Washington, May 31 (RHC)-- In environmental news, the EPA -- the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency -- plans to slash funding to programs aimed at protecting children and pregnant women from exposure to lead -- a neurotoxin known to cause brain damage.
The Washington Post reports the move would eliminate 70 EPA jobs while cutting nearly $17 million from the programs, which provide public education about the dangers of lead, as well as training to lead remediation workers.
An estimated 38 million U.S. homes contain lead-based paint, with lead poisoning hitting communities of color the hardest.