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AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — The Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting says a federal program aimed at keeping children in Maine and across the country from being exposed to lead paint is "barely enforced."
The administrator for the program in the Environmental Protection Agency's regional office said she doesn't have enough resources to enforce the law. Data indicates the EPA has pursued only three enforcement actions for violations in Maine since 2010.
The rule requires contractors to be trained and to follow practices to prevent the spread of lead particles during home renovations. It supplements laws requiring landlords to protect tenants.
Dr. David Bellinger, a Harvard environmental epidemiologist, says lead poisoning is the "number one health hazard for children." Maine data shows 79 children were diagnosed with lead poisoning in 2013.
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