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U.S. EPA settles lead paint case with Newport Beach management company

Release Date: 2/11/2004
Contact Information: Francisco Arcaute, U.S. EPA, (213) 452-3378

     LOS ANGELES - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced it has settled a case involving violations of the federal Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act with a Newport Beach, Calif. property management company.

    The EPA will settle the case with Lido Pacific Asset Management B located at 4000 Birch Street B for $18,000.  The violations occurred at an apartment building Lido Pacific managed between September 1997 and July 2000 at 3101 East Artesia Blvd. in Long Beach.

     The EPA filed its complaint against Lido Pacific on June 2, 2003.

     The intent of the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act is to help prevent exposure B especially the exposure of children B to hazards from lead-based paint by requiring disclosure and notification when selling or leasing housing.

    "Lead poisoning continues to be a major public health threat in the United States, especially in our cities where thousands of children are still being exposed to lead hazards each year," said Enrique Manzanilla, director of the EPA's Cross Media Division in the Pacific Southwest region. "This case shows that the EPA is serious about making sure renters and buyers get the information they need to protect their children from potential lead threats."

    The act requires that sellers and landlords selling or renting housing built before 1978 must:
     provide an EPA-approved lead hazard information pamphlet;
     include lead notification language in sales and rental forms;
     disclose any known lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards and provide available reports to buyers or renters;
     allow a lead inspection or risk assessment by home buyers; and,
     maintain records certifying compliance with federal laws for a period of three years.
     Presently, lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards endanger the health of American children living in as many as 4 million homes.  Low-level lead poisoning among these children is widespread, particularly among minority and low-income children.

     Lead poisoning in children can have serious, long-term consequences, which include intelligence deficiencies, learning disabilities, hearing impairment, hyperactivity and behavioral problems. Consequently, enforcement against sellers, lessors and their agents who fail to comply with the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act is a high priority for EPA, particularly when children are involved.