Senators speak out against LRRP rules

On April 15, 12 U.S. Senators collectively sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson questioning the EPA’s efforts to further amend the current Lead: Renovation, Repair and Painting Regulations, according to an April 22 release. Rich Walker, president and CEO of the American Architectural Manufacturers Association, Schaumburg, Ill., commended the senators for drawing attention to "ill-conceived and poorly administered regulatory measures." “We commend the senatorsfor calling out the inherent flaws in both, the LRRP 'opt-out' amendment and identifying that the regulation, as it stands, continues to impact homeowners as well as installers and the industries that supply products for the home renovation market,” Walker said in the release. In the letter, the senators call the proposed Clearance Testing amendment “a clear violation of Congressional intent under the Toxic Substances Control Act” and require EPA to identify and provide any new scientific data that has been or will be used to justify expansion of the original LRRP and its existing regulations, as well as calling attention to the problems in the proposed amendments to the current LRRP regulations. The correspondence also addresses the EPA's initial cost analysis, which reported a $200 million reduction during the second year of implementation based on the identification and use of lead test kits that significantly reduced false positive results. No test kits meeting this criteria have been approved by EPA, according to the release.Previously, AAMA had similarly contacted EPA, in a letter also questioning the science behind the promulgation of the “opt-out” amendment; the lack of lead test kits with improved false/positive readings; the inability of EPA to properly monitor compliance; and the detrimental impact on the current administration’s focus on job creation and energy-efficient renovations.The following Senators signed the correspondence: Sen. Lamar Alexdar (Tenn.), Sen. Mike Johanns (Neb.), Sen. JamesInhofe (Okla.), Sen. David Vitter (La.), Sen. Susan Collins (Maine), Sen. CharlesGrassley (Iowa), Sen. OlympiaSnowe (Maine),Sen. Tom Coburn (Okla.),Sen. Roy Blunt (Mo.),Sen. John Barrasso (Wyo.),Sen. MichaelEnzi (Wyo.) andSen. John Hoeven (N.D.).More information about the EPA lead requirements can be found on the AAMA Web siteas well as the Window and Door Dealers Alliance site.