| AT&T, Verizon and other telecom giants have left behind a sprawling network of cables covered in toxic lead that stretches across the U.S., under the water, in the soil and on poles overhead, a Wall Street Journal investigation found. As the lead degrades, it is ending up in places where Americans live, work and play. The lead can be found on the banks of the Mississippi River in Louisiana, the Detroit River in Michigan, the Willamette River in Oregon and the Passaic River in New Jersey, according to the Journal's tests of samples from nearly 130 sites, conducted by several independent laboratories. The U.S. has spent decades eradicating lead from well-known sources such as paint, gasoline and pipes. The Journal's investigation reveals a hidden source of contamination that hasn't been addressed by the companies or environmental regulators. These relics of the old Bell System's regional telephone network, and their impact on the environment, haven't been previously reported. In response to the Journal's reporting, AT&T, Verizon and other telecom companies that succeeded Ma Bell said they don't believe cables in their ownership are a public health hazard or a major contributor to environmental lead, considering the existence of other sources of lead closer to people's homes. AT&T also said the Journal's reporting conflicts with longstanding science and its own testing. The companies and an industry group representing them said they would work together to address any concerns related to lead-sheathed cables. | 
