News Releases from Headquarters›Office of the Administrator (AO)

EPA kicks off Children’s Health Month 2019 with its report on Protecting Children’s Health

WASHINGTON (Oct. 1, 2019) — In support of Children’s Health Month 2019, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler participated in the Mid-Atlantic Lead Forum, held in Hunt Valley, Maryland, to tout the agency’s successes with regard to the Trump Administration’s Federal Action Plan to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposures and Associated Health Impacts (released in December 2018). The forum convened local and state, academic, and non-profit partners from the Mid-Atlantic region (EPA’s Region 3), allowing federal agencies to continue the discussion about strategies to reduce childhood lead exposures and providing an opportunity for stakeholders to begin developing their own community lead reduction action plans.

“In recognition of Children’s Health Month, EPA is highlighting the availability of its many programs and resources dedicated to improving air quality, reducing lead exposure, and protecting the health and wellbeing of children,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “From strengthening lead-dust standards to providing new funding for lead testing to our forthcoming revisions to the lead and copper rule, EPA is taking action to reduce childhood lead exposure and deliver on the Trump Administration’s federal lead action plan.”

EPA continues its commitment to safeguarding children’s health and improving their environmental health outcomes. Specifically:

• EPA seeks to ensure that the air children breathe at home, school and outdoors is clean, as children breathe more air, and more rapidly, than adults.
• EPA seeks to ensure that the water children drink meets protective federal standards.
• EPA seeks to limit chemical exposures to children.
• EPA remediates hazardous and toxic waste sites.
• EPA researchers stay ahead of emerging children’s environmental health challenges.
• EPA’s 10 regional offices conduct work with states, tribes, local governments and communities to protect children where they live, learn and play.

“EPA’s Office of Children’s Health Protection continues to work with stakeholders nationwide to protect children from environmental risks,” said Jeanne Briskin, Director of EPA’s Office of Children’s Health Protection.

As a kick-off to Children’s Health Month, EPA released Protecting Children’s Health, October 2019, to highlight major local and national initiatives and accomplishments to promote children’s health and healthy learning environments. 

To view the report: https://19january2021snapshot.epa.gov/children/protecting-childrens-health-october-2019-booklet.

Throughout October, EPA will celebrate children’s health by highlighting the following themes: children’s health research, healthy schools and healthy environments, and National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week.

To learn more about what EPA is doing to protect children’s health, visit: https://19january2021snapshot.epa.gov/children.