Federal Action Plan to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposure
The full Federal Action Plan to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposures and Associated Health Impacts (Action Plan) is available at the bottom of this page.
The Action Plan is a blueprint for reducing lead exposure and associated harms through collaboration among federal agencies and with a range of stakeholders, including states, tribes and local communities, along with businesses, property owners and parents. The Action Plan will help federal agencies work strategically and collaboratively to reduce exposure to lead with the aim of ultimately improving children’s health.
In April 2019, EPA released the Implementation Status Report for EPA Actions under the December 2018 Federal Action Plan to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposures and Associated Health Impacts (Status Report). The Status Report describes EPA activities that are being conducted in support of the Lead Action Plan.
The Action Plan is the product of the President’s Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children (Task Force). The Task Force is the focal point for federal collaboration to promote and protect children’s environmental health. Established in 1997 by Executive Order 13045, the Task Force comprises 17 federal departments and offices. The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) co-chair the Task Force. The Senior Staff Steering Committee (Steering Committee) is its operational arm. Read the news release.
The Action Plan has four goals with key priorities and objectives that seek to reduce harm to children from exposure to lead. By identifying specific goals and actions, federal agencies can prioritize their efforts and monitor progress. The four goals are:
- Goal 1: Reduce children's exposure to lead sources
- Goal 2: Identify lead-exposed children and improve their health outcomes
- Goal 3: Communicate more effectively with stakeholders
- Goal 4: Support and conduct critical research to inform efforts to reduce lead exposures and related health risks