Attorney General Anthony G. Brown has joined a multistate coalition in filing a motion to intervene in American Water Works Association v. EPA, Case No. 24-1376 (D.C. Cir.) to defend the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2024 Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI).
The LCRI, which went into effect on December 30, 2024, replaced the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) of 2021, which set weaker drinking water standards and failed to protect the public from lead in drinking water, a major source of lead exposure. The 2024 LCRI implemented stronger standards to ensure safe drinking water, most importantly requiring the replacement of millions of lead pipes nationwide within 10 years. The LCRI is being challenged by the American Water Works Association. “Everyone should have access to clean drinking water. These rules not only reduce our current exposure to harmful toxins but also require the replacement of lead pipes in our nation’s water systems, making it an investment in our children and grandchildren’s future,” said Attorney General Brown. “My Office will do whatever it can to protect Marylanders from the serious health risks posed by contaminated drinking water.” Low-income communities and communities of color, which typically have older houses and drinking water infrastructure and are more likely to be served by lead pipes, are often affected by lead exposure more severely than other communities. Lead, a highly toxic heavy metal, can negatively affect almost every organ and bodily system. It is particularly dangerous for children since their developing brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to its damaging effects. Lead exposure can cause a range of health problems, including premature birth, learning disabilities, delayed physical development for children, and cardiovascular and kidney problems for adults. The EPA has determined that no amount of lead in drinking water is safe. The Maryland Office of the Attorney General joined a multistate coalition that filed a lawsuit challenging the 2021 LCRR on March 1, 2021. That lawsuit was put on hold while the federal government reviewed the 2021 rule, before ultimately finalizing the 2024 LCRI that superseded the 2021 rule, and placing the litigation on hold.
In filing the motion, Attorney General Brown joins the attorneys general of California, New York, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.
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