The EPA’s Lead: Renovation, Repair and Painting rule is six months away from adoption –and the agency is already planning more changes. It is critical that affected HBA members lose no time submitting their comments on the proposal.
EPA has proposed removing the “opt-out” provision from the rule. With very few exceptions, that means that remodelers, HVAC contractors, painters, insulation installers – any company working in homes built before 1978 – must be certified, and the training, cleaning and recordkeeping requirements for certified firms are not trifling, or inexpensive. In other words, this isn’t just a rule for remodelers: This rule applies to anyone doing work in 68 percent of the homes in this country. You can get additional information by reading this week’s NBN article.
NAHB is planning to submit comments about the changes to the rule by the Nov. 27 deadline. However, the more comments the EPA receives, the better. The agency must understand why the proposals won’t make children any safer – and in fact, by encouraging more “DIY jobs” and not hiring a professional contractor, they may be placing more children in danger. For your convenience, NAHB has created a letter template to get you started.
For more information on the lead paint rule, visit www.nahb.org/leadpaint.