REPLACE Act

The "REPLACE Act" seeks to significantly enhance lead hazard reduction efforts by amending the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992. It expands the eligible activities for lead-based paint hazard reduction grants to include crucial elements like clearance examinations , repairs for lead-safe conditions, and support for local implementation capacity and workforce development. Grants will prioritize jurisdictions with elevated childhood lead exposure and significant concentrations of older housing, and critically, require an evaluation of water-related lead hazards during housing remediation activities. Furthermore, the bill amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to strengthen lead reduction in drinking water. It redefines "lead service lines" to " covered service lines ," explicitly including galvanized pipes that were or might have been downstream of lead. The legislation prioritizes funding for areas with high childhood lead exposure or older housing and mandates coordination of covered service line replacement with housing lead hazard reduction programs. It also authorizes technical assistance to help entities identify, inventory, and replace these lines, fostering a comprehensive approach to lead exposure reduction.