Officials pledge coordinated lead cleanup in East Chicago

EAST CHICAGO, Ind. (AP) - Federal and Indiana state officials are renewing pledges to coordinate cleanup of a lead-contaminated site in a northwest Indiana community.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Indiana officials released a statement Friday saying they'd continue efforts to remediate the Superfund site in East Chicago and ensure safe drinking water.

The statement comes weeks after EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt's visit to East Chicago.

City officials began evacuating residents of a public housing complex last year because of high levels of lead and arsenic. The complex was built on a site previously occupied by a lead-products factory.

Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a bill last month pushing state agencies to continue addressing the high lead levels in the soil. It includes requiring Indiana's housing authority to work with federal officials on resident relocation.