(AGENPARL) – lun 06 novembre 2023 Issued: Nov 6, 2023 (11:32am EST)
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Biden-Harris Administration Announces Partnership with 10 New Jersey
Communities to Accelerate Lead Service Line Replacement as Part of Investing
in America Agenda
New partnership will help communities access funds from President Biden’s
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for lead service line removal and replacement
WASHINGTON (Nov. 6, 2023) – Today in New Brunswick, New Jersey, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Assistant Administrator for Water
Radhika Fox announced a partnership with the State of New Jersey to assist 10
communities in accelerating progress toward lead service line identification
and replacement, as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to
deliver clean drinking water to families and children, and EPA’s “Lead
Service Line Replacement Accelerators” initiative. This initiative, which is
in partnership with the Department of Labor and New Jersey, will work to
provide targeted technical assistance services to help underserved communities
reduce exposure to lead in drinking water and to protect health of New Jersey
children and families. 
“There is no safe level of exposure to lead,” said EPA Assistant
Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “That’s why President Biden has
called for 100% removal of lead pipes, and EPA is partnering with 10 New
Jersey communities to accelerate progress. Thanks to the Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law, we finally have the funds to do just that. New Jersey’s
role in lead service line replacement serves as a model for the rest of the
nation. Together we can protect children and families where they live, work,
and play.” 
As part of EPA’s Lead Service Line Replacement Accelerators program,
Blackwood, Camden, Clementon, East Newark, Harrison, Keansburg, Keyport, New
Brunswick, Trenton, and Ventnor are working hand-in-hand with EPA and the
State of New Jersey to get the lead out. The communities are receiving water
technical assistance (WaterTA) to identify lead pipes in their water systems,
access infrastructure funds, and develop plans to replace lead pipes that pose
risks to human health.
Through the Accelerators, EPA provides hands-on support to guide communities
through the process of lead service line removals, from start to finish. This
includes support in developing lead service line replacement plans, conducting
inventories to identify lead pipes, increasing community outreach and
education efforts, and supporting applications for Bipartisan Infrastructure
Law funding. As a result, more communities will be able to access their fair
share of federal funds to secure a lead-free future.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law dedicates $15 billion to lead service line
removal and replacement. In order to ensure every community can access their
fair share of this unprecedented investment, EPA continues to expand its
WaterTA programs and support communities in applying for federal funding.
“Any amount of lead in our nation’s drinking water infrastructure is a
threat to the health and well-being of American residents and families. I
applaud the inclusion of the 10 communities in New Jersey being announced
today, Blackwood, Clementon, East Newark, Harrison, Keansburg, Keyport, New
Brunswick, Ventnor, Camden, and Trenton, as participants in EPA’s Lead
Service Line Replacement Accelerators program,” said Senator Bob Menendez
(NJ). “As home to some of the oldest water infrastructure in the nation, I
have fought tirelessly to secure the federal funding necessary to continue
replacing New Jersey’s lead service lines and modernizing drinking water
pipes in communities across the state.” 
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has brought historic levels of funding to
replace lead service lines and remove a threat to the health of our most
vulnerable neighbors, particularly children,” said Senator Cory Booker (NJ).
“The Biden-Harris Administration’s Lead Service Line Replacement
Accelerators initiative has delivered targeted technical assistance to
increase access to safe, clean drinking water, and I’m excited to see its
benefits flow to more communities in New Jersey so they can protect the health
of children and families.” 
“Every American has a fundamental right to safe, clean drinking water.
That’s why I fought for funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to
replace lead service lines quickly and equitably. No community should be left
to face the health risks stemming from lead pipes any longer,” said House
Energy & Commerce Committee Ranking Member and NJ-06 Congressman Frank
Pallone, Jr. “I’m thrilled that EPA is providing much needed assistance to
fast-track the removal and replacement of toxic lead pipes, and I commend
Administrator Regan for working diligently to target those communities most
impacted. This is another significant step toward ensuring that every family
can trust the water coming out of the tap. I look forward to this resource
expanding to help other communities in need.”
“The Murphy Administration, in partnership with the Biden-Harris
Administration, is proud to accelerate the protection of every resident and
child in New Jersey from the risk of lead exposure by identifying lead pipes
and assuring they will be replaced,” said New Jersey Commissioner of
Environmental Protection Shawn M. LaTourette. “The Bipartisan Infrastructure
Law is helping make it possible to empower our state with the tools, knowledge
and resources to protect public health and ensure every community has clean
and safe drinking water.”
“This collaborative effort marks a day of achievement, as we come together
to take a significant step forward in ensuring the health and well-being of
our community,” said New Brunswick Mayor James Cahill. “The Lead Service
Line Replacement Accelerator Program represents a crucial initiative that
aligns with our commitment to providing clean and safe drinking water for our
residents.”
“The Borough of Keansburg is excited to be a part of the EPA’s Lead
Service Line Replacement Accelerator’s program. This program is providing my
Borough the assistance necessary to identify lead service lines, provide
public outreach and education to our community and to prepare a fiscally
responsible replacement strategy,” said the Borough of Keansburg Mayor
George Hoff. “The Accelerator Program will enable the Borough to accelerate
the lead service replacement program and ultimately get the lead out!”
“Collaboration across all sectors is essential to eradicate lead. Our
leaders and officials must foster relationships with grassroots organizations
and research institutions to get the lead out,” said Shereyl Snider,
Community Organizer with the East Trenton Collaborative. “As the Lead-Free
New Jersey Hub, the East Trenton Collaborative is partnering with Rutgers
(EOHSI), Ph.D. Student Sean Stratton and Dr. Brian Buckly to educate and
advocate for lead remediation; without these partnerships, our children
continue to be exposed to lead.”
“Lead exposure endangers the health of our families and children, especially
in older urban communities like New Brunswick,” said President and CEO New
Brunswick Tomorrow Jaymie Santiago. “The Lead Service Line Replacement
Accelerators program is a tremendous opportunity to remove this public health
scourge from our water infrastructure once and for all. We are grateful to the
Biden administration, Congressman Pallone, and the EPA for bringing these
resources to New Brunswick, and we look forward to helping achieve a lead-free
future for our city.”
“We know that accelerating the replacement of lead service lines is critical
to taking back the tap for communities already overburdened by multiple
pollution sources,” stated Amy Goldsmith, NJ State Director, Clean Water
Action. “With the help of the NJ Congressional delegation, USEPA and federal
funding, more of NJ’s BIPOC and low-income communities will be able to
replicate what Newark did in just three years (i.e. replaced all residential
lead service lines).” Goldsmith continued, “This federal accelerator
program brings us closer to achieving water justice by putting New Jersey in
the fast lane when it comes to replacing more lead service lines faster where
people are most vulnerable and in need.”
In January, Vice President Kamala Harris and EPA Administrator Michael S.
Regan announced the Lead Service Line Replacement Accelerators as part of the
Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to 100% lead service line removal.
The initiative, in partnership with the Department of Labor, Connecticut,
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Wisconsin, is addressing existing barriers and
accelerating progress towards lead service line identification and
replacement. Communities interested in receiving WaterTA support for
infrastructure projects can apply online. 
Background 
The science is clear that there is no safe level of lead exposure. EPA is
working with participating states to accelerate lead service line projects by
supporting the development of community engagement plan, lead service line
inventories, lead service line replacement plans, and funding
applications.  
EPA’s 7th Drinking Water Needs and Assessment Survey projects a national
total of 9.2 million lead services lines across the country. The Lead Pipe and
Paint Action Plan outlines President Biden’s vision of lead-free water
systems, and dedicated funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will
greatly advance the goal of replacing 100% of lead service lines. 
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