Courtney Praises EPA for Developing Transition Policy Ahead of Lead Paint Rule Implementation

Press Release

Congressman Joe Courtney today praised the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for delaying enforcement of strict new lead paint rules. The delay, which Courtney requested in an April 23 letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, grants contractors an additional eight months -- extending the April 22 deadline for certification to December 30 -- with a requirement to enroll in a certification class by October 1.

"I'm pleased that the EPA responded to my concerns and the concerns raised by Connecticut homebuilders and contractors," Courtney said. "Had the new standards been implemented as quickly as EPA initially wanted, the nation's trade sector would have been hamstrung at precisely the worst time, and one of the hardest-hit segments of the economy would have taken another blow. This compromise allows for critical and overdue protections from lead paint, while responding to the pressing issues raised by contractors."

First proposed in 2008, the EPA's lead paint rules are intended to prevent developmental problems in young children when lead paint particles are released into the air during renovation projects. Despite the pushed-back deadline, all contractors will still be required to adhere to the new standards for performing work in homes constructed before 1978, the year when lead paint was banned. Contractors who aren't certified would be required to hire certified sub-contractors to perform the work.

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