Sen. Ossoff Demanding Trump Admin. Reverse Cancellation of Kids’ Lead Exposure Research Project

Atlanta, Ga. - U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is pressing for answers after the Trump Administration canceled a research project to help protect children from lead exposure.

Sen. Ossoff is urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reinstate a grant made to Emory University through the Science to Achieve Results (STAR) grant program to research children's exposure to lead, heavy metals, and other contaminants in West Atlanta.

This research was prompted after the discovery of dangerously high levels of lead in some West Atlanta yards in 2018.

"This research was critical, as childhood exposure to heavy metals like lead can cause neurocognitive disorders, behavioral disorders, respiratory problems, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases, according to the National Institute of Health. However, the Agency terminated this critical research in May - midway through Emory's work," Sen. Ossoff wrote.

"Children are precious, and their safety and well-being must be one of our highest concerns. The EPA's decision to terminate this research needlessly puts at risk the health and safety of children and families in West Atlanta," Sen. Ossoff continued.

Sen. Ossoff continues working to protect Georgians from contamination in water.

Earlier this month, Sen. Ossoff cosponsored the bipartisan Rural Water System Disaster Preparedness and Assistance Act to improve water infrastructure systems across rural Georgia.

In August, Sen. Ossoff introduced and passed an amendment through an Appropriations Committee markup to increase funding by nearly 50% for the Reducing Lead in Drinking Water grant program in the Senate's Interior appropriations bill. This program helps reduce lead in drinking water by giving Federal resources to States and local communities for the removal of lead pipes and water treatment infrastructure improvements in schools and child-care facilities.

Last year, Sen. Ossoff delivered over $36 million through the bipartisan infrastructure law for lead pipe replacement projects across Georgia.

In 2022, Sen. Ossoff passed into law the Chattahoochee River Act, a first-of-its-kind law that authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to work on water projects up and down the Chattahoochee River throughout the state of Georgia.

In November 2021, President Biden signed Sen. Ossoff's provision to repair and remove lead water pipes from public schools into law.

Click here to read Sen. Ossoff's inquiry.

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