MAHONING COUNTY, Ohio - A grant worth several million dollars is on its way to Mahoning County for lead hazard prevention.

The Mahoning County Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control Program has been awarded $5.7 million to work to remove lead hazards in housing units across the county.

The federal funds come from the Consolidated Appropriations Act. Valley Congressman Tim Ryan advocated for the grant through his position on the House Appropriation Committee.

"With this funding, we are going to significantly reduce the risk of lead poisoning for potentially thousands of children in our community and improve the quality of life for those living in the Mahoning Valley," said Ryan.

Nearly 200 homes in the area will be evaluated by the Mahoning County District Board of Health to determine the level of lead hazard. The goal is to identify and reduce lead-contaminated dust, bare soil, and loose, peeling, or flaking lead-based paint in these homes.

"This funding will allow us to address lead-based paint and home safety hazards in more than 170 homes across 64 high risk census tracks in the Mahoning Valley over the next four years," said Carol Rimedio-Righetti, President of the Board of Mahoning County Commissioners. 

The grant will also work to educate families and other community members about the risk of lead hazards.

"This is the largest grant we have ever received in the 26 years that this program has been in existence," said Phillip Puryear, Program Director, Mahoning County Healthy Homes & Lead Hazard Control. "We will continue to make homes safe for children and increase our contractor training and outreach efforts to the community."