July 2, 2012
Written By: Leachman Lumber

The Lead Exposure Reduction Amendments Act of 2012 seeks to reduce burdens placed on home remodelers.

 

The bipartisan legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives was introduced by Reps. John Sullivan (R) and Tim Murphy (R).  This legislation would reduce the burdens of the EPA's Lead: Renovation, Repair and Painting (LRRP) rule on the home remodeling and retrofit market, while maintaining protections for pregnant women and small children from lead hazards.  The National Lumber and Building Materials Dealers Association (NLBMDA) and its members have worked tirelessly to reform the misguided EPA lead rule which took effect on April 22, 2010, requiring remodelers and contractors working in homes built before 1978 be trained and certified by the EPA on lead-safe work practices before they can legally work in these homes.

The Lead Exposure Reduction Amendments Act of 2012 will:

• Reinstate the opt-out provision to allow homeowners without small children or pregnant women residing in them to decide whether to require LRRP compliance, not the government.
• Allow remodelers the "right to cure" paperwork errors found during an inspection.
• Eliminate the "hands on" recertification training requirements.
• Prohibit the EPA from expanding the LRRP to commercial and public buildings until at least one year after the agency conducts a study demonstrating the need for such an action.
• Clarify the definition of "abatement" to specifically exclude remodeling and renovation activities.
• Provide an exemption to the regulation for emergency renovations.

We are hopeful that there will be modifications made to the existing law.  In our opinion, it simply makes sense until there is a reliable lead test that can accurately measure lead levels.  If this is something you support, contact your Representative and ask them to support this amendment.