Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and Director of MSU-Hurley Children’s Hospital Pediatric Public Health Initiative testified in Washington D.C. on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020.
She addressed the House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s hearing on “EPA’s Lead and Copper Proposal: Falling Short of Protecting Public Health,” speaking about the importance of strengthening the national Lead and Copper Rule.
In her testimony, she spoke about the impact lead has had in Flint. “In Flint, our only option has been to move forward. To create a sanctuary where children can recover and thrive,” she said.
The Flint Registry has been vital in the process of recovery in Flint, she said.
“With funding set to expire next year absent congressional action, the Flint Registry has been an essential resource for identifying individuals exposed to the crisis, connecting them to public health promoting resources, and sharing best practices with similarly impacted communities,” she said.
Q: Do you think we should have a health-based standard for lead in drinking water? A: “We need to be moving towards a health-based standard that recognizes the well known and undisputed science that there is no safe level of lead,” @MonaHannaA. pic.twitter.com/SOp9RDzS59
— MSU Public Health (@MSUPubHealth) February 11, 2020
She stated that the EPA’s proposed revisions to the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) are, “minimalist and insufficient.” Instead, she proposed a set of improvements modeled after Michigan’s state LCR, which was revised in 2018.
The improvements focus on primary prevention and are now implemented. Michigan’s LCR now:
- Better locates service lines through mandatory inventory
- Improves education and transparency
- Mandates the replacement of lead lines
- More optimally samples for lead and will eventually lower the action levels