CMBA joined other HBAs and Housing First Minnesota in a letter to the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concerning Minnesota’s attempts to implement state-specific changes regarding the Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule and its enforcement.  CMBA has been actively engaged on this issue for several years.

The federal 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 federal EPA Rule’s work practices sections. For nearly 10 years, the MDH has drafted numerous versions of the Minnesota Rule, which our organizations believe 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 CMBA builders/renovators. Partnering with several other industry organizations, including Housing First Minnesota, CMBA is contacting 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.

Organizations signing the letter include: CMBA, Housing First Minnesota, Rochester Area Builders, NARI-MN, Builders Association of Minnesota, Minnesota Multi-Housing Association, and Professional Education Resource, LLC.

For a copy of the letter or more information, contact:  Steve Gottwalt, CMBA Government Affairs, steve@cmbaonline.org, 952-923-5265.

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