"President Biden has made a push to remove the nation’s lead pipelines a cornerstone of his infrastructure agenda, but a requirement to make that happen is noticeably MIA in EPA’s current rule.

Advocates hope that changes.

“If EPA doesn’t require them to do it, our concern is that, frankly, utilities have had decades to replace their lead service lines or even to identify their lead services lines,” said Erik Olson, head of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s health program. “The ball has been in their courts for decades, and they’ve not done what’s needed.”

EPA for months has been discussing how to revise its Lead and Copper Rule with city and state officials, environmental groups, industry representatives and health advocates at meetings across the country in locations including Newark, N.J., and Memphis, Tenn. In March, EPA Administrator Michael Regan delayed implementation of the Trump- era rule and called for more outreach to consider vulnerable populations."

Hannah Northey reports for E&E News August 24, 2021. [2]