EPA postpones lead rules for commercial applications

According to the National Association of Home Builders, the Environmental Protection Agency has postponed the lead paint rule for public and commercial buildings until July 1, 2015. The EPA also revised an August 2009 settlement agreement with some litigants to merge the interior and exterior Lead: Renovation, Repair and Painting rule for commercial buildings and take final action by Jan. 1, 2017.

A proposal for exterior renovations for public and commercial buildings was originally slated to be issued by Sept. 14, 2012, and finalized by February 2014.

In its latest efforts, NAHB petitioned the agency to revise the residential rule and economic analysis in the absence of an “improved” pre-renovation test kit. Additionally, the organization has continued to express concern about the enforcement of the residential LRRP rule.

EPA's postponement of the commercial LRRP rule comes on the heels of a July 2012 report from the EPA’s Office of the Inspector General that found the EPA’s economic analysis of the residential LRRP rule underestimated the cost and overestimated the benefits of the rule, NAHB officials said in a release.