"How Trump’s Cuts To EPA Could Hurt Our Kids"

"OAKLAND — Stephanie Avila was shocked when a doctor told her earlier this year that her adventurous 18-month-old son Alexander was poisoned by lead — with an exposure rate 10 times the safe limit. But she was even more shocked when she learned the culprit: the lead paint in the home where generations of her family had lived for years.

Now, the Trump administration is proposing to cut more than $16 million from Environmental Protection Agency efforts to protect kids like Alex from lead paint. If Congress approves the cuts, successful EPA programs that train contractors on the safe way to remove the lead would be axed.

Experts say that would mean more kids end up with lead poisoning. Exposure to even tiny amounts of lead can lead to lifelong health problems for kids, including hearing loss, stunted IQ levels and behavioral issues."

Casey Tolan reports for the San Jose Mercury News April 19, 2017.