EPA Delays TRI Lead Rule.

The U.S. EPA announced that there will be a 60-day delay in the effective date of the new rule lowering the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) reporting threshold for lead to 100 lb/year. The new effective date is April 17. The rule, which was finalized January 17, lowers the reporting threshold for lead from 25,000 lb/year for facilities that manufacture the metal and 10,000 lb/year for facilities that "otherwise use" lead and lead compounds. The rule has been controversial and received strong criticism from industry and small business groups that argue EPA inappropriately classified lead as a persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic chemical. Many are hoping the delay will prompt the agency to re-examine its classification of this constituent. It is unclear how this delay will impact reporting emissions for 2001. Technically, the new reporting requirements apply to the entire calendar year of 2001 and should be included as part of the Form R, due to EPA by July 2002. However,. recordkeepi ng was not mandated for the first quarter of 2001, and estimating is not required to determine those emission numbers. Many believe that the new reporting requirements may be pushed back further and apply to facility emissions for the first time in 2002.