Butler, Lawrence counties partner to protect children from lead poisoning
Butler County commissioners voted Wednesday, March 25, to work with Lawrence County on a federally funded program aimed at protecting children younger than 6 years old from lead poisoning.
Commissioners approved a resolution to enter into an agreement with Lawrence County, which was awarded more than $5 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to work with neighboring counties to carryout the Lead Hazard Reduction and Healthy Homes programs.
Commissioner Kevin Boozel said he believes the programs involve testing water for lead.
“When they find an issue, then they get submitted for remediation,” Boozel said. “It allows them to come in and do that remediation.”
Lawrence County has been awarded $5 million for the Lead Hazard Reduction program and $750,000 for the Healthy Homes program. The funds will be used with $500,000 in local matches to conduct all environmental reviews for programs in Butler, Clearfield, Delaware, Indiana, Lawrence and Mercer counties, and in Titusville.
The goal of the Lead Hazard Reduction program is to maximize the number of children younger than 6 years old in low-income families living in housing built before 1978 protected from lead-based paint poisoning.
The goal of the Healthy Homes program is to reduce the likelihood of elevated lead levels in the blood of children younger than 6 living in housing built before 1960, especially those built before 1940, by targeting lead hazard control efforts. The program also aims to protect people from asthma triggers, carbon monoxide, radon and safety and injury risks in their homes.
– Commissioners authorized Budget Director Ann Brown to sign documents needed for the Remnant Defendants Settlement, a new national opioid settlement with drug manufacturers and distributors. The county’s share of the settlement is estimated at $58,000.
– Commissioners also approved two resolutions to provide the county’s match commitments to the Butler Transit Authority. The resolutions provide the authority with $77,445 for operating expenses and $34,890 for operating or capital expenses. The county received $24,890 from other entities and added $10,000 in county funds for the $34,890 match.
