E&C Democratic Committee Leaders Applaud Biden EPA’s Updated Lead and Copper Rule
New Proposal Would Replace 100 Percent of Lead Service Lines Throughout the Entire Country Within 10 Years
Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Subcommittee Ranking Member Paul Tonko (D-NY) applauded the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new proposed Lead and Copper Rule today, which if finalized, will require that 100 percent of lead water service lines be replaced within 10 years:
“Today’s announcement makes good on the EPA’s mission to protect public health and fulfills the Biden Administration’s promise to replace 100 percent of the dangerous lead service lines that deliver water to Americans’ homes. This is a huge win for public health and a game-changer for the countless communities across the country that have had to struggle too hard, and too long, with basic access to safe, clean drinking water. We are pleased that EPA heeded our call to include 100 percent lead pipe replacement in this proposed rule and commend the agency for strengthening the rule overall.
“Water is a basic human right, and every American deserves to be able to trust the water coming out of their tap. We are now one step closer to that being a reality and look forward to working with the Biden Administration to ensure a strong rule gets finalized.”
In March, Pallone and Tonko wrote to EPA urging the agency to strengthen its Lead and Copper Rule by requiring that all lead service lines be replaced. Today’s announcement fulfills that request and builds on the $15 billion that Congress appropriated in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for lead water line replacement.
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