Dromm Bills To Address Lead Poisoning Of Children Passes City Council
City Council Member Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights, Elmhurst) yesterday saw the full council pass two bills, Intros. 464-B and 881-A, he sponsored to address one of the most insidious public health crises of our city: the continued lead-poisoning of children.
Over 10 years ago, the council took action to protect children from the risks of being exposed to lead. But a more recent Court of Appeals decision made it clear that more needs to be done. The Court ruled that a young girl who spent 50 hours a week at her grandmother’s apartment did not “reside” in the apartment. This absolved the landlord from any responsibility to abate the lead-based paint.
Intro. 464-B will resolve this issue with existing law by expanding the definition of the term “reside” to cover cases where children become exposed to lead while spending extended time with a temporary caretaker. The NYC Department of Health of Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) would be required to investigate the potential sources of elevated lead levels in children’s blood, including inspecting any dwelling where a child with an elevated blood lead level spends 10 or more hours per week. This bill would also add to existing lead hazard remediation provisions for facilities providing day care services, requiring them to post notices describing any order to remediate a lead hazard, and to remediate such hazard within 21 days. Finally, this bill would hold building owners responsible to investigate and remediate lead hazards when a child spends 10 or more hours per week in one of their units.
“Our families should not have to endure the pain of having a child suffer lead poisoning,” said Dromm. “This bill fills a gap in the current code and, as a result, protects New York’s children from the myriad health risks associated with lead poisoning, including irreversibly impaired neurological development, behavioral disorders, and reduced educational attainment.”
The second bill, Intro. 881-A, addresses the distressing lack of public knowledge about lead paint hazards. This bill requires DOHMH to establish and implement an education and outreach program to increase awareness of childhood lead poisoning. This program would be linguistically and culturally tailored to immigrant communities, especially those who have limited English proficiency.
Van Bramer Bill To Map Lead Pipes Throughout City & Prevent Lead Poisoning
City Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Astoria, Long Island City, Sunnyside, Woodside) yesterday saw the full council pass his legislation requiring the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to publicly report by interactive map all lead water supply mains and service lines in the city.
The measure would require the DEP to create an accessible, interactive, and searchable online map that would, for the first time ever, publicly report information on the locations of all lead water supply mains and service lines in New York City.
The DEP would also be required to engage in outreach to educate the public on lead contamination prevention, lead water test kits, and how to replace lead service lines.
“It is imperative that New Yorkers know when there are toxic levels of lead in our drinking water and how to prevent contamination,” said Van Bramer. “This critical legislation would require unprecedented depth and transparency in reporting lead poisoning by creating an interactive and searchable online map identifying all known lead water service lines in NYC. Making this data available and engaging in public outreach and education around this issue will better protect children and families from dangerous lead poisoning.”
The legislation would increase transparency by providing the public with an online interactive map on the city’s website with new information regarding all known lead water supply mains and service lines, including those that are privately owned. Individuals would be able to search by address, zip code, and street name.
Addabbo Announces Italian-American Legislators Conference College Scholarship Applications Available
State Sen. Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach, Ozone Park, Woodhaven, Glendale, Middle Village, Maspeth, parts of South Ozone Park, Ridgewood, Woodside, The Rockaways) announced that the Conference of Italian-American State Legislators is currently accepting applications for college scholarships for the 2019-2020 school year.
Two athletic and two academic scholarships are offered to high school seniors or current college students in the amount of $3,500 each. The criteria for consideration include the student’s grade point average, interest in pursuing higher education, involvement in the local community and individual financial need.
The winners will receive their awards at this year’s Italian American Day on June 3rd, in Albany and recipients must be present to accept them.
To obtain an application please call Addabbo’s Howard Beach office at (718) 738-1111.
Ulrich to Lead Protests in front of DHS Commissioner Banks’ Home and City Hall Steps
City Council Member Eric Ulrich (R-Belle Harbor, Breezy Point, Broad Channel, Hamilton Beach, Howard Beach, Lindenwood, Neponsit, Ozone Park, Rockaway Beach, Rockaway Park, South Ozone Park, Woodhaven)next week will join residents and community leaders in protesting Department of Homeless Services Commissioner Steven Banks poor job performance and Mayor Bill de Blasio’s recent absenteeism for the city as he explores running for president.
“While Mayor de Blasio travels to New Hampshire to campaign for President, the homeless population in our city remains at an all-time high. Department of Homeless Services Commissioner Steven Banks has failed to put forward a real homeless prevention strategy. We need real solutions, not more shelters,” said Ulrich.
“The ill-advised plan to expand the number of shelters throughout the five boroughs does not address the root causes of homelessness, which are poverty and a lack of affordable housing. We need a real housing plan to help those who have fallen on hard times,” he added.
The first protest is slated for 7 p.m. Monday, March 18 in front of Commissioner Banks’ home on Sherman Street, between 10th Avenue and 11th Avenue in Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn.
The second protest is slated for 12 noon, Sunday, March 24 on the steps of City Hall in lower Manhattan.
