Washington (dbTechno) - A Senate panel hearing is planned to investigate the a research project which placed raw sewage sludge on the front lawns of people living in poor black neighborhoods. The NAACP has been pushing for a full investigation into the research project.The research project was funded by the Agriculture Department, EPA, as well as the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The research project was intended to see if sewage sludge could prevent and fight lead poisoning in children.

The researchers apparently spread the sewage sludge on the front lawns of 9 families in a poor black neighborhood in Baltimore, Maryland.

The NAACP is pushing the attorney general of Maryland to launch a full investigation to see if the families gave the researchers consent.

Researchers stated that the families were told the sludge was perfectly safe, despite known health concerns.

The NAACP has stated that this is similar to the Tuskegee experiments.