Following disasters such as sustained flooding as the result of a hurricane, "emergency renovations (other than interim controls performed in response to a child with an elevated blood lead level) are exempt from the training, certification, sign posting, waste handling and containment requirements of the RRP Rule only to the extent necessary to respond to the emergency." So ruled the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

These are among the answers to questions, prompted in part by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), from the EPA. The agency also clarified how its lead-paint rule applies to whole-house rehabilitation jobs.

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