The Village of Pomona and Rockland County have been selected by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for funding from its Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program. The program is set up to distribute $469.6 million to clean up lead-based paint and its residue around the U.S. HUD said that it expected to distribute the funding among 71 recipients in 2024.
According to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, $7,400,000 is being allocated to Rockland County from the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program.
“No amount of toxic lead exposure is safe for children in Rockland County,” Schumer said. “Lead poisoning is an irreversible, preventable tragedy that robs many families and children of their future. This major federal funding is the shot in the arm the Hudson Valley needs accelerate lead paint removal and prevention and protect the health and safety of families in Rockland County.”
Schumer’s office points out that he has long been securing federal funding to reduce lead exposure in New York, including funding for replacing water service pipes containing lead.
Schumer’s office says that according to the National Institutes of Health, lead is much more harmful to children than adults because it can affect their body as it grows and develops nerves and the brain. Lead-based paint, still found on the walls of many homes, often erodes and residue settles on toys on the floor, eventually falling into the hands and mouths of children. For children under the age of 6, lead exposure can result in developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral issues, which may lead to lifelong health and financial consequences.
The HUD program especially targets older housing units built before 1960 where children less than 6 years of age are at greatest risk of lead poisoning from paint. Lead paint was routinely used and in many cases was not removed before coats of paint that did not contain lead were applied.
