Housing First Minnesota sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding Minnesota’s attempts at state-based reform regarding the Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule and its enforcement.
The EPA’s RRP Rule went into effect in 2010 and has since been enforced in Minnesota by the EPA’s Region 5 team. Beginning in 2016, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has attempted to adopt state-specific lead paint rules, completely rewriting the EPA Rule’s work practices sections. For nearly 10 years, the MDH has worked up numerous versions of the Minnesota Rule, which Housing First Minnesota believes is unworkable. Specific concerns include:
- Rewrite vs. Adoption by Reference, which is standard practice with Building Codes
- Longstanding difference of interpretation in the rewritten RRP Rule between MDH and industry
- Lack of information on the clerical enforcement of the RRP Rule, placing paperwork over health and safety
An RRP Rule that is too complex, onerous, or costly will negatively impact the shared goals of the EPA, MDH, and Housing First Minnesota members. With support from several other industry organizations, Housing First Minnesota has taken the lead on engaging the federal government and requesting that the EPA retain custody of the RRP Rule in our state to keep home renovations affordable and homeowners safe.
Additionally, the letter notes that administration’s overall efforts at improving efficiency provide an opportunity to evaluate issues with the RRP Rule that have gone unaddressed in the past 15 years that the Rule has been in place.
Other organizations signing the letter include Central Minnesota Builders Association, Rochester Area Builders, NARI-MN, Builders Association of Minnesota, Minnesota Multi-Housing Association, and Professional Education Resource, LLC.
Members with questions should contact Nick Erickson, senior director of housing policy (nick@housingfirstmn.org).
