local water agencies to begin replacing lead pipes and called for the efforts to focus on the low-income communities who face the most risk of lead poisoning. It also listed 15 new actions across 10 federal agencies to address lead dangers from both water and paint.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Sunday December 19 2021, @05:54AM
Spin it whichever way makes you feel good. The fact is, congress appropriates the funds, and writes the budget. Yes, it's a given that the prez influences the budget, and the prez can veto a budget, but congress has final say over the budget. The Clinton administration presided over the most-balanced budget since - ohhh - about the 1880s I guess? But that was only because he had line-item veto for a couple years. He enjoyed an ability to trim fat that no other president has enjoyed. People give Clinton a lot of credit, but I think he gets too much credit. Congress and the courts promptly put an end to a power they feared.
I won't argue the rest of that - but history says our debt only rises, it never goes down. Our nation is addicted to spending, and has no concept of balance, or budget. Every congress makes a joke of the idea of budgeting.
Now, I'll wait for those comments suggesting that a balanced budget would be an evil thing, bringing on plagues of biblical proportions. A balanced budget is the most-feared possibility of mankind's existence, etc etc blah blah blah . . .
Abortion is the number one killed of children in the United States.