U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7 - 11201 Renner Blvd., Lenexa, KS 66219
Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Nine Tribal Nations

Contact Information: Shannan Beisser, beisser.shannan@epa.gov, 816-520-1949

LENEXA, KAN. (OCT. 5, 2023) – This month in Nebraska, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will host lead awareness educational sessions in Kearney, Grand Island, and Scottsbluff on actions that can be taken to reduce childhood lead exposure.

These events from EPA’s Community Lead Awareness Initiative comes as EPA celebrates Children’s Health Month and prepares for National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week Oct. 22-28.

EPA is hosting six free sessions in Nebraska. Both Scottsbluff offerings are full. Register today!

Kearney

• Lead Awareness Curriculum Train-the-Trainer to learn how to use and modify the Lead Awareness Curriculum to teach your community about lead:
  • Tuesday, Oct. 10, from 1 to 4 p.m. CDT
  • Kearney Public Library - South Platte Room, 2020 1st Avenue, Kearney, NE 68847
  • Register online
     
• Understanding Lead to learn about lead, its impacts, and actions you can take to prevent lead exposure and lead poisoning:
  • Tuesday, Oct. 10, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. CDT
  • Kearney Public Library - South Platte Room, 2020 1st Avenue, Kearney, NE 68847
  • Register online

Grand Island

• Lead Awareness Curriculum Train-the-Trainer to learn how to use and modify the Lead Awareness Curriculum to teach your community about lead:
  • Wednesday, Oct. 11, from 1 to 4 p.m. CDT
  • Grand Island Public Library, 1124 West 2nd Street, Grand Island, NE 68801
  • Register online
     
• Understanding Lead to learn about lead, its impacts, and actions you can take to prevent lead exposure and lead poisoning:
  • Wednesday, Oct. 11, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. CDT
  • Grand Island Public Library, 1124 West 2nd Street, Grand Island, NE 68801
  • Register online

Scottsbluff

• Lead Awareness Curriculum Train-the-Trainer and Understanding Lead
  • Friday, Oct. 13
  • Both sessions are full

Background

Throughout 2023, EPA will host educational sessions in several communities that are especially vulnerable to lead exposure, reflecting the Agency’s commitment to promoting environmental justice in parts of the country disproportionately impacted by lead, as described in the Agency-wide Lead Strategy released in November 2022. The initiative also supports the Lead Strategy’s commitment to using various methods – including the development of new and improved outreach materials – to reduce lead exposure and educate communities on the risks of lead exposure.

These lead awareness sessions will supplement EPA’s local lead training and outreach initiative, which has been implemented in 22 communities across the U.S. and Puerto Rico in 2021 and 2022. Through this 2021-2022 initiative, EPA helped 512 contractors obtain lead-safe certification and educated 871 participants nationwide about lead and how to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their communities from lead exposure.

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Learn more about EPA Region 7