2017

• January 10, 2017 -- One of the 10 great public health achievements in recent history is the great progress we have made in reducing childhood lead exposure. Over the past 50 years, EPA and federal and state partners have worked together on actions that have eliminated or drastically reduced the use of lead in gasoline, paint, plumbing pipes, food cans, and a variety of other products. Achieving continued meaningful reductions in lead exposure requires a long-term concerted effort that addresses all current and historic sources. EPA published a science-based public health approach and a coordinated strategy for continuing our progress to reduce lead exposures and protect public health. This approach outlines a common set of public health principles that will guide the Agency’s work to eliminate the adverse effects from lead exposure. Read more.

2016

• November 3, 2016 -- EPA announced more than 100 federal enforcement actions completed over the last year that require entities like renovation contractors, landlords and property managers to protect communities and public health from exposure to lead. From October 2015 through September 2016, EPA entered into 123 settlements for alleged violations of one or more of the three lead-based paint rules--the Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule; the Lead Disclosure Rule; and the Lead-based Paint Activities Rule for abatements--and filed six complaints for ongoing actions. Each settlement requires that the alleged violator return to compliance and, in most cases, pay civil penalties. Collectively, the settlements require violators to pay $1,046,655 in penalties. Read more.

• October 17, 2016 -- EPA fined a Portland, Oregon based remodeling firm, Hammer and Hand Inc., $69,398, for failing to comply with federal lead-based paint rules. Hammer and Hand failed to follow lead-safe work practices while performing renovation work on two older homes in Portland last year. Read more.

• September 28, 2016 -- EPA and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) today announced a settlement with Sears Home Improvement Products Inc. that resolves alleged violations of the federal Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule for work performed by Sears’ contractors during home renovation projects across the country. Under the settlement, Sears will implement a comprehensive, corporate-wide program to ensure that the contractors it hires to perform work minimize lead dust from home renovation activities. Sears will also pay a $400,000 civil penalty. Read more.

• February 10, 2016 -- EPA finalized revisions to the Lead Renovation, Repair (RRP) program to reduce burden and costs to industry and to clarify language for training providers. The cost savings of this rule are estimated at approximately $1.8 million to $3.4 million per year. EPA will now allow online training for every other recertification for the renovator refresher training under the lead-based paint program. Renovators who take the online training will be certified for three years; renovators who take the hands-on training will be certified for five years. The Agency is also simplifying the certification process in states that do not have delegated programs under the Lead-based Paint Activities (abatement) program. Finally, EPA is clarifying language on the requirements for training providers. Read more.

2015

• December 21, 2015 -- EPA is seeking public comment on lead test kits and other field testing options. Without proposing any regulatory amendments at this time, EPA is specifically solociting comment on the following potential lead test kit and field options: 1) proposing to eliminate the positive response criterion; 2) proposing to modify the positive response criterion; 3) maintaining the current negative response and positive response criteria; 4) proposing to provide reduced RRP certification training requirements for XRF technicians; 5) exploring any other lead-based paint field testing technology that would provide reduced costs for consumers, remodelers and families to comply with the RRP rule. EPA will receive written comments in the docket for 60 days. Read the Federal Register Notice.

• October 27, 2015 -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced 75 enforcement actions from the past year that require renovation contractors and training providers to protect people from harmful exposure to lead dust and debris, as required by EPA’s Lead-based Paint Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) regulations. Read the press release.


• May 12, 2015 -- EPA is holding a public meeting related to lead test kits referenced in the 2008 Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule. The meeting will be held on June 4, 2015. EPA is specifically seeking information related to: 1) the existing market for lead test kits as referenced in the 2008 RRP rule; 2) the development or modification of lead test kit(s) that may meet EPA’s positive-response criterion (in addition to the negative-response criterion); and 3) other alternatives for lead-based paint field testing. EPA will receive written comments in the docket for the 2008 RRP rule for 30 days after the meeting is held. Read more.


• May 7, 2015 -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) releases a new report, "Educational Interventions for Children Affected by Lead". The report outlines available scientific data describing the effects of lead, summarizes in plain language the Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA) parts B and C, and provides information on how these provisions relate to children affected by lead.


• April 16, 2015 -- EPA is extending the certifications of certain individual renovators under the Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) rule. Please be aware that the extensions only apply to individual renovators who must get recertification training within the timeframes explained in the rule. The extensions do not apply to firm certifications. EPA is taking this action so that, if and when the changes in a January 2015 proposed rule are finalized, those renovators can take advantage of the changes. Certifications were extended only for individual renovators whose certifications expire before changes to the refresher training can be finalized. The extensions do not apply to individual renovators that need their initial certification. Read more.


• January 14, 2015 -- EPA is proposing revisions to the Lead-based Paint Program. The minor revisions will improve the day-to-day function of the Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) and Lead-based Paint Activities (abatement) programs by reducing burden and costs to industry and clarifying language for training providers. Cost savings to industry are estimated to be between $9.6 million to $9.8 million per year. In addition to these revisions, the Agency is requesting comment on extending the renovator recertification deadline until this rule can be finalized.

2014

• December 19, 2014 -- After carefully reviewing the most recent available scientific evidence, and consulting with the Agency’s independent science advisors, EPA is proposing to retain, without revision, the national ambient air quality standards for lead. Read more.

• December 19, 2014 -- EPA announced 62 enforcement actions that require renovation contractors and training providers to protect people from harmful exposure to lead dust and debris, as required by EPA’s Lead-based Paint Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) standards. Read the press release.

• August 6, 2014 -- EPA is seeking public comment on the “Approach for Estimating Exposures and Incremental Health Effects from Lead Due to Renovation Repair and Painting Activities in Public and Commercial Buildings.” The document describes in detail the modeling methodology that can be used to estimate the amount of lead in the environment and in people’s bodies, and health effects related to exposure to lead-based paint as a result of renovation, repair and painting activities in public and commercial buildings.

  Following public input, EPA will seek independent scientific peer review of the report. EPA will consider public comments on these documents and other information as the Agency assesses whether lead-based paint hazards are created by public and commercial building renovations. Any proposed regulation would also be open for public review and comment. Read the Federal Register announcement and the Approach document.

• May 28, 2014 -- EPA is seeking public comment on the “Framework for Identifying and Evaluating Lead-Based Paint Hazards from Renovation, Repair, and Painting Activities in Public and Commercial Buildings.” The Framework describes a tailored approach for identifying and evaluating potential hazards created by renovations of public and commercial buildings. EPA will consider the public comments as the Agency assesses whether hazards are created by public and commercial building renovations. The Agency will develop proposed requirements to reduce any hazards, if found; such requirements would also be subject to public review and comment. Read the Federal Register announcement and the Framework.

• April 25, 2014 -- EPA is inviting small businesses to participate as consultants on a Small Business Advocacy Review (SBAR) Panel as the agency considers steps to reduce lead-based paint exposure from the renovation, repair, and painting of public and commercial buildings. Read the press release.

• April 17, 2014 -- EPA and the Department of Justice announced that Lowe’s Home Centers, one of the nation’s largest home improvement retailers, has agreed to implement a comprehensive, corporate-wide compliance program at its over 1,700 stores nationwide to ensure that the contractors it hires to perform work minimize lead dust from home renovation activities, as required by the federal Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule. The company will also pay a $500,000 civil penalty, which is the largest ever for violations of the RRP Rule. Read more information about the settlement.

• March 14, 2014 -- Delaware has become the fourteenth state authorized to administer and enforce a Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) program. The state program is now in effect in lieu of the federal RRP program. For more information about the program, including information on applying for certification or to find training, contact Delaware’s Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at (302)744-4546.

• February 18, 2014 -- EPA announced enforcement actions that will require 35 home renovation contractors and training providers to take additional steps to protect communities by minimizing harmful lead dust from home renovation activities, as required by the EPA’s Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Standards. Read more.

Newsroom Archive 2010 - 2013