CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN DEMANDS CONGRESSIONAL HEARING ON LEAD CABLE CRISIS

Congressman Pat Ryan Demands Congressional Hearing on Lead Cable Crisis 

Calls on Verizon, AT&T and US Telecom CEOs to testify in Congress following report of DOJ investigation

Companies thus far have avoided answering key questions, including location of lead cables and plans for remediation

WASHINGTON, DC  – Today, Congressman Pat Ryan demanded that Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg, AT&T CEO John Stankey, and US Telecom CEO Jonathan Spalter testify in Congress in response to the ongoing lead cable crisis. This comes as the Wall Street Journal reported that the Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency are investigating the potential risks posed by the sprawling network of toxic lead-sheathed telecom cables across the U.S, including an aerial cable at a playground in Wappingers Falls, part of Congressman Ryan’s district.  

“This week, Verizon and AT&T reported billions in profits, yet when it comes to answering questions about toxic lead cables, they’re silent. If they won’t be honest with the American people and take accountability, we will compel them to,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “In particular, it’s outrageous that these companies denied the public health impacts of their negligence, which flies in the face of overwhelming scientific evidence that even trace amounts of lead can pose serious health risks for children. I’ll keep fighting until the last lead cable is safely removed.” 

Last week, Congressman Ryan wrote to Vestberg, Stankey and Spalter demanding answers as to the location of these lead cables and their plans for remediation. US Telecom’s response, linked here, did not address either of these concerns.        

Ryan, a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Water Resources Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over the Clean Water Act and the Environmental Protection Agency, addressed today’s letter to Representative Cathy McMorris-Rodgers and Representative Sam Graves, the chairs of Energy and Commerce Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, respectively.

 A copy of Ryan’s letter appears below.

Dear Chairs McMorris-Rodgers and Graves: 

I write to request that the Committees on Energy and Commerce and Transportation and Infrastructure, which together have jurisdiction over telecommunications, public health and the Environmental Protection Agency, commit to hosting a hearing regarding the Wall Street Journal reporting of lead-sheathed cables that have been depositing lead into communities across the United States. These mostly obsolete and, in many cases, abandoned, cables have been leaching lead into unsuspecting communities, placing children and families at risk of lead poisoning. It is crucial that the Chief Executive Officers of AT&T, Verizon, Frontier Communications, Lumen Technologies and their corresponding trade association testify before Congress to explain where these lead cables are, when they knew about the potential for lead exposure, how these companies plan on addressing the environmental and public health issues posed by these cables, and the plan for remediation of these lead contaminated areas. 

The response following the Wall Street Journal report revealing there are more than 2,000 lead-covered cables, both aerial and submarine, that exist in the United States leaching lead into streams, waterways, and playgrounds, has been woefully inadequate. US Telecom, a trade association for many of these telecommunications companies, claimed “the likelihood of exposure to lead from these cables is low,” and AT&T’s CEO John Stankey stated that there is “no reason to believe these cables pose a public health risk.” The children of the Hudson Valley who are spending time at playgrounds infested with lead and the overwhelming scientific evidence that even trace amounts of lead in a child’s system can pose severe risks to physical and mental development paints a much different picture.  

With new reporting that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Justice Department are investigating the potential health and environmental risks from these lead-clad cables, including using the EPA’s authority under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) or more commonly known as Superfund authority, it is imperative that Congress also performs its oversight authority to ensure the safety of communities across the United States. 

As a father of two young sons, the possibility of them ingesting lead at a local playground due to corporate negligence over these lead-sheathed cables is appalling. As citizens and consumers, we place our trust in the integrity and safety of companies to do the right thing. Knowing that these aerial and submarine cables pose a public health and environmental threat, there must be clear oversight regulating their disposal and removal. Therefore, I request that the Committees that have jurisdiction over these issues, House Energy and Commerce and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, hold a hearing so we can ensure swift and effective action to identify the risks and protect the public from further exposure to lead cables. 

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter, and I look forward to your response and swift action to remediate the situation. 

Sincerely,

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