EPA reaches settlements with 41 Idaho, Oregon, and Washington home renovators for lead-based paint violations

EPA reaches settlements with 41 Idaho, Oregon, and Washington home renovators for lead-based paint violations

Lead paint safety training for contractors, community education workshops offered this fall

Seattle (October 25, 2021) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 10 has reached settlements with 41 residential home renovators in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington for violations of federal lead-based paint regulations.

Renovators of pre-1978 housing are required by federal law to obtain EPA Firm Certification under the Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule. They must also obtain renovator certification or assign certified renovators to projects; inform tenants and residents of possible lead-based paint and/or known lead hazards; and comply with work practice requirements intended to reduce lead-based paint exposure. This fall, EPA is providing free RRP training for contractors to become RRP certified. Spanish-language RRP training will be offered on November 4 in Boise, Idaho. RRP trainings in English will also be offered.

Under the terms of the settlements, the companies agreed to pay civil penalties and to certify that they are complying with the Renovation, Repair and Painting certification requirements prior to offering and performing renovations, as required by the RRP Rule.

“By bringing companies into compliance with the lead safety Renovation, Repair and Painting rule, which includes firm certification and training to work safely with lead-based paint, it protects future customers and their families and the  construction workers. In this way, the impact of these settlements is exponential,” said Ed Kowalski, Director of EPA Region 10’s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division.

A full list of the companies whose enforcement cases were concluded this year can be found in the table at the end of this announcement, below, titled: EPA Region 10 Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule Enforcement in 2021.

EPA’s Lead-Safe Home Repair Certification Program protects consumers – and contractors

Children are especially vulnerable to the effects of lead because their brains and nervous systems are still developing, and exposure may lead to irreversible and lifelong health effects. Lead-contaminated dust from disturbed, chipped, or peeling lead-based paint in homes built prior to 1978 is one of the most common causes of elevated blood lead levels in children. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 500,000 American children between 1 and 5 have blood lead levels at or above the CDC’s blood lead advisory level for public health actions.

It’s important to remember that lead-based paint on walls and other surfaces that is still in good condition is not a health hazard because it can’t be ingested or inhaled. However, improperly removing, or disturbing, lead-based paint can create lead dust and paint chips that create a health hazard. People planning a renovation, repair, or painting project on a home or an apartment built before 1978 should make sure to do the work safely and/or use a certified lead-safe contractor. If a property owner hires someone to do the work on their properties, they must hire a contractor certified under EPA’s, or their state’s, Lead renovation, repair, and painting (RRP) program. Contractors intending to work on properties built before 1978 must be certified under the program and failure to do so can result in penalties against a contractor.

Enhancing Lead-Safe Work Practices through Education and Outreach

EPA launched the Enhancing Lead-Safe Work Practices through Education and Outreach (ELSWPEO) training initiative, to raise awareness about childhood lead exposure and protect environmentally overburdened and underserved communities from lead exposure. ELSWPEO aims to serve local communities and advance environmental justice by increasing both the number of RRP certified firms and consumer demand for lead-safe work practices through the following initiatives:

Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) training for contractors: EPA is providing free trainings, in both English and Spanish depending on the location, for contractors working in selected communities, offering an opportunity for them to become RRP certified. More information on upcoming training is available at: https://www.epa.gov/lead/local-training-and-outreach#RRPtraining.

Local RRP training event on November 4: On November 4, home repair contractors can attend a free Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) certification training offered in Spanish in Boise, Idaho. If interested, please call to register: 513-372-6232 or register online with the coupon code Leadsafety21: https://www.epa.gov/lead/local-training-and-outreach.

Evento de capacitación de RRP local el 4 de noviembre: Los contratistas de construcción y reparación de viviendas pueden asistir a una capacitación gratuita de certificación de Renovación, Reparación y Pintura (RRP) en español el 4 de noviembre en Boise, ID. Llame para registrarse: 513 372-6232 o regístrese en línea con el código Leadsafety21: https://espanol.epa.gov/plomo/capacitiacion-y-alcance-publico-local.

Lead Awareness Curriculum Train-the-Trainer sessions for community leaders: EPA offers free Lead Awareness Curriculum Train-the-Trainer sessions, in English with simultaneous Spanish interpretation, designed to equip community leaders with tools and resources needed to educate their communities about lead, lead exposure and actions that can be taken to reduce and prevent childhood lead exposure, including hiring RRP certified contractors. The series of four modules include lesson plans, key messages, and kids’ activity sheets that community leaders and other instructors can use to improve public awareness of the dangers from lead exposure and encourage preventative actions.

More information on ELSWPEO training dates and locations, outreach materials, and general information can be found at https://www.epa.gov/lead/local-training-and-outreach. Information on ELSWPEO in Spanish can be found at https://espanol.epa.gov/plomo/capacitiacion-y-alcance-publico-local

Visit these EPA websites for additional lead paint information:

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Companies whose enforcement cases were concluded in EPA’s Region 10 this year are listed below:

EPA Region 10 Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule Enforcement in 2021

Company/Facility

City

State

Penalty

VISION BUILT CONSTRUCTION LLC

COEUR D’ALENE

ID

$1,000

JAHOOEY INC

HAYDEN

ID

$200

ALCORN DESIGN BUILD LLC

MERIDIAN

ID

$200

RIGG CONSTRUCTION INC

MIDDLETON

ID

$200

PETRA INC

MERIDIAN

ID

$1,000

TUMA CONSTRUCTION LLC

EAGLE

ID

$200

ABUNDANT LIFE INVESTMENTS LLC

MERIDIAN

ID

$1,000

VISSER BUILDING CO LC

BOISE

ID

$1,000

PROBUILD CONTRACTORS LLC

PORTLAND

OR

$1,000

KROPF CONSTRUCTION WEST

PORTLAND

OR

$200

PORTLAND PROJECT LLC

BORING

OR

$200

DAVIS DIDIER STONE LLC (ROGUE REMODEL)

NEWBERG

OR

$200

CNC CONSTRUCTION AND PLUMBING LLC

RHODODENDRON

OR

$200

GLV ENTERPRISES INC (RENEWABLE BY ANDERSON OF OREGON)

PORTLAND

OR

$1,000

BUILD FORWARD CONSTRUCTION LLC

MCMINNVILLE

OR

$200

PROPERTY VEST LLC

KENT

WA

$1,000

RESCH RENOVATION & DESIGN LLC

WENATCHEE

WA

$200

WHARTON CONSTRUCTION & RESTORATION LLC

BRUSH PRAIRIE

WA

$1,000

PRECISION PAINTING INC

OLYMPIA

WA

$1,000

KEYSTONE CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANTS INC

LAKEWOOD

WA

$200

WESSELER CONSTRUCTION LLC

LAKEWOOD

WA

$200

REIER CONSTRUCTION LLC

UNIVERSITY PLACE

WA

$1,000

TURNER RESTORATION LLC

WENATCHEE

WA

$200

HILDEBRAND CONSTRUCTION INC

EAST WENATCHEE

WA

$200

BOCANEGRA CONSTRUCTION LLC

WALLA WALLA

WA

$200

COUNTRYMAN GENERAL CONTRACTING LLC

WENATCHEE

WA

$200

DONE RIGHT GENERAL CONTRACTOR

SPOKANE

WA

$200

SOUTH TACOMA GLASS INC

LAKEWOOD

WA

$1,000

TRI-CITY GLASS INC

KENNEWICK

WA

$1,000

STONE CONSTRUCTION

BELLINGHAM

WA

$200

BRANDT LLC (ALL-SAFE ABATEMENT SERVICES)

KENNEWICK

WA

$1,000

RH AND SONS CONTRACTING SERVICES LLC

SPOKANE

WA

$1,000

ALL ABOUT ANYTHING CONSTRUCTION LLC

SEABECK

WA

$200

ID BUILD LLC

WOODINVILLE

WA

$1,777

SIGNATURE WINDOW REPLACEMENT INC (SIGNATURE WINDOW & DOOR REPLACEMENT)

KENT

WA

$1,000

STATEWIDE RESTORATION INC

KENT

WA

$1,000

BILL GRIESMEYER CONST

GIG HARBOR

WA

$1,000

MASHTARE CONSTRUCTION

NINE MILE FALLS

WA

$1,000

NORTHWEST PROFESSIONAL SERVICES INC

LYNDEN

WA

$1,000

PALMER ENTERPRISES LLC

SPOKANE

WA

$200

JCM CUSTOM REMODELING LLC

VANCOUVER

WA

$200

https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-reaches-settlements-41-idaho-oregon-and-washington-home-renovators-lead-based

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