New EPA Regulations Cost Home Owners More
New EPA Regulations Cost Home Owners 10-15% or More On Home Repairs
New regulations designed more for control than for safety are laying the groundwork for future controls in our own homes, according to a press release dated April 23, 2010, by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency:
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that renovations and repairs of pre-1978 housing must now be conducted using safe practices to protect children and pregnant women from exposure to lead-based paint. Almost a million children have elevated blood lead levels as a result of exposure to lead hazards, which can lead to lower intelligence, learning disabilities, and behavior issues. Adults exposed to lead hazards can suffer from high blood pressure and headaches. Children under six years old are most at risk.
“Our lead-safe program will protect children and families from lead-based paint hazards associated with renovation and repair activities in houses built before 1978,” said Steve Owens, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. “This rule requires contractors to follow some simple and effective lead-safe work practices to prevent children’s exposure to dangerous levels of lead. Lead poisoning is completely preventable.”
Area stores have been charging homeowners for testing for lead before replacing a door or other repairs in homes built before1978.
A call to the EPA confirmed that regulations require any contractor who renovates any part of the house built before 1978 that includes six square feet of the interior or 20 or more square feet of the exterior to either test for lead or treat the area as though there is lead there. The regulation also includes painting if any sanding or disturbance is done. This means they have to contain the area to make sure dust particles don’t escape the area unless they first test for lead and find there is no lead there.
As a practical business response, Lowe’s and other companies probably have to test every area because it is cheaper than taking the added steps to contain the area they are working in as required by EPA regulation if they don’t test. This is another of those EPA regulations that hurt businesses (they will lose sales over this regulation) and cost consumers – even during this economic crisis in our country. Who thought the EPA could ever come directly into our homes – property we own – and require such unnecessary regulations! If we don’t stop them now, there will be other EPA rules in the future that will even affect those whose homes were built after 1978.
If We Don’t Act on Information
We Receive We Are Failing To
Make A Difference!
We need to get the information on these EPA Regulations to our Arkansas legislators Washington. Would you please phone, write an email or copy and paste the above information to the form on the legislator’s website and ask them to do something about the EPA regulations.
Our own legislators have told us that even if they have expressed their views on issues that agree with your views that you still need to email them about it because that gives them reasons to back legislation on the subject. The House (controlled by Republicans) can probably stop the funding on its own. We believe negotiations on the EPA should become part of the 2nd phase of the debt ceiling legislation by the Commission. If we want change, we must keep getting this information to our legislators. If they get emails from several people on the same subject, they will begin to realize it is important.
Residents of Arkansas are represented in Congress by 2 Senators and 4 Representatives. Click on their name in blue font and it will take you to their website. Capitol Hill Switchboard is 202-224-3121. You can call that number and ask for the office of any Senator or Congressman. I suggest putting that number in your cell phone and that way you can call any time, anywhere.
Senator Mark Pryor (D- AR)
DC Phone202-224-2353
DC FAX 202-228-0908
http://pryor.senate.gov/publicindex.cfm?p=ContactForm
Senator John Boozman (R- AR)
DC Phone 202-224-4843
DC Fax 202-228-1371
http://boozman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/e-mail-me
Representative Rick Crawford (R – 01)
DC Phone 202-225-4076
DC Fax 202-225-5602 https://crawford.house.gov/Contact/default.aspx
Representative Tim Griffin (R – 02)
DC Phone 202-225-2506
DC Fax 202-225-5903
https://griffin.house.gov/contact-me/email-me
Representative Steve Womack (R – 03)
DC Phone 202-225-4301
DC Fax202-225-5713
https://womack.house.gov/Contact/default.aspx
Representative Mike Ross (D – 04)
DC Phone 202-225-3772
FAX 202-225-1314
https://ross.house.gov/Contact/default.aspx
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