Identifying U.S. High Lead Exposure Locations and Blueprint for Capacity Building
Identifying potential high lead exposure locations within the U.S. is a federal priority as identified in the Federal Lead Action Plan, EPA Lead Strategy, and President’s Task Force (PTF) on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children. As part of the PTF Priority Activities for 2024-2028, lead exposure mapping actions and the creation of a “blueprint” were identified as part of a whole-of-government approach addressing lead exposures. The U.S. EPA in collaboration with Federal and state agencies has been developing and applying a science-based, step-by-step blueprint for identifying and addressing remaining U.S. high lead exposure risk locations using data analyses, maps, and local knowledge. This blueprint, intended to foster consistency, is a suggested step-by-step process including problem formulation, identifying and ground-truthing potential high-risk locations with available data, determining the primary lead sources in those locations, and focusing actions. This presentation provides several state-specific examples (MI, WV, TN) including lessons learned from applying the blueprint to inform government decision-making.