[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 46 (Wednesday, March 9, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-5300]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: March 9, 1994]


ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPPTS-62133; FRL-4642-7]

 

Lead Hazard Information Pamphlet; Notice of Availability

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comment.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of EPA's draft Lead 
Hazard Information Pamphlet for review and comment. EPA developed this 
pamphlet in response to Congressional concerns about the public's 
knowledge of home lead-based paint hazards. The Pamphlet is being 
developed pursuant to section 406(a) of the Toxic Substances Control 
Act (TSCA), and will be distributed in conjunction with regulatory 
provisions under section 406(b) of TSCA, and sections 1012 and 1018 of 
the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act.

DATES: Written comments in response to this draft pamphlet must be 
received on or before May 9, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Please submit three copies of all written comments on this 
draft pamphlet to: TSCA Document Receipts (7407), Rm. NE-G99, Office of 
Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M 
St., SW., Washington, DC 20460. All comments on this draft pamphlet 
should be identified by the docket number OPPTS-62133.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For a copy of the draft pamphlet, 
contact: TSCA Document Receipts (7407), Rm. NE-G99, Office of Pollution 
Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., 
Washington, DC 20460. Visitors can pick up a copy in person by visiting 
the TSCA Nonconfidential Information Center (NCIC) in Rm. G99, or by 
calling (202) 260-7099, between the hours of 12 noon and 4 p.m. For 
technical information contact: Charles Franklin, Office of Pollution 
Prevention and Toxics, Chemical Management Division, Program 
Development Branch (7404), 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460, 
Telephone: 202-260-1781, Fax: 202-260-0770.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Under the Congressional mandate in section 406(a) of TSCA, EPA has 
developed a lead hazard information pamphlet. Congress specifically 
required that the pamphlet: (1) Contain information regarding the 
health risks associated with exposure to lead; (2) provide information 
on the presence of lead-based paint hazards in Federally-assisted, 
Federally-owned, and target housing; (3) describe the risks of lead 
exposure for children under 6 years of age, pregnant women, women of 
childbearing age, persons involved in home renovation, and others 
residing in a dwelling with lead-based paint hazards; (4) describe the 
risks of renovation in a dwelling with lead-based paint hazards; (5) 
provide information on approved methods for evaluating and reducing 
lead-based paint hazards and their effectiveness in identifying, 
reducing, eliminating, or preventing exposure to lead-based paint 
hazards; (6) advise persons how to obtain a list of contractors 
certified pursuant to TSCA section 402 in lead-based paint hazard 
evaluation and reduction in the area in which the pamphlet is to be 
used; (7) state that a risk assessment or inspection for lead-based 
paint is recommended prior to the purchase, lease, or renovation of 
target housing; (8) state that certain State and local laws impose 
additional requirements related to lead-based paint in housing and 
provide a listing of Federal, State, and local agencies in each State, 
including address and telephone number, that can provide information 
about applicable laws and available governmental and private assistance 
and financing; and (9) provide such other information about 
environmental hazards associated with residential real property as the 
Administrator deems appropriate.

II. Role of Pamphlet

    This pamphlet will be disseminated as a result of several 
Congressional directives that will be implemented in separate 
rulemaking initiatives. Section 1012 of the Residential Lead-Based 
Paint Hazard Reduction Act requires that the Department of Housing and 
Urban Development (HUD) provide the pamphlet to purchasers and tenants 
of housing receiving Federal assistance. Section 1018 of that Act 
requires that EPA and HUD promulgate regulations requiring sellers or 
lessors of target housing to provide purchasers and lessees with the 
lead hazard information pamphlet. Section 406(b) of TSCA requires that 
EPA promulgate regulations requiring each person who performs for 
compensation a renovation of target housing to provide a lead hazard 
information pamphlet to the owner(s) and occupant(s) of such housing 
prior to commencing the renovation. In addition, this pamphlet may be 
used by other Federal programs to support their educational and 
outreach goals and obligations.
    Because the pamphlet was developed to support new Federal 
regulations, the pamphlet occasionally makes references to Federal 
programs that are not yet fully in place (for example, Federal 
requirements for sellers and lessors of target housing). To avoid 
confusion, EPA recommends that reviewers consider the pamphlet within 
the context of the many other regulatory provisions and Federal and 
State infrastructures that will be in place by the time the final 
pamphlet is published in late 1994.

III. Request for Comments

    The EPA Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics is seeking public 
comment on all aspects of the pamphlet's design. In particular, EPA 
requests comment on the tone of the pamphlet, and the extent to which 
the current wording and design tend to support (or undermine) its 
effectiveness as an educational tool. One issue that EPA has considered 
is the need to balance technical accuracy with clarity and freedom from 
overly technical jargon. The extent to which the current draft is clear 
and understandable is of primary concern to the agency, given the broad 
distribution the pamphlet will have.
    EPA requests comment on the extent to which the pamphlet addresses 
the statutory content requirements in section 406(a) of TSCA. For 
example, section 406(a) of TSCA requires, among other things, that the 
pamphlet contain a listing of Federal, State, and local agencies in 
each State, including address and telephone number, that can provide 
information about applicable laws and available governmental and 
private assistance and financing. The current draft pamphlet includes 
phone numbers for the National Lead Information Center, the National 
Lead Information Center Hotline, and a phone number for an agency in 
each State that has lead information. Because addresses and phone 
numbers frequently change, and to prevent the pamphlet from becoming 
too unwieldy (there are complete books on State and local sources of 
information on lead and lead-based paints), EPA has decided not to 
include addresses of State agencies in the pamphlet, nor to provide 
addresses and phone numbers of local agencies. The pamphlet does, 
however, state that an updated list of the addresses and phone numbers 
of State agencies can be obtained, free of charge, by calling the 
National Lead Information Center Hotline. EPA requests comment on this 
approach to the issue of balancing thoroughness with succinctness, and 
whether there may be an alternative manageable method for providing 
information on State and local sources of information.
    In designing the layout of the pamphlet, EPA has also been aware of 
the need to develop a dynamic and engaging document while ensuring that 
the pamphlet can be easily and inexpensively reprinted. This approach 
has lead the Agency to focus on less ornate illustrations that can be 
easily reprinted. As the illustrations will provide a necessary anchor 
for many of the pamphlet's key points, EPA requests comment on whether 
the draft illustrations may be altered in any way to increase their 
effectiveness.
    In addition to soliciting public input through this notice, EPA 
will conduct a series of focus tests on the draft pamphlet to evaluate 
the effectiveness of the current reading level, content, and graphic 
presentation. EPA will include a summary of the focus groups results 
when it announces the availability of the final pamphlet in the Federal 
Register.
    EPA also recognizes that this lead hazard information may be 
important in some communities that may have a limited ability to 
utilize information provided in English. For that reason, EPA is 
developing a Spanish language version of the pamphlet as well. The 
availability of the Spanish-language pamphlet will be announced in the 
Federal Register when available.

    Dated: February 24, 1994.
Lynn R. Goldman,
Assistant Administrator for Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic 
Substances.
[FR Doc. 94-5300 Filed 3-8-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F