Gubernatorial Candidates Weigh In On Lead Contamination

Gubernatorial candidate John Gregg accuses the state government of not doing enough when it comes to East Chicago’s lead contamination crisis.

Democrat John Gregg visited East Chicago after it was announced over one thousand residents would be displaced because of lead contamination. And he criticizes Governor Mike Pence and Lieutenant Governor Eric Holcomb – the GOP candidate for governor – for not doing the same. Pence is otherwise occupied by his run for vice president. Holcomb says he’s reached out to the mayor of East Chicago, offering to visit. But he says he won’t use the issue to score political points – and he notes the state is doing what it can.

“That doesn’t mean that we can override what the EPA…and their authority,” said Holcomb.

He notes the state contributed 100 thousand dollars to help relocate people. The Federal Housing Administration pledged 3 million in moving vouchers and other aid. Gregg says, as governor, he’d do more than just shift responsibility over to the federal government.

“We’ve got to do everything we can to work with, goad, push the federal government along,” said Gregg.

Both candidates say they’d devote more resources to surveying other sites similar to East Chicago, trying to avoid issues that have cropped up in northwest Indiana.