Glad to see Senator Mark Warner (D. VA) taking action on this:
http://augustafreepress.com/...
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) today asked Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to take action to protect military families from unsafe levels of lead in drinking water. Recent tests at two Hampton Roads Navy child care centers found lead in drinking water that far exceeded Environmental Protection Agency safety levels. Lead exposure has been found to cause serious medical issues including permanent damage to the brain and nervous system, which can result in behavioral and learning problems. Sen. Warner urged Secretary Hagel to confirm that appropriate testing has occurred at other military facilities across all branches of the military services.
Navy officials in Norfolk acted promptly to address the problems, and Sen. Warner praised the aggressive and proactive response by the Hampton Roads Navy command following last week’s reports of unacceptably high lead levels in the drinking water at two local child development centers. The Navy secured the affected systems and alerted parents and other facilities in the region, and also established a telephone hotline for military families who might have questions about lead exposure.
However, Sen. Warner raised concerns over the apparent five-year delay between an Oct. 2007 Pentagon mandate to test lead in drinking water fixtures and the initiation of testing at Hampton Roads facilities in October 2012. Sen. Warner also asked Secretary Hagel for a briefing by Defense Department personnel on Pentagon efforts to prevent lead exposure at all military child development, youth centers and medical facilities. - Augusta Free Press, 4/4/13
Here's the letter Warner sent Hagel:
Here's a little more background info on this:
http://www.wvec.com/...
During routine testing of nearly 300 water outlets at nine centers, the Navy discovered elevated levels at a center outside Naval Station Norfolk on Hampton Boulevard and at the Fort Story side of Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story.
The voluntary EPA standards recommends a lead level of no higher than 20 parts per billion, which is said to be equivalent to 20 eye drops in an Olympics-sized pool. The testing showed a highest level of 66 parts per billion.
Lead exposure has been found to cause serious medical issues including permanent damage to the brain and nervous system, which can result in behavioral and learning problems.
Following the discovery of elevated lead levels last week, the Navy said installation commanding officers, day care center management, environmental and health specialists were available to meet individually with parents and employees to provide results of the tests and have their questions and concerns addressed. - WVEC, 4/4/13
Thanks for looking out on this one, Warner. By the way, Senator Warner will be attending the Equalit Virginia event with Newark Mayor Cory Booker (D. NJ):
http://www.timesdispatch.com/...
Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker will deliver the keynote address Saturday night at Equality Virginia’s annual fundraising dinner at the Greater Richmond Convention Center.
In 2014 Booker is expected to seek the U.S. Senate seat of retiring Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg, D-N.J.
Equality Virginia also “will highlight Sen. Mark Warner for his long-standing commitment to equality including his actions in 2005, when he was the first Virginia governor to ban employment discrimination based upon sexual orientation within state government.”
Warner recently urged repeal of the federal Defense of Marriage Act and affirmed his support for same-sex marriage. - Richmond Times-Dispatch, 4/5/13