A bill to reinstate the opt-out provision and make other changes to the EPA’s Lead: Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule was reintroduced to the U.S. House of Representatives last week by Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D, along with eight cosponsors .
The bill, H.R. 2328, would allow homeowners without small children or pregnant women residing in the home to decide whether to require RRP compliance, allow remodelers to correct paperwork errors without facing full penalties and provide an exemption for emergency renovations, according to the National Association of Home Builders.
The bill would also stop requiring recertification training to be “hands on,” meaning certified remodelers would no longer have to travel outside their region for refresher training.
"On the heels of EPA's final rule extending the recertification deadline for thousands of remodelers, H.R. 2328 will make more common sense improvements for home owners and remodelers who must comply with the lead paint regulation's costly requirements," said NAHB Remodelers Chairman Robert Criner in a statement. "I commend the bill's co-sponsors for their commitment to improve this complicated regulation."
The RRP rule requires training on lead and certification for renovators, including wood floor contractors, working in homes built before 1978. Renovators must also adhere to lead-safe work practices and record-keeping requirements.
The RRP’s opt-out provision was removed in July 2010. By cutting the opt-out provision, the EPA doubled the number of homes subject to the RRP rule and added an estimated $366 million annual in compliance costs to the remodeling community, according to the NAHB.
