WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand have announced a federal grant of $2,217,833 in Lead Hazard Control funding for Chautauqua County to address lead hazards in 150 housing units.
According to the senators, the funding will provide resources to spur collaboration between Chautauqua County and local organizations, including the Jamestown and Dunkirk Housing Authorities, in order to reduce the number of lead-poisoned children and protect families by targeting health hazards in homes with significant lead and other home health and safety hazards.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), lead is much more harmful to children than adults because it can affect children’s developing nerves and brains. Lead-based paint, still encasing homes’ walls, often erodes and settles on children’s toys on the floor, falling into the hands and mouths of children.
The purpose of the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control (LHC) and the Lead Hazard Reduction (LHRD) grant programs are to identify and control lead-based paint hazards in eligible privately owned housing for rental or owner-occupants. The Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Grant program is the largest program in terms of dollar amount and number of grants.
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