Underwood Helps Secure Funding for Ethylene Oxide Monitoring in Lake County

Statement

Today, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) announced the House Appropriations Committee included funding for ambient air monitoring of Ethylene Oxide (EtO) during its mark-up of the appropriations bill for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The $5.6 million increase for EPA's compliance monitoring program would support EPA air monitoring for communities identified by the National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) as facing high levels of EtO emissions, including those in Lake County.

In addition to the increased funding for the compliance monitoring account at EPA, the legislation includes language urging EPA to conduct ambient air monitoring in communities like Lake County that the NATA identified as facing high EtO levels, in coordination with state and local public health departments and other federal agencies.

"This investment is essential to getting much-needed answers for our community in Lake County on the potential health hazards of ethylene oxide. I'm pleased to see the House Appropriations Committee has accepted our request to provide the EPA with additional funding to conduct ambient air monitoring and will continue to fight to bring federal resources to the 14th District," said Underwood.

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