Indiana Extends Assistance For East Chicago Lead Crisis
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb has approved a plan to continue providing emergency assistance to East Chicago as it seeks to clean up lead contamination.
Holcomb signed legislation indefinitely extending his emergency order designating contaminated parts of East Chicago as "areas of special concern."
The order directs state agencies to work with the federal government on cleanup, testing, and relocation of residents. It also requires the state to conduct annual testing of the East Chicago water supply to check for lead and copper levels.
Earlier this week, Holcomb visited East Chicago with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt, as many worried about the Trump administration's plans to cut the EPA budget.
Holcomb said people should have confidence in what the state and federal governments are doing.