News Release
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
New England Regional Office
November 3, 2015
EPA Enforcement Helps Protect Children
in New Haven from Lead Paint Hazards
NEW HAVEN, CONN. – A focused effort by the US
Environmental Protection Agency to combat childhood
lead poisoning targeted the New Haven area and
resulted in significant improvements in compliance
with federal lead-paint laws and increased awareness
of the dangers of lead paint.
With strong support from local and state public
health agencies, this novel team effort involved
concentrated federal inspections, trainings, outreach
and enforcement in one area during the summer
of 2014. Due to its success, this focused initiative
was repeated in Nashua, N.H. this past spring
and will likely be replicated in other communities
in New England and elsewhere burdened by high
rates of childhood lead poisoning.
“Our targeted work to reduce the threat of lead
poisoning in New Haven will help protect the public,
and children in particular,” said Curt Spalding,
regional administrator of EPA’s New England office.
“We already see evidence of increased compliance,
and we hope to see better-educated parents and
homeowners demanding safer home renovations for
their families.”
Over a several week period during the time of
year when home renovation projects often occur,
EPA conducted 49 inspections to assess whether
contractors were complying with the lead paint
“Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule.” This rule
requires workers to be certified, trained and
to use safe work practices geared at minimizing
dust when performing renovations in older homes
that contain lead paint. In addition, EPA also
conducted 16 inspections to be sure landlords
follow the federal Lead Disclosure Rule that lets
tenants know about lead paint in their units.
Both rules stem from the federal Toxic Substances
Control Act.
Compliance is often spotty with these renovation
requirements because of the large number and variety
of companies engaged in this type of work. As
a result of the initiative, many more renovation
firms are applying for and receiving certification
in the New Haven area. Increased compliance will
help ensure that companies perform work in the
appropriate manor, and will help raise awareness
among the public of its right to information about
the presence of lead and reduce the public’s exposure
to this harmful substance.
In addition to the 65 total inspections in the
New Haven area, 40 companies applied to formally
become certified firms and EPA finalized enforcement
actions against six companies that were in violation
of the renovation rule. All six companies paid
fines and have come into compliance with the standards.
EPA used a variety of means to publicize its effort,
including social media, traditional press, fact
sheets and meetings. In launching the initiative,
EPA sent letters to about 200 home renovation
and painting contractors in and around New Haven.
The letter notified the contractors that EPA would
inspect a number of them in June 2014 and invited
them to an information session. It also offered
an expedited settlement with a reduced penalty
for a single violation of the Renovation, Repair
and Painting Rule. One company, Tim Jones New
Look Remodeling of North Haven, took this offer,
paid a small $1,000 fine and came into full compliance
with the rule by becoming a certified firm.
These enforcement actions should help deter contractors
from violating the rule and level the playing
field for companies that are already complying
but are being undercut by non-compliant competitors.
The five other enforcement actions concluded as
part of this New Haven initiative include the
following:
The Whalley Glass Company, a window replacement
firm in New Haven, paid $31,286 to settle claims
of 12 violations stemming from four renovation
projects done between 2012 and 2014 in Madison,
New Haven, and West Haven. The alleged violations
included performing renovations without getter
proper certification, without using certified
workers, without providing lead hazard information
to the owners, and without retaining records showing
it complied with the Renovation, Repair and Painting
Rule.
http://yosemite.epa.gov/oa/rhc/epaadmin.nsf/Filings/8B3AA2953D9EF66F85257E74001BBFB3/$File/TSCA-01-2015-0013%20CAFO.pdf
JPAA Chen Services of New Haven paid $4,700 and
will complete an environmental project worth $42,300
to settle claims it failed to disclose whether
it knew of any lead-based paint and/or lead-based
paint hazards at properties it rents out in New
Haven. The environmental project will involve
the removal and replacement of lead-based paint
and/or lead-based paint hazards, followed by lead
clearance testing. Chen will address windows,
trim and a porch, among other components, at housing
it owns. As a result, future tenants of these
units will have reduced chances of exposure to
lead.
http://yosemite.epa.gov/oa/rhc/epaadmin.nsf/Filings/795262380CE010DA85257ED1001BC78D/$File/TSCA-01-2015-0042%20CAFO.pdf
Whitney Management and Maintenance Co. of Hamden,
a property management company, paid $10,285 to
settle claims it violated the Renovation, Repair
and Painting Rule. Whitney was charged with four
violations in performing a 2014 renovation project
in East Haven.
http://yosemite.epa.gov/OA/RHC/EPAAdmin.nsf/Filings/F36601E85BD2499285257ED0001BC735/$File/TSCA-01-2015-0050%20CAFO.pdf
DiNuzzo Painting of Wallingford, a home renovation
and painting company, paid $1,480 to settle claims
of three violations of the Renovation, Repair
and Painting Rule while the company was painting
a house in New Haven. This settlement was approved
as part of a pilot program that authorizes reduced
penalties for small business, those with annual
sales under $300,000.
http://yosemite.epa.gov/OA/rhc/EPAAdmin.nsf/Filings/E7C19671FF76418C85257E4B001BC27B/$File/TSCA-01-2015-0012%20%20CAFO.pdf
Hatillo LLC of New Haven, a home improvement company,
paid $1,290 to resolve claims it violated the
Renovation, Repair and Paint Rule at a residential
property in New Haven. This settlement was also
part of a pilot program allowing for reduced penalties
for violating this rule on the part of small businesses.
http://yosemite.epa.gov/OA/RHC/EPAAdmin.nsf/Filings/774C24F7E890ECD785257EDA001BC72A/$File/TSCA-01-2015-0085%20CAFO.pdf