Federal appeals court orders EPA to revise lead standard within a year

In late December, a federal appeals court ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to revise its nearly 17-year-old standard for dangerous levels of lead in paint and dust.

The agency has one year to do so. The EPA must propose a new rule within 90 days, instead of the six years the Trump administration had requested to reconsider what levels of lead exposure are acceptable for children.

The Trump’s Administration request came after a six-year delay under former President Barack Obama. The court said the holdup was unreasonable, particularly in the face of new research on the hazards of lead paint.

The EPA under Obama acknowledged the need for stricter rules in 2011 and agreed to take action. The agency, though, failed to do so, and did not set timelines for modifying the rule.