[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 213 (Wednesday, November 4, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59561-59563]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-29539]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[PB-402404-WI; FRL-6037-6]


Lead-Based Paint Activities in Target Housing and Child-Occupied 
Facilities; State of Wisconsin's Authorization Application

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice; request for comments and opportunity for public 
hearing.

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SUMMARY: On August 31, 1998, the State of Wisconsin submitted an 
application for EPA approval to administer and enforce training and 
certification requirements, training program accreditation 
requirements, and work practice standards for lead-based paint 
activities in target housing and child-occupied facilities under 
section 402 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). This notice 
announces the receipt of Wisconsin's application, provides a 45-day 
public comment period, and provides an opportunity to request a public 
hearing on the application.

DATES: Comments on the authorization application must be received on or 
before December 21, 1998. Public hearing requests must be received on 
or before November 19, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Submit all written comments and/or requests for a public 
hearing identified by the tracking number PB-402404-WI. (in duplicate) 
to: Environmental Protection Agency, Region V, DT-8J, 77 West Jackson 
Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604. Comments, data, and requests for a public 
hearing may also be submitted electronically to: 
[email protected]. Follow the instructions under Unit IV. of 
this document. No information claimed to be Confidential Business 
Information (CBI) should be submitted through e-mail.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marlyse Wiebenga, Project Officer, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Region V, DT-8J, 77 West Jackson 
Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604, Telephone: (312) 886-4437.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    On October 28, 1992, the Housing and Community Development Act of 
1992, Pub. L. 102-550, became law. Title X of that statute was the 
Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992. That Act 
amended TSCA (15 U.S.C. 2601 et seq.) by adding Title IV (15 U.S.C. 
2681-92), entitled ``Lead Exposure Reduction.''
    Section 402 of TSCA authorizes and directs EPA to promulgate final 
regulations governing lead-based paint activities to ensure that 
individuals engaged in such activities are properly trained, that 
training programs are accredited, and that individuals engaged in these 
activities are certified and follow documented work practice standards. 
In lieu of the Federal program, under section 404(a), a State or Tribe 
may seek authorization from EPA to administer and enforce its own lead-
based paint activities program.
    On August 29, 1996 (61 FR 45777) (FRL-5389-9), EPA promulgated 
final TSCA section 402/404 regulations governing lead-based paint 
activities in target housing and child-occupied facilities (a subset of 
public buildings). Those regulations are codified at 40 CFR part 745, 
and allow both States and Indian Tribes to apply for program 
authorization. Pursuant to section 404(h) of TSCA, EPA is to establish 
the Federal program in any State or Tribal Nation without its own 
authorized program in place by August 31, 1998. States and Tribes that 
choose to apply for program authorization must submit a complete 
application to the appropriate Regional EPA Office for review. Those 
applications will be reviewed by EPA within 180 days of receipt of the 
complete application. To receive final program authorization, a State 
or Tribe must demonstrate that its program is at least as protective of 
human health and the environment as the Federal program, and provides 
for adequate enforcement (section 404(b) of TSCA, 15 U.S.C. 2684(b)). 
EPA's regulations (40 CFR part 745, subpart Q) provide the detailed 
requirements a State or Tribal program must meet in order to obtain EPA 
approval.
    A State may choose to certify that its lead-based paint activities 
program meets the requirements for EPA approval, by submitting a letter 
signed by the Governor or Attorney General stating that the program 
meets the requirements of section 404(b) of TSCA. Upon submission of 
such certification letter, the program is deemed authorized. This 
authorization becomes ineffective, however, if EPA disapproves the 
application.
    Pursuant to section 404(b) of TSCA, EPA provides notice and an 
opportunity for a public hearing on a State or Tribal program 
application before authorizing the program. Therefore, by this notice 
EPA is soliciting public comment on whether Wisconsin's application 
meets the requirements for EPA approval. This notice also provides an 
opportunity to request a public hearing on the application. If a 
hearing is requested and granted, EPA will issue a Federal Register 
notice announcing the date, time, and place of the hearing. EPA's final 
decision on the application will be published in the Federal Register.

II. State Program Description Summary

    Under section 250.04, Wisconsin Statutes, the Wisconsin Department 
of Health and Family Services (DHFS), as the designated State health 
planning and development agency, is given broad authority to administer 
and enforce public health programs. Among other

[[Page 59562]]

duties, the DHFS is charged with the general supervision of the health 
of Wisconsin citizens and surveillance activities sufficient to detect 
any occurrence of acute, communicable, or chronic diseases and threat 
of occupational or environmental hazards, and the administration of 
programs for the control and prevention of public health problems. It 
is granted all powers necessary to fulfill the duties prescribed in 
Wisconsin Statutes and to bring action in the courts for the 
enforcement of public health statutes and rules, including the 
authority to administer oaths, certify to official acts, and to issue 
subpoenas and compel the attendance of witnesses.
    Chapter HFS 163, Wisconsin Administrative Code, has been 
promulgated by DHFS under the authority of ch. 254, Wisconsin Statutes 
to ensure that persons who perform lead-based paint activities do so 
safely to prevent exposure of building occupants to hazardous levels of 
lead. This is accomplished by requiring that before a person performs, 
supervises, or offers to perform or supervise a lead-based paint 
activity involving target housing (built before 1978) or a child-
occupied facility or the real property on which the target housing or 
child-occupied facility stands, the person must be certified by the 
Department. In addition, no person may offer, advertise, claim to 
provide, or conduct a lead training course that is represented as 
qualifying a person for certification unless the course has received 
accreditation from the department, has an approved principal 
instructor, uses only approved instructors, and the training provider 
is owned by or employs an approved training manager.
    Both lead companies and individual lead professionals must be 
certified to perform any of the following lead-based paint activities: 
abatement, other lead hazard reduction funded by a HUD lead-based paint 
grant, clearance, inspection, lead hazard screen, risk assessment or 
project design. A homeowner must be certified to perform a lead-based 
paint activity in the homeowner's own nonrental dwelling or real 
property when the dwelling is occupied by a person other than the 
owner's immediate family, a child has been identified as having an 
elevated blood lead level as described in code, or use of certified 
persons has been ordered.
    Certification for individuals is offered in the following 
disciplines: lead inspector, project designer, risk assessor, 
supervisor, worker, and worker-homeowner. To be certified, an 
individual must be at least 18 years of age, meet the discipline's 
education and experience requirements, and successfully complete 
certification training requirements. The Department accredits the 
training courses which prepare individuals for certification. To be 
certified as a lead inspector, risk assessor, or supervisor, the 
individual also must pass a State certification exam administered or 
approved by the Department.
    To be certified, a lead company must agree to employ only 
appropriately certified employees to perform or supervise lead-based 
paint activities, must agree that all company employees will follow the 
established work practice standards and will comply with all lead-based 
paint regulations. In addition, the employer responsible for persons 
performing lead-based paint abatement, or a designated employee, must 
be certified as a lead supervisor for purposes of ensuring the safe 
performance of lead-based paint abatement activities, providing 
notification of lead hazard reduction activities, verifying employee 
certification, and ensuring compliance with lead-based paint 
regulations. The employer responsible for persons providing lead 
management services, including lead inspections, lead hazard screens, 
and risk assessments, must be certified as a lead risk assessor for 
purposes of ensuring the safe performance of lead management 
activities, submitting reports of lead management activities, verifying 
employee certification, and ensuring compliance with lead-based 
regulations.
    All lead-based paint activities performed must comply with work 
practice standards established under ch. HFS 163, and training must be 
consistent with the work practice standards. Work practice standards 
address the following lead-based paint activities: inspection, lead 
hazard screen, risk assessment, abatement, clearance, collection and 
laboratory analysis of samples, composite dust sampling, and 
recordkeeping.

III. Federal Overfiling

    TSCA section 404(b) makes it unlawful for any person to violate, or 
fail or refuse to comply with, any requirement of an approved State or 
Tribal program. Therefore, EPA reserves the right to exercise its 
enforcement authority under TSCA against a violation of, or a failure 
or refusal to comply with, any requirement of an authorized State or 
Tribal program.

IV. Public Record and Electronic Submissions

    The official record for this action, as well as the public version, 
has been established under the tracking number ``PB-402404-WI.'' Copies 
of this notice, the State of Wisconsin's authorization application, and 
all comments received on the application are available for inspection 
in the Region V office, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, excluding legal holidays. The application materials are located 
at the Toxics Program Section, Environmental Protection Agency, Region 
V, 8th floor, 77 West Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL.
    Commenters are encouraged to structure their comments so as not to 
contain information for which CBI claims would be made. However, any 
information claimed as CBI must be marked ``confidential,'' ``CBI,'' or 
with some other appropriate designation, and a commenter submitting 
such information must also prepare a nonconfidential version (in 
duplicate) that can be placed in the public record. Any information so 
marked will be handled in accordance with the procedures contained in 
40 CFR part 2. Comments and information not claimed as CBI at the time 
of submission will be placed in the public record.

    Electronic comments can be sent directly to EPA at:
    [email protected]

    Electronic comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the 
use of special characters and any form of encryption. Comments and data 
will also be accepted on disks in WordPerfect 5.1/6.1 or ASCII file 
format. All comments and data in electronic form must be identified by 
the tracking number ``PB-402404-WI.'' Electronic comments on this 
document may be filed online at many Federal Depository Libraries. 
Information claimed as CBI should not be submitted electronically.

V. Regulatory Assessment Requirements

A. Certain Acts and Executive Orders

    EPA's actions on State or Tribal lead-based paint activities 
program applications are informal adjudications, not rules. Therefore, 
the requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA, 5 U.S.C. 601 
et seq.), the Congressional Review Act (5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.), 
Executive Order 12866 (``Regulatory Planning and Review,'' 58 FR 51735, 
October 4, 1993), and Executive Order 13045 (``Protection of Children 
from Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks,'' 62 FR 1985, April 
23, 1997), do not apply to this action. In addition, this action does 
not contain any Federal mandates, and therefore is not subject to the 
requirements of the Unfunded

[[Page 59563]]

Mandates Reform Act (2 U.S.C. 1531-1538). Finally, this action does not 
contain any information collection requirements and therefore does not 
require review or approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
under the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

B. Executive Order 12875

    Under Executive Order 12875, entitled ``Enhancing Intergovernmental 
Partnerships'' (58 FR 58093, October 28, 1993), EPA may not issue a 
regulation that is not required by statute and that creates a mandate 
upon a State, local or Tribal government, unless the Federal government 
provides the funds necessary to pay the direct compliance costs 
incurred by those governments. If the mandate is unfunded, EPA must 
provide to OMB a description of the extent of EPA's prior consultation 
with representatives of affected State, local, and Tribal governments, 
the nature of their concerns, copies of any written communications from 
the governments, and a statement supporting the need to issue the 
regulation. In addition, Executive Order 12875 requires EPA to develop 
an effective process permitting elected officials and other 
representatives of State, local, and Tribal governments ``to provide 
meaningful and timely input in the development of regulatory proposals 
containing significant unfunded mandates.'' Today's action does not 
create an unfunded Federal mandate on State, local, or Tribal 
governments. This action does not impose any enforceable duties on 
these entities. Accordingly, the requirements of section 1(a) of 
Executive Order 12875 do not apply to this action.

C. Executive Order 13084

    Under Executive Order 13084, entitled ``Consultation and 
Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments'' (63 FR 27655, May 19, 
1998), EPA may not issue a regulation that is not required by statute, 
that significantly or uniquely affects the communities of Indian tribal 
governments, and that imposes substantial direct compliance costs on 
those communities, unless the Federal government provides the funds 
necessary to pay the direct compliance costs incurred by the Tribal 
governments. If the mandate is unfunded, EPA must provide OMB, in a 
separately identified section of the preamble to the rule, a 
description of the extent of EPA's prior consultation with 
representatives of affected Tribal governments, a summary of the nature 
of their concerns, and a statement supporting the need to issue the 
regulation. In addition, Executive Order 13084 requires EPA to develop 
an effective process permitting elected and other representatives of 
Indian tribal governments ``to provide meaningful and timely input in 
the development of regulatory policies on matters that significantly or 
uniquely affect their communities.'' Today's action does not 
significantly or uniquely affect the communities of Indian tribal 
governments. This action does not involve or impose any requirements 
that affect Indian Tribes. Accordingly, the requirements of section 
3(b) of Executive Order 13084 do not apply to this action.

    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 2682, 2684.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Hazardous substances, Lead, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements.

    Dated: October 26, 1998.
David A. Ullrich,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region V.

[FR Doc. 98-29539 Filed 11-3-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F