As a companion to the Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule that allows homeowners without small children to decide whether or not to require Lead RRP compliance.
At this time, companies renovating more than 6 square feet of residential buildings build before 1978 must be certified to adhere to RRP rules. The bill would restore the opt-out provision that was originally drafted in the rule but removed before the rule took effect in April 2010. It would also allow remodelers to correct paperwork errors without penalty, provide an exemption for renovations after natural disasters and eliminate the requirement that recertification training be hands-on, so remodelers no longer have to travel to training facilities outside their regions.
By removing the opt-out provision in April 2010, the EPA more than doubled the number of homes subject to the Lead RRP rule, adding an estimated $336 million per year in compliance costs to the remodeling community, according to the National Association of Home Builders.
"H.R. 2093 will make common sense improvements to the EPA's lead paint rule for home owners and remodelers who must comply with the regulation's costly work practices and recordkeeping requirements," said NAHB Remodelers Chairman Bill Shaw. "Most importantly, it will continue to protect pregnant women and small children against lead hazards. I commend the bill's co-sponsors for their commitment to improve this burdensome regulation."
