$75 Million to Be Spent to Remove Asbestos and Others Toxins from Pennsylvania Schools
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro discussed a grant program that provided $75 million in state funds to charter schools, public school districts, and career and technical education centers to pay for environmental clean-ups, including asbestos abatement.
The goal is to provide students with lead-free water and air that’s mold and asbestos-free in buildings. Shapiro announced in September, stating, “Our kids deserve to learn in world-class facilities that are safe and healthy.”
The Public School Environmental Repairs Program grants cover mold and asbestos remediation, improved water infrastructure, and the installation of machinery to reduce lead exposure. More than a hundred districts, schools, and education centers received funding.
Schools Burdened With Decades’ Old Asbestos Products Need Help
The School District of Philadelphia received the maximum grant of more than $7.8 million. The city’s Frankford High School closed last year after damaged asbestos was discovered. Building repairs cost the district $20 million to get the facility in shape to safely reopen. The district estimates it needs about $7 billion for all its capital needs.
Last year, a judge ruled that Pennsylvania’s school funding system, primarily based on local property taxes, is unconstitutional because it denies students in low-property-value and income districts the same resources and opportunities as those in wealthier districts.
Philadelphia has the highest poverty rate of the country’s ten largest cities, according to WHYY. Those most exposed to asbestos are those in low and middle-income communities, so it should be no surprise the city has problems with asbestos in its schools.
Many school districts in Pennsylvania and across the US have buildings that were beautiful and fully functional (if filled with asbestos) after their construction decades ago, but they have fallen into disrepair.
Some of them still have deteriorating asbestos-containing products that release cancer-causing asbestos fibers. Financial help from outside districts is often required to replace leaky roofs that lead to mold, remove lead and asbestos from schools.
Call Us Today For A Free Consultation
If you have an asbestos-related illness, including mesothelioma, you may be entitled to compensation. To discuss your situation and how Satterley & Kelley, PLLC can help, call our Louisville office toll-free at 855-385-9532. You may also complete our contact form for a free initial consultation.