COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded $45 million to Ohio to identify and eliminate lead paint in homes.

Republican Gov. Mike DeWine says the grants will help make Ohio homes safer.

Grants will go to Columbus, Akron, Canton, Cleveland and Lima as well as Cuyahoga, Erie, Mahoning, and Summit counties. The sizes of the awards range from $2 million for Lima to $9.7 million for Cleveland.

DeWine announced plans in March to promote lead screening, increase early intervention services and expand the number of lead workers and contractors. DeWine announced the formation of a state Lead Advisory Committee earlier this month.

The Columbus Dispatch reports the Ohio Department of Health tested 168,000 children last year and found that just over 2% had elevated blood lead levels.

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Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com

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