The risk posed by lead in drinking water demands increased investment in water infrastructure and faster action on proposed revisions to the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR), lawmakers said last week during a joint hearing of two House Energy and Commerce subcommittees on the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. The panel of witnesses at the hearing featured EPA Deputy Assistant Administrator for Water Joel Beauvais, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Director Keith Creagh and several public health and water utility officials. Beauvais’ testimony detailed EPA’s actions in response to Flint and reiterated the agency’s plans to propose revisions to the LCR in 2017.
During the hearing, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) told Beauvais the agency should try to propose the rule revisions earlier than next year. Several other lawmakers at the hearing, including Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) expressed support for boosting investment in water infrastructure as a way to prevent the Flint crisis from being replicated in another community.