Connect with us

Milwaukee, WI

Biden in Milwaukee announces 10-year timeline for lead pipe replacement • Wisconsin Examiner

Published

on

Biden in Milwaukee announces 10-year timeline for lead pipe replacement • Wisconsin Examiner


All U.S. municipalities will be required to remove lead from their water lines over a 10-year period under new federal regulations the Environmental Protection Agency released Tuesday.

To officially announce the new rule, President Joe Biden traveled to Milwaukee, where he spoke about the role that his administration’s bipartisan infrastructure law played in advancing the replacement of lead pipes in Wisconsin’s largest city as well as across the country.

President Joe Biden speaks in Milwaukee Tuesday about the federally funded program to replace lead pipes nationwide. (Screenshot | White House livestream)

“For too long, local communities have known how important it was to deal with this problem,” Biden said. “It hadn’t been given the national priority it demanded, though. I’m here today to tell you that I’m finally insisting that it gets prioritized, and I’m insisting to get it done well.”

The U.S. has more than 9 million water service lines still using lead pipes, according to the EPA, including 340,000 lines in Wisconsin.

Advertisement

The infrastructure law includes $15 billion for lead pipe replacement. It also contains incentives to use union labor and to create apprenticeship programs to train more workers.

Underscoring that, Biden was introduced by Alonzo Romo, a Laborers Union member who has been among the workers replacing lead lines in Milwaukee.

“I personally helped move 35 lead laterals, and while I have a lot more to do, I know we’re making great pace,” Romo said. “This is hard work, but it is so rewarding. Not only am I getting paid great wages and great benefits, but I know that when I am removing a lead service lateral, I’m helping a family in our community have access to clean drinking water.”

Nationally about 367,000 lead lines have been replaced — and in the process, Biden said, “providing what’s good for our health and for our environment is also good for our economy and it’s good for jobs.”

The rule released Tuesday is an update of the federal lead and copper rule for drinking water. The 10-year timeline it requires for all communities to replace their lead service lines starts in 2027.

Advertisement

“This is also about fairness,” Biden said. “Nationally, I’m directing nearly half of this funding to go to disadvantaged communities that have borne the brunt of lead pipe poisoning for damn too long.”

A disproportionate number of people living where lead pipes remain in use are people of color, Biden said. “We have an obligation to make things right.”

Advocates praised the measure as a boon to public health.

“As we confront the legacy of lead contamination, this rule strengthens accountability and prioritizes the safety of our most vulnerable communities,” said Sara Welling, director of the water and agriculture program at Clean Wisconsin. “Today’s announcement sets us on a course for a healthier future, empowering local governments and water utilities to address this persistent threat with greater urgency and transparency.”

Advertisement

GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Milwaukee, WI

Hazardous materials response at Maitland Park in Milwaukee

Published

on

Hazardous materials response at Maitland Park in Milwaukee


There was a hazardous materials response at Maitland Park in Milwaukee on Tuesday, Nov. 19. 

The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office tells FOX6 News that deputies responded to Maitland Park for a possible domestic violence incident.

Advertisement

While at the park, deputies came across an encampment of some sort and found jug-like containers with what they believed contained possible hazardous chemicals.

A hazmat team responded to contain and dispose of the material. Park rangers moved the encampment.

There is currently no danger to the public. 

Advertisement

SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News

FOX6 News is working to gather information about this incident. When we have more information, we will update this post. 



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee Bucks 101-100 Houston Rockets: Damian Lillard leads late Bucks charge

Published

on

Milwaukee Bucks 101-100 Houston Rockets: Damian Lillard leads late Bucks charge


Defeat ended a five-game winning run for the Rockets, who trailed by 14 points at one stage. Fred VanVleet scored 26 points and Jalen Green 21 for the Rockets.

The Bucks are fourth from bottom in the Eastern Conference, while the Rockets are fourth in the West.

The Los Angeles Clippers held off a comeback from the in-form Golden States Warriors to win 102-99 at Intuit Dome.

Norman Powell scored 23 points for the Clippers, including five three-pointers, while Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 26.

Advertisement

“I’m proud of the team. They made a big run like they always do, and we were able to keep our composure and come away with the win,” said Clippers coach Tyronn Lue.

The Clippers are ninth in the Western Conference and the Warriors second.



Source link

Continue Reading

Milwaukee, WI

Paul Skenes named NL rookie of the year; Brewers’ Jackson Chourio finishes third

Published

on

Paul Skenes named NL rookie of the year; Brewers’ Jackson Chourio finishes third


play

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio etched his name in the record books in 2024, at 20 years old becoming the youngest player in major-league history to hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases.

But in the end, it wasn’t enough to earn him notice as the top newcomer in the National League.

Advertisement

Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes was named the senior circuit’s rookie of the year, earning 23 of a possible 30 first-place votes, with San Diego Padres centerfielder Jackson Merrill finishing second (seven first-place votes) and Chourio third.

Skenes, 22, went 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA and WHIP of 0.95 in 133 innings over 23 starts for a Pirates team that didn’t call him up from Class AAA Indianapolis until the second week of May.

Despite the delayed start, Skenes was the talk in baseball for most of the season, even becoming the first rookie to start an All-Star Game since 1995. He accounted for 4.3 Wins Above Replacement according to FanGraphs.

In 156 games, Merrill hit .292 with 24 home runs and 90 runs batted in with an OPS of .826 for a Padres team that finished with the same record as the Brewers – 93-69 – but in second place in the NL West behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Merrill, 21, also stole 16 bases and was named an all-star. He accounted for 5.3 WAR according to FanGraphs.com.

Advertisement

Then there was Chourio, who earned 26 third-place votes. Chicago Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga garnered the other four.

It was a little over a year ago Chourio signed a record-breaking $82 million contract extension with the Brewers despite having never played in the major leagues.

He made Milwaukee’s opening-day roster out of spring training as the youngest player in the majors and then scuffled for most of the first two months before finally hitting his stride.

By season’s end, it could have been argued that Chourio was the Brewers’ best all-around player. In 148 games, Chourio hit .275 with 21 homers and 79 RBI to go along with an OPS of .791.

Advertisement

He also stole 22 bases and despite switching back and forth between right and left field was a net positive with the glove having been credited with 12 defensive runs saved and five outs above average.

Chourio saved his best for last, as he racked up five hits and three RBI in Milwaukee’s wild-card series loss to the New York Mets. He slugged two homers in Game 2, making him the fifth-youngest player in baseball history to go deep in the postseason.

Chourio’s WAR total of 3.9 ranked third on the Brewers behind catcher William Contreras (5.4) and shortstop Willy Adames (4.8).

Right-hander Devin Williams is the last Brewers player to have been named rookie of the year (2020).

Advertisement

Milwaukee’s next shot at a Baseball Writers Association of America postseason award comes Tuesday, with Pat Murphy considered a favorite to be named NL manager of the year.



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending