Thursday, 4:30 PM
Salem housing authority could face fines over lead
By Shawntaye Hopkins, Globe correspondent
The Salem Housing Authority may be fined as much as $11,000 for failing to tell residents that they were in danger of lead poisoning, federal environmental officials said today.
The US Environmental Protection Agency proposed the fine this week after tenants complained last year about lead in the housing units, mostly in paint on the exterior. No lead poisoning has been reported in the 14 units where routine inspections in the late 1990s discovered lead. The EPA reviewed leases from April 2002 to October 2005 and found the hazards were not disclosed to tenants as required by federal law.
The housing authority's executive director was out of the office today, and did not return phone calls seeking comment. The authority owns and operates 715 units throughout Salem.
Children are most vulnerable to lead poisoning because their brains are still developing, EPA officials said. Lead poisoning can cause learning disabilities, impaired hearing, reduced attention span, and behavior problems.
