The discovery of lead contamination in Whiting and Hammond follows the lead crisis in nearby East Chicago where crews are demolishing the West Chicago Housing Complex after hundreds of residents were forced to evacuate.

"I think the state and federal environmental officials have been dropping the ball consistently here, they don't go looking for these problems, even though they know they exist," said Mark Templeton, an environmental law professor at the University of Chicago.

As a result, Templeton said the residents are the ones bearing the health burden.

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