Federal shutdown interfering with Milwaukee's efforts to clean up homes with lead hazards
The federal shutdown is interfering with Milwaukee's efforts to clean up lead hazards in homes.
The city has been under a "stop work order" from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for nearly a year because of problems with its lead cleanup work and programs aimed at preventing lead poisoning in Milwaukee children.
The city got some good news last month — the federal agency was finally ready to lift the order.
"And then what happened? Shutdown," Milwaukee Health Commissioner Jeanette Kowalik said Wednesday during a Milwaukee Press Club Newsmaker luncheon. "So we're waiting for the shutdown to end so we can continue the work, and get the follow-up on that."
Kowalik added, "Once that order is lifted, we'll be able to apply for HUD funding again."
Milwaukee officials have been working to get the order lifted since February 2018, when the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development sent a letter to the Milwaukee Health Department calling on the city to immediately cease work funded by its Lead Hazard Reduction grant.
City officials at the time called it "a temporary pause" that would "provide us with welcome support in improving the program.”
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett on Wednesday voiced frustration with the delay, stressing the importance of federal resources in Milwaukee's lead cleanup work.
"The Department of Housing and Urban Development indicated to us — right before Christmas — that it is ready to resume funding to Milwaukee’s lead abatement efforts. One final signature was required, but that was held up by the government shutdown," Barrett said in a statement.
Both Barrett and Kowalik said the city has other sources for lead abatement funding, meaning the shutdown has not completely stalled its work. But it's clearly not helping.
"We are using other resources to the extent we can, but the federal government shutdown is affecting the amount of work we could be doing," Barrett said. "As soon as the President and Congress resolve their issues, we can get back to protecting more Milwaukee children from lead exposure."
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Kowalik also said Wednesday that there is a "huge crisis" because there are not enough contractors to work with the city to remove lead hazards in Milwaukee homes.
"We don’t have enough. We need more contractors," Kowalik said. "In the market that we are in, contractors have other options and other sources of income. ... We need people to do the work."
Kowalik also doubled down on paint as the primary source of lead poisoning.
"The data we have now continues to point to paint and dust as the major source. I know there are some advocates in the community that are like, 'It's the lead in the water. You guys are trying to cover things up,'" Kowalik said. "But we're science-based. We're a government institute. We can't operate out of hysteria or assumptions."