OMAHA -- To the tune of $34.3 million, the federal government is underscoring its commitment to reducing lead poisoning among Omaha children.
The Environmental Protection Agency is providing the city $29.9 million, largely for replacing contaminated soil, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development is providing $4.4 million to reduce lead paint hazards in homes and apartments.
Officials gathered at the Revive Center at 2402 Lizzie Robinson Ave. Friday morning for a ceremonial delivery of checks.
The EPA funding is for seven years and the HUD money is for four years.
EPA Deputy Regional Administrator Edward H. Chu said the funding reflects a "whole of government" approach to reducing lead paint hazards, with an emphasis on disadvantaged children being at a higher risk.
"Equal access to healthy living is a basic human right," he said. "It is not a privilege. Our health environment should not be contingent on economic status or where we live."
Omaha was once a major hub for lead refining and recycling. The EPA estimates that more than 200,000 tons of lead were emitted into the air, with some of that settling on yards in east Omaha where it harmed the health of children.
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The EPA and HUD have been working to reduce lead hazards in Omaha since the late 1990s. When the yard cleanup began, the EPA considered Omaha as one of its top national priorities because thousands of children were at immediate risk.Â
In 1999, more than 36% of Douglas County children tested had elevated lead levels, while in recent years the number has been averaging about 2%.
Mayor Jean Stothert noted that 526 Omaha yards still qualify for soil replacement and another 164 need to be tested. Over the years, more than 42,000 yards have been tested and more than 13,000 have been cleaned up.
Last week's announcement follows a similar one in October, in which the EPA said it would be providing $12 million to Douglas County for its work identifying and helping children who been exposed to harmful amounts of lead.
With this latest round of grants, more families in eastern Omaha will be eligible for help from the lead paint program because the boundaries have been extended to 72nd Street, said Steve Zivny, who manages the city's lead program. Previously, homes had to be east of a boundary that ranged from 42nd to about 50th Streets.
To qualify for the lead paint program, a family may earn no more than 80% of the city's median income, which for a family of four is $76,100. Also, a child younger than age 6 must live in or regularly visit the residence. Preference is given to families where a child has tested high for lead. Rental property can qualify.
The soil cleanup guidelines have no income or family restrictions, but yards must be in east Omaha. The city has been in contact with property owners whose yards qualify.