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Recipient   Rep. Tom Davis Mayor Anthony Williams Hon. Kevin Chavous, D.C. Council Hon. Adrian Fenty, DC Council Hon. Linda Cropp, D.C. Council Hon. Harold Brazil, D.C. Council Hon. David Catania, D.C. Council Hon. Carol Schwartz, D.C. Council Hon. Phil Mendelson, D.C. Council Hon. Jim Graham, D.C. Council Hon. Kathleen Patterson, D.C. Council Hon. Vincent Orange, D.C. Council Hon. Sharon Ambrose, D.C. Council Hon. Sandy Allen, D.C. Council          

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Dear Member, I am angry and I want action. It now appears that the EPA, WASA, and the Department of Health have all been aware of the elevated lead levels in the drinking water and have done next to nothing about it. There should be immediate criminal investigations, firings and a program of reparations funded at the national level, and administered locally under a plan that is overseen by a board of citizens and experts. While there have been recent efforts to address the public health crisis resulting from high levels of lead, we need more action immediately. I urge you to support legislation to help city residents pay for the replacement of private lead pipes. The city is now making filters available to families in lead line serviced homes. It is a start, but still inadequate because lead could be leaching from pipes, joints and fixtures, putting all the city's children and pregnant women at risk. Our children in D.C. can not wait for healthy clean water. Their future is now. I urge you to perform the following to ensure that all of our children have healthy water to drink now and in the future: 1. Please immediately make available lead-free water for all of D.C.'s pregnant women, new mothers, infants and children up to 6 years of age, that is for Indigent Families: Free NSF-certified bottled water or NSF-certified water filters Eligible Families: Tax credits to taxpayers for the expense of NSF-certified bottled water and filtration products 2. Federal funding for expedited replacement of lead service lines from the 7% per year replacement schedule to 50% per year Congress' cuts to EPA's budget for corrosion control programs nationally have reduced the funds available to the District's to address the lead leaching problem. Congress needs to provide adequate funding for immediate correction. The structural deficit, a by-product of a local D.C. tax base financing both federal and local infrastructure needs, creates a just demand that the federal government bear some of the burden of the expense of improving the water system. 3. Immediate individual outreach to all of the affected and at-risk population, particularly those with water samples testing with elevated lead levels. This should include prompt disclosure, reporting to individuals and the public, and scheduled replacement of lead lines. 4. Public outreach and education to fully inform the public of the planned testing regimen, with mapping of results and agressive public education on lead exposure reduction as well as a permanent free lead testing program of any D.C. home or residential facility. 5. While some testing has been done and more is scheduled for child-serving facilities, perform thorough and rigorous testing of all potentially affected waterways, including multiple family dwellings, all city schools, recreation centers, libraries, licensed child care facilities and schools. Apartment buildings are of particular concerns to many city residents. 6. Grants to all residents for private lead plumbing, components and fixtures replacement. Thank you.