MEC praises $10 million for Lead Poisoning Prevention Fund

Today Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s second executive budget was released. It included $10 million for a new Lead Poisoning Prevention Fund to protect Michigan families from lead in their homes. Michigan Environmental Council released the following statement in support of this funding recommendation:

“We applaud Governor Whitmer’s creative proposal to invest $10 million to unlock private capital and get low interest loans in the hands of residents who simply can't afford the high cost of making their home lead safe,” said Tina Reynolds, Michigan Environmental Council Program Director for Environmental Health.

“With 70% of Michigan housing stock at risk of having lead paint, we can't continue to make homes lead safe one by one. We need private investment and resources for families on a much broader scale, and we welcome strategies that will make healthy homes reachable for more families. We look forward to getting more details and ensuring that our most vulnerable residents are eligible for these loans as well as families who face a desperate need for help but fall just outside the current income criteria to receive state and federal lead grants.”