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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Morgan Zenner or Nikki Golden
847-298-9200
NARI applauds House version of Lead Exposure Reduction Amendments Act of 2012
Bipartisan legislation will better protect target market.
Des Plaines, Illinois, June 8, 2012—The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) applauds the bipartisan House version of the Lead Exposure Reduction Amendments Act of 2012, or H.R. 5911, to amend the EPA’s Lead Renovation, Repair & Painting (LRRP) Rule by restoring the opt-out provision. NARI supported the opt-out provision when EPA first published its LRRP rules because that provision allowed for home owners to choose a less expensive option when there was no risk to children or pregnant women. Two years ago, EPA changed the rules and removed the opt-out provision. Under the bill co-sponsored by Rep. John Sullivan (R-Okla.) and Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA), costly EPA requirements to prevent lead exposure will apply to remodeling projects only when children or pregnant women could be at risk.
NARI commends Congress for being responsive to the concerns of the remodeling community. NARI members overwhelmingly agreed (92%) that restoring the opt-out to the rule made the most sense for both the remodeling professional and the homeowner. “I truly believe that as professional remodelers, we must be cognizant of our customers’ health and safety. However, once they are educated concerning lead hazards, ultimately, they should be able to make their own decisions regarding this issue,” advised a member who responded to the survey.
In another NARI survey of homeowners, deployed in June 2011, 51% of homeowners agreed with the statement, “I want the option to opt-out of the EPA’s LRRP regulations.”
NARI continues to work actively with the EPA on ways the agency can educate the public on the importance of hiring EPA-certified remodelers to do work on homes built before 1978. NARI also continues to push the agency for tougher enforcement of the rules to crack down on firms lacking EPA certification that are violating the rule and failing to protect homeowners.
“When homeowners hire a non-certified contractor to complete a project in their pre-1978 home—and children or pregnant women are living there—the risk of lead exposure is increased,” says David Merrick, MCR, UDCP, chairman of NARI’s Government Affairs Committee. “However, when the homeowners meet the requirements for opt-out, contractors will not have to follow the burdensome, costly provisions of the LRRP regulation while still following lead-safe work practices that protect their own workers. Using the opt-out provision does not pose any potential risk to homeowners or workers and will allow remodeling activities to proceed without unneeded regulation.”
Consistent with President Obama’s Regulatory Reform Initiative, LRRP should be reformed to better accomplish its stated goal: to eliminate lead hazards in the home as a result of renovation activities.
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About NARI: The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) is the only trade association dedicated solely to the remodeling industry. The Association, which represents more than 7,000 member companies nationwide—comprised of 63,000 remodeling contractors— is “The Voice of the Remodeling Industry.”™ To learn more about NARI, visit NARI’s Web site at www.nari.org, or contact the national headquarters, based in Des Plaines, Illinois, at 847-298-9200 or by e-mail at info@nari.org.
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