Governor DeWine Appoints Lead Advisory Committee

Statement

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine today announced the creation of a statewide Lead Advisory Committee aimed at preventing and treating lead poisoning and advising on the state's efforts to abate and remediate lead contamination. The governor intends for the committee to build on the investments included in the budget to make more of Ohio's homes lead-safe for children and families. Over the next two years, Ohio will invest $25 million to prevent and treat lead poisoning and remediate homes of toxic lead, including:

-More than $4.8 million annually to advertise lead-free homes to families, abate and remediate lead contamination, and demolish lead-blighted homes.
-$225,000 to increase the supply of lead hazard control workers.
-$5 million per year to provide a lead abatement tax credit, allowing eligible individuals to receive an income tax credit worth up to $10,000 for costs related to home lead abatement.

The Lead Advisory Committee will be tasked with:

-Understanding all sources of possible lead poisoning.
-Reviewing local, state, and national best practices to prevent lead poisoning.
-Reviewing local, state, and national initiatives to abate and remediate lead from all sources of contamination.
-Developing recommendations for Ohio's response to lead poisoning.

"It's wrong that in 2019 there are still children in Ohio whose dreams are stifled because they live in homes where they are exposed to lead paint," Governor Mike DeWine said. "We have an obligation to fix the lead problem. Through Ohio's current investments and the recommendations of this committee, I believe Ohio can move the needle on lead poisoning."

Members of the multidisciplinary Lead Advisory Committee include professionals in medicine, housing, constructions trades, local and state government, and many more. The following individuals have been appointed to a six-month term on the Lead Advisory Committee:

Director of the Ohio Department of Commerce, or their designee
Director of the Ohio Developmental Service Agency, or their designee
Director of the Ohio Department of Education, or their designee
Director of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, or their designee
Director of the Ohio Department of Health, or their designee
Director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, or their designee
Director of the Ohio Department of Medicaid, or their designee
Executive Director of the Ohio Housing Finance Agency, or their designee
Aparna Bole, Division Chief, General Academic Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, University Hospitals
Nick Newman, Medical Director, Environmental Health and Lead Clinic, Cincinnati Children's Hospital
Miranda Motter, President and CEO, Ohio Association of Health Plans
Terry Allen, Cuyahoga County Health Commissioner
Victor Vigluicci, Portage County Prosecutor
Ed Tharp, Executive Director, Mansfield Metropolitan Housing Authority
Beth Rubin, Director, Greene County Job and Family Services
Janet Creighton, Member, Board of Stark County Commissioners
Kristine Hodge, Superintendent, Delaware County Board of Developmental Disabilities
Cynthia McCarthy, Lead Program Administrative Specialist, Greater Cincinnati Water Works
The Honorable Blaine Griffin, Member, Cleveland City Council (Ward 6)
John McBride, Model Education Leader K-8, The Prep Schools
Kim Foreman, Executive Director, Cleveland Environmental Health Watch
Patricia Barnes, Executive Director, Ohio Healthy Homes Network
Maude Hill, SVP, Community & Government Relations, HomePort
Marcia Egbert, Senior Program Officer for Human Services, The George Gund Foundation
Jim Rokakis, VP and Director of Thriving Communities Institute, Western Reserve Land Conservancy
Scott Williams, CEO, Ohio Realtors Association
Scott Lopez, Business Manager, UA Local 50
Jim Ritterhoff, President, Simms Management Corp.
Chris Amato, President, Historic South Initiative

The Lead Advisory Committee will hold their first meeting later this fall, with additional meetings to occur monthly.

Source