Baldwin Delivers Nearly $13 Million for Milwaukee and Kenosha to Remove Dangerous Lead Paint

SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) announced that she helped deliver over $12.9 million to remove dangerous lead paint from homes in Southeastern Wisconsin. Milwaukee County will receive $7.75 million and Kenosha County will receive nearly $5.2 million in funding through the Baldwin-backed annual funding legislation for Fiscal Year 2024.

“Every child deserves to grow up in an environment free of toxic chemicals. We know that no amount of exposure to lead is safe, especially for children, and whether it’s replacing outdated service lines or renovating homes with lead paint, we need to be doing more to protect our children from the lifelong effects of lead poisoning,” said Senator Baldwin. “I’m proud to deliver this funding to ensure children and parents in Southeastern Wisconsin can be confident that their families are not being exposed to dangerous chemicals and can live healthy lives.”

The funding for Milwaukee and Kenosha Counties comes through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction (LHR) grant program, which aims to minimize the number of children under the age of six years who experience lead poisoning. This funding helps transform communities by fixing older housing, preserving affordable housing, and improving the health of children and families in these communities.

“Exposure to lead can cause serious, lasting health issues and developmental delays, especially in young children under the age of six. As we work to make Milwaukee County the healthiest county in Wisconsin, we must address the leading cause of lead poisoning in our region: lead in paint,” said Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. “I am grateful to the Biden-Harris Administration and Senator Tammy Baldwin for recognizing health dangers in our community and responding with new funding through the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction grant program to address these challenges. Milwaukeeans deserve both affordable and safe housing, and together with our federal partners we will make substantial strides toward achieving that goal.”

“This nearly $5.2 million grant will have a direct impact on the health and safety of children in Kenosha and Racine counties, allowing us to continue our ongoing work to identify and address lead paint hazards through the Live Lead Safe Program,” said Kenosha County Executive Samantha Kerkman. “We’re thankful to our federal partners — Senators Baldwin and Johnson, and Congressman Steil — for their continuing support of this program in our community.”

Senator Baldwin is committed to ensuring Wisconsin children can grow up in an environment free of toxic chemicals like lead. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Senator Baldwin has helped bring home nearly $130 million to remove lead service lines, with an estimated $240 million more on the way over the next three years. In August, Senator Baldwin also announced that the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) will receive nearly $850,000 to address lead in drinking water at childcare facilities throughout Wisconsin.

An online version of this release is available here.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.