“It’s troubling that a state would decide to take a complete pass on the funding because part of the reason for the funding is to figure out whether you even have lead.”

Erik Olson, a health and food expert at the environmental group Natural Resources Defense Council, regarding some states’ refusal of federal funds to remove lead pipes that can contaminate drinking water and damage brain development in children. Washington, Oregon, Maine and Alaska have all declined most or all of their funds in the first of five years that the federal grants and loans are available; some states are hesitant to pay for lead removal projects because they are uncertain if they want to take out loans to search for lead pipes. (Associated Press — Aug. 22, 2023)