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CAPITAL REGION
EPA lead paint rules rile contractors
Renovators say new regulations requiring certification will hike remodeling costs
BY LEE COLEMAN Gazette Reporter
Reach Gazette reporter Lee Coleman at 587-1780 or at lcoleman@dailygazette.net.

    The federal government’s new lead-safe renovation program for older houses and schools will mean higher prices for remodeling and renovation work, local contractors say.
    “It will definitely increase the cost,” said Robert West of Old Saratoga Restorations in Saratoga Springs.
    He said the cost of a remodeling or renovation job could increase by as much as $2,000 because of new cleanup and dust abatement requirements.
    The new regulations, which went into effect April 22, require that contractors and painters doing repair and renovation work on homes built prior to 1978 be certifi ed by the Environmental Protection Agency. They also have to follow a list of new cleanup requirements that are intended to protect people, especially children and pregnant women, from exposure to leadbased paint.
    Failure to comply with the new regulations could result in a $37,500 per day fi ne.
    “Almost a million children have elevated blood-lead levels as a result of exposure to lead hazards, which can lead to lower intelligence, learning disabilities, and behavior issues,” said an EPA statement.
    The EPA rules were fi rst proposed in 2006, finalized in 2008, and implemented in April.
    Some contractors say the federal government did a poor job in informing them of the changes and certifi cation requirements.
    Daniel Snyder of Chestwood Remodeling Co. in Saratoga Springs said he first heard of the new, pending regulations in February. He started looking for a certifi cation course to take.
    “The courses were all booked up,” Snyder said.
    Finally, with help from Allerdice Building Supply in Saratoga Springs, Snyder was able to bring an EPA-certified lead paint renovation instructor to the Holiday Inn in Saratoga Springs where about 40 local contractors and painters recently took the course. It cost each person $180 to take the course.
    West said Old Saratoga Restorations had to pay just under $600 for various EPA registration fees plus $150 per person to have 10 of his employees take the course. They took the course this past winter. ....................>>>>..............................>>>>....................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00800&AppName=1