EPA Seeks Imput for Lead Paint

EPA Seeks Small Businesses Input on Exterior Lead Paint for Public and Commercial Buildings


Contact Information: Dale Kemery (news media only) kemery.dale@epa.gov 202-564-7839 202-564-4355

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is inviting small businesses to participate as consultants for a Small Business Advocacy Review (SBAR) panel as the agency considers steps to reduce lead-based paint dust during the renovation, repair, and painting of the exterior of public and commercial buildings.

The SBAR panel will include representatives from the Small Business Administration, the Office of Management and Budget and EPA. The panel will ask a selected group of small entity representatives (SER) to provide advice and recommendations on behalf of their company, community or organization to inform the panel about the impacts of a proposed rule on small entities involved in the renovation, repair, and painting of the exterior of public and commercial buildings. SERs may participate by telephone, webinar or in person.

EPA seeks self-nominations directly from the small businesses, governments and organizations that may be subject to the rule requirements to aid in the selection of SERs. An entity is eligible to be an SER if it will be directly subject to the particular proposed regulation under development and meets one of the Small Business Administration’s definitions (http://www.sba.gov/contractingopportunities/officials/size/table/index.html) to qualify as a small entity.

EPA usually prefers to have the owners or operators of small businesses, community officials, and non-profit organizations participate for this purpose. However, a person from a trade association that exclusively or primarily represents potentially regulated small entities may also serve as an SER.

Self-nominations may be submitted through the link below and must be received by December 3, 2010.

Nominate yourself: http://www.epa.gov/sbrefa/lead-pncb.htm

More information: http://www.epa.gov/sbrefa/faq.htm

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design also known as CPTED is field of knowledge developed in response to research demonstrating that the set up of some buildings deters crime while that of others invites crime. The concept of CPTED was originally designed to help reduce crime to a property (i.e. vandalism) CPTED is now known to help prevent crime from a property such as gang activity. Proper design and effective use of the built environment can lead to a reduction in the incidence and fear of crime, and to an increase in quality of life.

CPTED focuses on three concepts that attempt to reduce these factors so important to perpetrators:

Surveillance. Create clear and unobstructed sight lines in activity areas, reducing hiding places and creating the perception of witnesses.
Access Control. Emphasize primary entry points and minimize secondary outlets.
Define Ownership. Take pride in what is yours and challenge those who do not belong.
CPTED Strategies:

Clearly define the borders of space.
Clearly mark transition zones that indicate movement from public, to semi-private, to private space.
Locate gathering areas to places of natural surveillance and access control.
Put unsafe activities in safe spots, where surveillance is high and access is limited.
Place safe activities in unsafe areas. This will increase the perception of safety in these areas and help to establish territorial behavior.
Designate the use of space to provide natural barriers to conflicting activities.
Improve the scheduling of space to allow for more effective use.
Redesign the space to increase the perception of reality of natural surveillance.
Overcome distance and isolation through improved design and communications.
Why CPTED works:

Criminals usually commit crimes in "comfortable" environments. A criminal's comfort is heightened by isolation and concealment, where few witnesses exist and the chance of being identified is minimal. Criminals form perceptions about the environment surrounding a target, not the target itself. Any crime from a simple theft to the most heinous homicide will show that criminals are most fearful of being observed during the commission of the crime. Witnesses are the first step toward identification, arrest, prosecution and punishment for many criminals.

Sometimes, simple changes to an area can mean the difference between a desirable target and one that is uninspiring for the perpetrator.

The rotation of a school secretary's desk so it faces people who enter and leave the building can improve surveillance.
Educating normal users not to prop open doors for convenience can assist in better access control.
Community gardens enhance territoriality in those who tend to them and foster ownership in areas, which might otherwise be considered no man's land.
These are all simple examples of making CPTED work to improve security. CPTED requires some non-traditional thinking to arrive at the best solutions for a particular environment.

FIX it FRIDAY: What's wrong with my furnace

What’s Wrong With My Furnace?


When heat comes on, lights go dim

by Paul Bianchina

Q: We recently moved into a home with electric forced-air heat. In the winter, every time the furnace kicks on, the lights in the house dim for a nanosecond. Is this something that can be addressed or fixed?

Before we moved in we had to replace the electrical panel (it was made by a company that went out of business years ago because their panels were known to start fires), and I’m wondering if there is something associated with that we can correct. Any help before furnace season starts is greatly appreciated! –Lea


A: The dimming of the lights is caused by a voltage drop that occurs during the startup phase of the furnace. When your thermostat calls for heat, the electric elements in the furnace begin to heat up before the furnace motor kicks on, a process called “heat anticipation.” It’s set up that way so that the furnace fan doesn’t blow cold air through the ducts before the furnace itself heats up. So when you hear the furnace kick on, that’s actually the sound of the fan motor starting up and activating the fan itself.

A couple of possible problems come to mind: The wires leading to the furnace may be too small, or you may have a loose or corroded connection. There should be two circuit breakers on the furnace itself, and they may be loose or faulty. It’s also possible that the furnace motor is going bad, or that you have some problems with the fan, the belts, or other internal furnace parts that are requiring an excessive amount of electricity in order to get turning.

Given the fact that the panel was replaced recently, you definitely want to have an electrician come out to inspect everything — the new panel, the circuit breakers, wire sizes, connections (including the connection to the utility company wires), grounding, etc. All this should be covered under the one-year warranty from the electrical contractor who did the work. I would also strongly recommend that you have the furnace checked and serviced by a heating company that deals with your particular brand of furnace.

One other thing: Since the electrical panel was replaced recently, your local building department will have a record of the permit. I would suggest that you obtain a copy of that, and make sure that the installation was inspected and approved and that the inspector didn’t note any problems.

Remodeling and repair questions? E-mail Paul at paulbianchina@inman.com.
Copyright 2009 Inman News

Reduced Oil Program for Members

Earlier this month I was contacted by district manager Eddie Doyle of Alliance Express.

For those not familiar with the company Alliance Express has been providing heating and other comfort services to the community for over 90 years! They’re home comfort experts and are proud to provide our customers with responsive service and affordable heating oil pricing and payment plans. Some of the services they offer are...

· Competitive oil pricing programs
· 24-Hour emergency service, including Weekend and Holidays
· Preferred Payment Plan that spreads out your energy costs evenly over 12 months(we also accept Fuel Assistance Customers)
· Accurate and dependable automatic fuel oil deliveries (42 Trucks)
· Comprehensive Annual Heating and A/C Service Policies
· Highly trained and licensed service technicians (49 Techs)
· Expert heating and air conditioning sales, service and installations

Mr. Doyle and Alliance Express would like to create an Oil and Service Plan specifically for the members of the Greater Salem Landlord Association. If you have any interest in this money saving opportunity please contact me directly by email at M_Woodcock@verizon.net so that I may register you.

Landlord Support: Mediation for Results

Recently several members of the Greater Salem Landlord Association attended a workshop sponsored by housing authority Community Teamwork Inc and Greater Lowell Landlord Association.
Guest speaker Peter Shapiro of Mediation For Results discussed effective landlord practices and key responsibilities of a landlords life. Mr. Shapiro's organization supports independent income property owners with affordable help in all aspects landlord and tenant relationships. By learning to handle situations in a professional manner often times a landlord can avoid of prevent many crisis's from occurring. For more information about the Mediation for Results visit there website www.mediationforresults.org

More on Recycling and Trash

During our November on site meeting we had guest speaker, Lynn Murray from Salem's Recycling Committee, update the group on the current program. Tremendous improvement have been implemented to keep the city on the green path. If you wold like to be more involved with the recycling committee, they meet the first Monday of every month at the city hall annex: 93 Washington Street Salem Ma.

Ms. Murray will be updating us on the status of non-resident landlords being able to avail themselves to the recycling programs such as hazardous waste day and yard and leaf disposal. Currently if you are not a resident of Salem you are unable to participate in these events. The groups hopes that this policy is amended. Below is some additional information about the
Holiday Trash & Recycling Pickup Schedule

Veterans Day
Because of the Thursday, November 11th Veterans Day holiday, Thursday and Friday trash and recycling pickup will be a day late.

Regular Thursday trash and recycling pickup will take place on Friday, November 12th.
Regular Friday trash and recycling pickup will take place on Saturday, November 13th.

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Thanksgiving
Because of the Thursday, November 25th Thanksgiving Day holiday, Thursday and Friday trash and recycling pickup will be a day late.

Regular Thursday trash and recycling pickup will take place on Friday, November 26th.
Regular Friday trash and recycling pickup will take place on Saturday, November 27th.

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Reminder:

November 29-December 3, 2010 will be the last yardwaste curbside pickup of the year.