“One child affected by lead poisoning is too many, and this problem has persisted for far too long,” said Arnold Mikolo, Environmental Justice Advocate at CLF. “Our children deserve to grow up free from this toxic threat. The creation of this commission is a major step towards ending this injustice once and for all and protecting Manchester’s children.”
At a time of great concern about the COVID-19 pandemic and the potential risks posed to students, teachers, and families, it’s important not to lose sight of a lingering, ongoing health problem – one that can have lifelong consequences for our kids, but that is easily preventable: lead-contaminated drinking water.
Charlene Lovett takes on lead poisoning in her New Hampshire city.
State and federal laws mandate that Maine test 100% of the toddlers covered by MaineCare for lead poisoning. The actual screening rates fall far short of that target, leaving our most vulnerable children at risk of lifelong harm. Maine needs to step up and follow the law.
Teams from seven New Hampshire communities – Concord, Claremont, Franklin, Manchester, Nashua, Rochester, and Somersworth – have come together as a Community of Action to identify local needs and actions to better protect children from lead poisoning.
CLF succeeds because we have people like you by our side. In this special annual report issue of Conservation Matters, we are honoring just a few of our many local heroes, people who have devoted their time, energy, and passion to defending our homes, protecting our children’s health, and supporting the vibrancy of our communities.
Update: On June 27, Governor Mills signed two new lead bills signed into law that may help change this disturbing trend Hundreds of children with lead poisoning go undiagnosed every year in Maine. That’s on top of the hundreds of Maine children who are diagnosed with lead poisoning annually. In addition, more than half of… Continue reading Updated: Maine is Failing to Protect Its Children from Lead Poisoning
This commentary by a Vermont mom in Saint George is being published anonymously to protect the privacy of her child. No level of lead is safe. Vermont legislators are right now considering legislation that would require all schools and childcare centers to test for lead and fix the problem if it’s found. When our daughter… Continue reading Living with Lead Poisoning: One Mother’s Story
In this special issue of Conservation Matters, we want to take you behind the scenes of our work, to give you a glimpse into how we break down challenges and take advantage of opportunities to create a healthy, thriving New England – not just for today, but for generations to come.
On Monday night, more than 100 people from the south-central Massachusetts towns of Sturbridge, Charlton, and Southbridge turned out for an emergency meeting of the Sturbridge Board of Health. They came to express their anger to the Regional Director of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) that the 19 home wells in the Sturbridge neighborhood… Continue reading Citizen Action Turns the Tide on Massive Landfill Expansion in Southbridge
