WyreStorm HDMI / Home Theater Products

Memphis, TN - Professional home entertainment & systems integration dealers as well as the Audio / Video enthusiast have a new option for high-quality, affordable HDMI products.

WyreStorm products have been created to meet the needs of one of the nation's leading residential systems integration firms. They are now available through their helpful and informative website.

The WyreStorm line of HDMI cables, matrix switchers, and other products has been developed in conjunction with the technical staff at Phoenix Unequaled Home Entertainment. Phoenix is an award winning, industry recognized systems integration firm based in Memphis, Tennessee with projects that have been published in many trade magazines as well as enthusiast publications.

Phoenix's commitment to quality and service has been brought into all of the Wyrestorm products.

Their initial product offering includes a technologically advanced 8x8 HDMI matrix switcher that allows up to eight HDMI audio/video devices to be independently switched to eight HDMI monitors, HDTVs, or projectors. The eight outputs show the same or different source simultaneously, whether or not the source is HDCP.

"We've installed hundreds of systems and each time we've refused to compromise by using inadequate or substandard wiring and switching products. It hasn't been easy but we know what our customers expect and we know how to exceed those expectations," said Scott Fuelling, president of Phoenix Unequaled Home Entertainment, and co-founder of WyreStorm. "Now through WyreStorm, we can simplify the
choices by giving our consumers a high-quality, high-performance product they can trust at a reasonable
price."

WyreStorm offers a complete line of high-performance Audio / Video cables, switchers, extenders, splitters, adapters, converters – including DVI / component video to HDMI converters and HDMI matrix switchers. The line also offers many UTP Cat-5e distribution hardware options allowing high-quality HDMI signal distribution throughout homes. Special dealer programs are available to qualified applicants.

About WyreStorm

WyreStorm offers HDMI cables, switchers, and other products developed to meet the exacting demands of one of the nation's leading home entertainment companies. These products provide the highest quality at an affordable price.  For more information visit: www.wyrestorm.com

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Typical residential home heating oil tanks in New England hold 275 gallons of oil. Most tanks have a small glass gauge on top showing quarter-tank increments. The last quarter of a tank is usually less than accurate due to sludge, sediment or water in tank. In the coldest months it is advisable to order oil any time gauge shows 1/4 or less.

New England winters can be tough, and home heating fuel costs can make things even tougher.

If you're like many people in the North Eastern U.S.A, you heat your home with oil, and recent surges in petroleum prices have caused your heating bill to double (or more) in the past few years.

Due to seasonal fluctuations in pricing, many fuel oil companies offer programs to help spread the cost over the entire year. Others offer a low per-gallon "C.O.D." price. Before discussing "cost", knowing the oil company's lingo will help. Below are some of the terms used and what they mean.

• Cash (Price) - pretty much what it sounds like. This is the price per gallon a company will charge you if you are not on a scheduled delivery program and would like to purchase oil. Be sure to ask if the company accepts credit cards or personal checks if that is how you plan to pay. Some companies will deliver the oil and leave a bill to be paid with 10 days or so, and others will want "C.O.D", (cash on delivery), meaning you need to pay for the oil when it's delivered.

• Locked (Price) - if you decide to take advantage of a delivery program, some companies offer a locked rate on the price per gallon of fuel oil and guarantee that price for (avg.) 10 to 12 months. If price goes up (or down) you pay the locked price.

• Pre-Paid (Price) - (also called "Pre-buy" price), some oil companies allow you to pre-pay for heating oil, before you actually take delivery of the oil. The benefit of such a plan is that you are buying tomorrows oil at today's price. Obviously, this buying strategy is only effective if you are sure prices will either remain the same as the day you purchased the oil, or will rise, (if the price rises, you will save money -- if they remain the same, you wil lnot lose money, but if prices drop, you will in-effect be paying more, and paying ahead of time). Always check details of any pre-paid purchase agreement; inquire if your payment might go into an interest bearing account, or if the company offers any form of protection to pre-pay customers in the case where prices do decrease, (see: "Downside Protection" below).

• Capped (Price) - unlike locked pricing, capped pricing assures that you will pay "no more than" (the capped price), but you may pay lower if oil prices come down.

• Budget Plan - to help spread the cost of heating oil over the course of a year, many companies offer a budget plan where you make fixed monthly payments. Most budget plans offer a combination of locked / capped pricing, and usually include a burner service plan. Budget plans are usually only offered to home-owners with good credit. Monthly payments on budget plans are usually based on 10 equal monthly payments, then a final bill is adjusted to cover actual amount of oil used, (which may be over or under the estimated number of gallons which were included in the plan).

• Downside Protection - (also called "Downside Insurance"), some companies that offer locked prices also allow you to purchase "insurance" in case fuel oil prices come down and you are locked at a higher rate.

• Service Plan - (also called "Service Contract"), most companies that deliver fuel oil also provide service for your oil burner, (some also service oil tank, filters, thermostats, zone valves and circulators and other parts of the heating system). Most service plans include a yearly burner cleaning.

• Fuel Additives - some companies charge separately to add antifreeze and rust inhibitor to your fuel oil. While the cost is usually minimal if they do charge separately, knowing whether it has been added to your oil is very important. Without anti-freeze, one small drop off water frozen in your oil line can shut-down your heat on the coldest nights. Rust inhibitor will prevent rust from forming in your oil tank, lines or the burner itself -- again, one small particle of rust can shut down your heat.

• Annual Cleaning - knowing what is included in a burner cleaning is just as important as knowing you had any cleaning at all. Oil heating systems involve a storage tank which sometimes has a filter or water trap, the lines from the tank to the burner, another filter, the burner itself, and your chimney. Ask, and get in writing which parts of the system will be cleaned, and which if any parts or additional services are not included in the price.

Knowing the lingo is just part of shopping for fuel oil. Do you need a service plan? Is a budget plan the best way to go? How many delivery trucks and service people does the company have? Are "emergency" service calls, (after hours or weekends), included?

So, you decide to make some phone calls, check the internet, weigh in some coupon offers that came in the mail, and try to pick the best company and get the best price...

With so many factors to weigh, it seems difficult, but it's really pretty simple --- You are gambling, and there is virtually no way to guarantee that the best deal you find today will be so sweet a few weeks or months from now.

What's best for you, may not be what's best for your next-door-neighbor either.

To even the playing field, and be able to compare the various aspects of contracting with one company or another, (or opting for C.O.D. deliveries and shopping around each time you need oil), here's a few simple suggestions.

1. Shop for a year-round contract in early fall. Traditionally home heating oil prices are somewhat inline with gasoline prices. In New England gasoline prices go up in the summer due to high demand from vacation travelers, and (fuel oil) prices also go up in the winter when demand is high. You may be able to lock in a low year-round price if you take a contract in the early fall.

2. Always compare "per gallon" prices, don't just take a contract because it's calculated on a low cost monthly budget plan. You may get stuck with a huge end of year balance due if you use more oil than the budget plan allowed for.

3. If you have a new home, or a new heating system, you may want to consider C.O.D. deliveries. These traditionally cost much less per gallon for fuel oil, but do not include a service plan. Alternatively, if you have an older home with an older heating system, you should contract with an Oil Company which offers a 24/7 service plan and doesn't charge for parts or labor --- one service call and a few parts could wipe-out any savings you may get from buying C.O.D.

So, how do you compare the various plans?

First off, base your shopping on a realistic number of gallons of oil. Most companies keep records of how many gallons a customer uses. If you only used one company, or purchased a home from someone who did, you can simply call the company and ask, (it is also sometimes printed on bills or statements).

For the examples here, we'll base comparisons on 1000 gallons of oil.

If oil costs $3.449, (three dollars and forty four and 9/10th of a cent), per gallon, then the annual cost for fuel oil would be $3,449.00, (three thousand, four hundred and forty nine dollars).

If you paid $0.20 (twenty cents) more or less per gallon, that would raise or lower the annual cost by $200.00 (two hundred dollars).

Using the same math, if one company includes an annual cleaning if you become "a customer", (and the cleaning is valued at approximately $200.00), and another company charges C.O.D. pricing but charges $0.20 per gallon less, the two deals would be equal.

You need to calculate the cost of the oil, a yearly cleaning, and seriously weigh whether or not you might need service.

Again, one service call that is not covered by a service contract could cost more than you save buying C.O.D.

Once you understand the basic cost per gallon pricing and know how much oil you use, you need to start comparing the various, "lock" and "cap" pricing.

A budget plan is just a way to spread the cost out over the year instead of having high bills in the winter and little or no bill in the summer -- most companies do not charge interest or financing on budget plans -- they like you to be on a plan so they are guaranteed to get your business year round and so they will have steady year round income.

The safest pricing plans are for a locked price per gallon. You know exactly how much you will pay regardless of market prices. To make locked pricing even more attractive, companies may offer downside insurance (at a small non-refundable fee), which insures that if prices go down, you will pay the lower prices -- but will not pay more than your lock price. Unless oil prices drop considerably, you should be able to get a fair year round price using this method.

Capped pricing is similar to locked, except that you pay no more than "the cap" (price) --- if prices come down you pay less.

You may wonder how fuel oil dealers can sell you oil for less than market price. Many dealer purchase their oil and store it for a year or more -- they know their costs, and can make a profit even at a locked or capped price that is lower than current market prices.

If you are thinking of changing dealers, or experimenting with the various plans, ask each dealer the same questions, and try to contact several in the same day or within the same week.

The basic questions to ask are:

1. What is today's cash price per gallon?
2. Do you offer locked and/or capped price plans?
3. Do you provide cleanings and service plans?
4. Do you offer budget plans?

In the wake of the home heating oil price shake-up, several websites have sprung up to help consumers find information about home heating oil companies.

The following sites are designed specifically for New England Heating Oil consumers:

Massachusetts Heating Oil Dealers - www.HeatingOilMA.com

Connecticut Heating Oil Dealers - www.HeatingOilCT.com

New Hampshire Heating Oil Dealers - www.HeatingOilNH.com

New York Heating Oil Dealers - www.OilNY.com

Once you decide on which companies you may want to buy oil from, make a small table like the one below, and phone each company and ask questions.

Don't worry that you are bothering them. Most fuel oil companys will quote today's price with no need to explain why you're asking.

Companies that offer year-round delivery, service and pricing plans want your business and will ask if you would like more information about becoming a customer, (in oil dealer lingo; this means you buy all your oil for the year from them and only them).

Many companies offer very attractive new customer pricing which can include free service or discounted pricing on oil and service.

If you qualify, you may also ask if the company offers any elderly or disability discounts.

New England contractors who deal primarily with new construction may be feeling the pinch as the new housing market drys up in some parts of the six state, (ME, NH, VT, MA, CT and RI), region.

Besides counting people and where they live, the U.S. Census Bureau also keeps track of home many privately owned new housing units are being built.

By collecting data on building permits, (when they are approved and when they are completed), the bureau can paint of good picture of how many and where new homes in the U.S. are being built.

The bad news? In New England states, new building starts are off by 20 to 30 percent from area to area over last years figures. The worse news? Home valuations in New England are falling, and the residential real estate market is flooded with homes for sale.

The good news? When new home construction slows and many homes are for sale, contractors can find plenty of work doing remodels, updating kitchens and bathrooms, and otherwise fixing up existing real estate inventory.

Many homeowners opt for adding a room, or a large addition when they find they can't afford to sell the home they are in and move. On the other hand, anxious sellers are willing to invest the cost of a new kitchen or bath if that's what it will take to sell their house.

Whether a new person buys the home, or the current owner chooses to stay --- siding, painting, roofing and landscape contractors can keep busy either making a house easier to sell, or making it more livable for existing or new owners.

If you operate a local contracting company keep your eye open for "For Sale" signs and drop off a card or flyer to the real estate agent -- they may refer you to the existing owner, or to the new buyer.

Most real estate sales people like to have a list of local contractors on file -- sometimes an emergency comes up -- a repair that needs to be done to meet a closing condition or otherwise satisfy a customer -- you may be just the person they need for another property!

If a home has a "For Sale by Owner" sign, and you can see the the house needs work, contact the property owner directly. If you decide to stop in and look at the house, be sure to introduce yourself and mention that you are a contractor. If they don't need the type of services you offer, refer a friend. Any good contractor knows that networking with other tradesmen is one of the best ways to keep busy.

More good news for contractors! There are many great fixer-upper properties on the market -- some of them are steals. If you have even considered investing in property, this may be the best time to invest in the past decade. While a property may seem like a bottomless pit in need of expensive repairs, a contractor can save on materials, and invest sweat equity into a low priced property and either sell it, rent it out or live in it. There are opportunities on every corner.

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The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a Washington based non-profit which developed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System.

N.E. Business Double Savings over Last Year

Contractors have a unique opportunity to help property owners save money and help the environment.

Green is sweeping into construction in many ways. While some green building practices simply help the environment by reducing the need for raw plant materials, and others offer reductions in carbon footprint for individuals, commercial building contractors are in the unique position to go green on a large scale.

An article in the wall street Journal notes, "In New England, businesses this year have agreed to cut electricity use by 1,222 megawatts when called upon, twice as much as last year."

There are many ways to save energy. The bigger the building, the more to save -- and the more ways to save.

While insulation is almost always the first thing New England contractors think of -- rising energy costs make it necessary to save energy in as many aspects of the construction as possible. In some cases, like roofing -- you can actually install materials that create energy.

Solar roofing materials have come a long way since they were introduced in the 1980's. Photovoltaic roofing materials are available in the form of standard 3-tab asphalt shingles. There are PV systems which integrate with metal roofs, roll-roofing and many other types of roofing systems.

A typical solar roof photo-voltaic system can produce approx. 15-18 watts per 100' square. Using materials like the 3-tab shingles which are rated "as roofing material" and will last 20 to 30 years -- saving the cost of electricity every day they are on the roof.

Based on future rising energy costs (and the cost of "roofing" which would be needed anyway), a business owner could expect to recoup all associated costs in 10 to 15 years.

Larger structures such as office towers with high demand HVAC systems are large energy users. Innovative architects are designing high efficiency cooling systems to shift demand to off-peak grid hours. In New York, during summer months, some large building's A/C systems freeze huge amounts of ice late at night for use during daytime peak cooling hours.

Many building materials and systems which reduce energy consumption have large upfront costs. There are other passive energy savings to be had -- some which cost no more than the time to think ahead.

In New England, developers, architects and builders can work together to site a building and it's features to save energy and make the building more habitable.

Designing entrances with foyers using an inner door located 8 to 10 feet from the outer door can reduce drafts and overall heat or cooling loss.

Awnings, canopies or extended roofs which cover entrances and walkways will also buffer the inside environment from the outside weather saving both heat and cooling costs and making the building more comfortable.

Landscape features like wind break plantings of conifer trees, (species like arborvitae, spruce, etc, with lots of needles in winter), 30 to 40 feet along the north facing side can reduce winter drafts from cold air blasts.

In the long run, going green is good for everyone. State, Federal and local "green" programs may offer grants, low cost loans, tax credits of other incentives to business owners who install alternative and renewable energy systems.

Contractors who practice green building and understand the environmental as well as the construction costs and benefits and can provide the building owner with information on possible financial incentives will be positioned to tackle these new, interesting types of construction.

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While the residential housing boom has all but flat-lined, it appears that developers are investing or planning to invest in building or renovating more large scale commercial projects.

New England area architects serving the commercial building sector report an increase in new plans and projects in the past 24 months.

Some of the more recent interesting plans include renovation and construction of some well known properties including:

• Lawrence, MA - Winn Development's proposed $100 million, 500 unit condominium plan for Malden Mills. The plan is for architecturally and historically correct restoration of the mill building's exteriors.

• Needham, MA / Westwood, MA - Cabot, Cabot & Forbes (www.ccfne.com), major projects include demolishing former Thermo Electron Corp. building and General Motors warehouse to make way for a 350 unit apartment building, (1000) homes, a shopping center and over 1.5 million square feet of office space.

• Brattleboro, VT - renovation of Union Station, $4.2 million project, planned restoration of station and construction of parking garage.

• Proposed "Cape Wind" (www.capewind.org) project to put electricity producing wind-mill like turbines in the ocean offshore from Yarmouth Port, (Cape Cod), MA. Proponents say the project will generate 1000 construction jobs and 150 permanent maintenance jobs.

New England construction cycles are pretty much like New England weather --- unpredictable, but always interesting. 

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Newer thermostats have programmable settings for daytime, night and weekend settings. Installing a new thermostat and correctly setting it can save you hundreds of dollars in heating and cooling costs per year, and make your home or office more comfortable.

I've heard it will save a lot of home heating fuel.

Boston, MA - a homeowner recently asked if they should replace the thermostat in their home. They had owned the house for over ten years, and wanted to know if it would do any good to change the thermostat since the heating system itself was and older system.

The short answer: Updating an older thermostat will save a lot of money.

A home heating system thermostat's job is to turn the heater on (and off). It accomplishes the job by measuring the temperature in the house, and if the house temperature is colder than the temperature set on the thermostat, it turns on the heating system. Once the temperature comes up, the thermostat turns off the heater.

New computerized home heating thermostats are much smarter than their old mercury tilt and coiled metal spring ancestors.

In the old days, a metal coil would expand or contract, and on the end of it was a mercury tilt switch. When the coil contracted enough to tilt the switch, it kicked the heater on... the heater would run for a while, the coil would warm up and expand and tilt the switch back, turning the heater off.

New thermostats are available that have a small microprocessor in them. Although it sounds technical, it's really just a small computer chip like the one found in a digital alarm clock. But this chip knows a few tricks...

Many older thermostats only allow you to set the system at one temperature, then it maintains the house at the temperature all day and night.

Note; some thermostats are also connected to your central air conditioning system, and will turn the A/C on and off to cool the house when the temperature is above the one you've set.

The newest types of thermostats allow you to program up to 4 different time and temperature settings per day, and to program it for M-F, Weekend, Vacation, and Custom settings.

By programming your thermostat to only heat or cool the house at times when you will be awake and at home you can save a significant amount, (10 to 20 percent of your annual home heating bill!).

If, in the course of the year you use 1200 gallons or home heating fuel, and you save only 2 percent, that's 24 gallons. If the fuel costs $2.00 per gallon, you've just saved $48.00 in one year. Mutiply that over the course of 10 years, and this simple home improvement can easily save you $480.00 or more!

By lowering the temperature significantly while you're sleeping or away, you are lowering the average maintained temperature. For each degree of "AVERAGE MAINTAINED TEMPERATURE" you will save 2 percent of your annual heating costs. In fact, you can easily save thousands of dollars by properly programming your new thermostat!

Here's a typical group of settings:

If, prior to installing a new thermostat, you had an old single setting type and kept it at 70 degrees, running a program like the one in table (above) would reduce the cost of fuel as if you had lowered the temperature to (approx) 67 degrees. The difference is that your house will be at 70 degrees in the morning and evening and when you are at home, and cooler when you are not home or sleeping.

One thing that is not apparent immediately when you install the new thermostat is that it learns how your home heats and cools, and adjusts itself to optimize efficiency.

By detecting how long it took the heating (or cooling) system to come to temperature, the thermostat will adjust itself in the following cycle to cause fewer spikes and drops in temperature. As weather changes and the need for winter heat changes to a need for summer cooling, this can not only save you money, but make your home more comfortable.

If your thermostat is a single setting, single temperature type, or one of the early multi-time, multi-temperature but mechanical types, we highly recommend installing a new microprocessor controlled multi range setting thermostats, or having a contractor install one for you.

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Q: I am building a wooden deck and have a general idea about how to build stairs. I want to get each step and riser to be exactly the same, but my calculator does not convert decimal numbers to fractions. I want to experiment with different sizes, please help.

A: If your calculator does not convert to inches, or fractions of inches, use the chart below, and follow these easy steps.

• Measure total rise from ground to top of landing.In this example we will use 3'6" rise.

  Check local building codes for maximum heights, minimum requires specifications, etc.

• Measure from edge of landing out total distance where you would like bottom landing to be.For this example we will use a 5'6" total distance from landing to landing.

  Top landing may be the edge of a deck, a doorway, or an actual landing step. Bottom landing may be the edge of a walkway or any point away from structure where bottom of stairway will end.

  Check local building codes to see if landing area specifications exist -- some stairways must end or begin within set distances from other structures, entrances, etc.

• Determine the size of the treads you'd like to have.Typical residential exterior steps use 11" treads and 7" rises. So lets start experimenting just using the 11" tread and see how the math works.

  Most building codes require minimum and maximum tread widths and will provide formulas for proper ratios of tread to rise.

• Divide the total distance by the tread size.5'5" = 66"

  66" / 11" = 6 (treads)

  If total distance out from top edge of landing is 66" and you want 11" treads, this would result in 6 steps of 7" rise, which would fit exactly in a 42" high total rise.

  3'5" = 42"

  42" / 7" = 6 (risers)

To experiment with different size treads and rises, use a calculator and the chart below for common 1/4", 1/8", 1/16" or even 1/32", and 1/64" sizes depending on the materials you are working with and the degree of accuracy you require when cutting materials.

Take this example for instance:

Total Rise: 49 7/8"

Total Distance: 71 3/4"

71.75 / 11" = 7 (treads)

49.875 / 7 = 7.125" (or 7 1/8") rises.

Experiment with various sizes until measurment falls within desired range of accuracy.

rom: National Park Service / US Army Corps of Engineers

CONCORD, MA - The National Park Service (NPS), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) are continuing efforts to determine the extent of military ordnance identified in the past at the Former Camp Wellfleet military site located at the Cape Cod National Seashore in Wellfleet, Mass.

The Corps contractor, Zapata Engineering, under the direction of the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville, Ala., will resume performing an Ordnance and Explosive (OE) investigation and removal action in portions of the Former Camp Wellfleet on Monday, February 28, 2005 (weather permitting) and continue through the end of March.

Zapata Engineering will perform investigation and removal at four areas on the site.

These areas include a 4.5 acre portion of the site south of the Marconi Beach Bathhouse. This area warrants further investigation because ordnance related scrap was found and removed in this general area during the last investigation. Further investigation will confirm if additional scrap is buried, if so it will be removed. This area is a potential piping plover nesting area; therefore the investigation will be performed before the plovers return to area for nesting.

The other three areas are inland of the dunes. They consist of an area where military canisters were located. The canisters were previously tested, and were found not to be hazardous. They will be removed and disposed of at an approved disposal facility offsite. Another area that will be investigated has potential ordnance burial pits.

The last area of concern is an area where 150 M28A1 flash tubes for 105mm cartridge cases were removed last year.

This investigation will be conducted to locate any additional flash tubes if they exist, and to dispose of them at an approved disposal facility offsite.

The Former Camp Wellfleet site consists of developed and undeveloped land, the majority of which is owned and maintained by the National Park Service. The investigation for the Wellfleet site will be conducted during the winter to minimize impacts to natural resources such as the piping plover and to minimize the impact of closures to area residents and visitors.

Zapata Engineering will meet daily with the National Park Service staff to coordinate safety measures and any necessary area closures. All reasonable efforts will be made to minimize inconvenience to the public and to allow public access to the primary visitor sites.

Access to Marconi Site and Marconi Beach may be restricted at times during the project. It is the goal of the National Park Service, to have the beaches and site open on weekends and only close either the beach or the site on a day-by-day
basis, when necessary.

The recommended removal actions for the various areas inside the Former Camp Wellfleet are derived from the Final Former Camp Wellfleet Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA) completed in May 2000 and the subsequent Action
Memorandum, which was signed in April 2001.

Contact Tim Dugan 978-318-8264
timothy.j.dugan@usace.army.mil

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
New England District
696 Virginia Road, Concord, Massachusetts 01742-2751

Date: Feb. 25, 2005
Release No. MA 2005-20

Related Link: www.nps.gov/caco/news/2005CampWellfleetupdate.pdf

Press Release

BOSTON - The owners of seven apartment units in the Lewiston area have agreed to pay a fine and to replace windows and doors containing lead-based paint at one of their residential housing properties in Auburn, ME to settle EPA charges that the companies failed to notify prospective tenants of risks from exposure to lead-based paint.

The Portland-based companies, Pier Properties, Inc. and Atlantic Holdings, LLC own and lease properties in several locations in Maine. EPA's investigation showed that the companies failed to notify tenants, as required by law, that there may have been lead-based paint within the living quarters of leased apartments, and failed to notify tenants of the risks from exposure to lead-based paint.

The settlement requires the companies to spend $26,565 to replace windows and doors that contain lead-based paint, and to pay a penalty of $2,880.

"Lead poisoning is a serious health concern for children in New England, because our states still have many older houses that can contain lead paint," said Robert W. Varney, regional administrator for EPA's New England office. "It's very important that renters and buyers, especially with young children, get information they need to protect themselves and their children from potential exposure to lead paint."

Low-level lead poisoning continues to be widespread among American children. Children are especially susceptible to lead poisoning, both because of a higher probability of ingestion of lead paint particles (including lead contaminated dust) and because of a higher degree of vulnerability due to children's young developing bodies. Elevated lead levels can trigger learning disabilities, decreased growth, hyperactivity, impaired hearing and even brain damage. Pregnant women are also susceptible because lead exposure before or during pregnancy can alter fetal development and cause miscarriages.

Nationwide, hundreds of thousands of children under six years of age have elevated blood lead levels. Homes built before 1978, when lead in paint was banned, are more likely to contain lead paint. Because so much of New England's housing stock is older, childhood lead exposure continues to be a big concern in the Northeast.

This case is among more than a dozen lead-related civil and criminal cases EPA's New England regional office has initiated since expanding its lead enforcement and compliance and assurance program to make sure landlords and property owners are complying with federal laws that require them to notify tenants and prospective buyers of potential lead-paint hazards in their buildings. The EPA initiative has included more than 200 inspections around New England, as well as compliance assistance workshops to help landlords understand their legal responsibilities.

Federal law 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 in the living unit 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. Sellers, lessors, and real estate agents all share responsibility for such compliance.

Contact: David Deegan
EPA Office of Public Affairs
(617) 918-1017

Related Information:
Lead Paint Enforcement Program
Internet Training Course: Lead Safety for Remodeling, Repair, and Painting (EPA HQ)
Lead Poisoning, Lead Paint, etc.
Lead Paint Disclosure Rules

Source: EPA Release # dd050207 (February 1, 2005)

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BOSTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced it has issued the fifth in a series of administrative orders requiring the city of Holyoke take action to reduce untreated sewage flowing into the Connecticut River.

The city's wastewater treatment plant takes both sewage and storm water runoff. Due to the lack of capacity, the pipes – known as combined sewer overflows, or CSOs – are designed to overflow after heavy rains, resulting in wastewater being discharged directly into the Connecticut River.

The overflows that occur in Holyoke discharge as many as 500 million gallons of wastewater into the Connecticut River in a typical year. These discharges are a major reason why the Connecticut River routinely fails to meet water quality standards after heavy rains. CSOs pose a significant threat to water quality, carrying viruses, bacteria and other biological pathogens as well as industrial waste and toxic materials.

Since 1995, EPA has issued five administrative orders to the City – issuing the most recent order this week. EPA’s earlier orders required the City to assess its collection system, develop a long-term plan to control its CSOs, and to stop the flow of Green Brook into the city's wastewater treatment plant and divert it directly into the Connecticut River.

The current order requires the City to eliminate overflows from the Mosher Street outfall, upgrade the wastewater treatment plant, and provide treatment to the Berkshire Street outfall, the source of the greatest volume of overflow. The order establishes a start date of July 1, 2005.

"CSO discharges add significant pollution to waterways across New England," said Robert W. Varney, regional administrator of EPA's New England Office. "This order incorporates some of the projects that are already underway and makes the city accountable for their timely completion in order to further eliminate discharges from Holyoke's system into the Connecticut River."

Holyoke is among more than a half dozen cities on the Lower Connecticut River facing severe CSO problems. Springfield and Chicopee are under compliance orders for reducing their CSO discharges, while the communities of Agawam, West Springfield, Ludlow and South Hadley have already eliminated their CSOs or are close to eliminating them.

Contact: Sheryl Rosner
EPA Office of Public Affairs
(617) 918-1865

Related Information:

• Water Enforcement in New England
• Clean Water Act
• Storm Water Topics

For more information on EPA’s enforcement of environmental laws related to clean water in New England visit the EPA's "Region 1" (New England) information.  Source EPA Press Release # sr050202, February 9, 2005

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