Hi, I registered for this forum in order to spread the word and get some feedback about this: News Article

I came across it while reading autoblog.com. Autoblog

Anyway, I have been working on a restoration project, and if they prevent me from being able to buy paint to do my own spraying I will never be able to afford to finish my car.

Since autoblog had an e-mail address for the person at the EPA to contact I shot her an e-mail addressing my concerns. She replied, and I sent her a follow up e-mail based on her responses.

Basically, from what she has told me they are thinking about having a certification process, similar to getting a hunting license. I told her that might be ok if the cost was not too prohibitive.

Anyway, she wants to call me and talk to me. So I figured I would put a post here and see if I can get some feedback and relay any of your concerns. I am concerned that I may not have current info as my restoration project had been on hold for some time and I have not really kept up with current events in the hobby.

I really would like information on how many of you are painting your entire car in your garage, say in a residential neighborhood. I told her that I did not think many hobbyists still paint the entire car in their garages (barring hobbyists who have set up a garage especially for painting.) From speaking to people at a few recent car shows they all seem to rent paint booths. From my experience applying a two-part paint system, having an ultra clean environment would seem to make the most sense. I told her a lot of people are probably spraying small stuff, frame members, engine compartment stuff, etc. in their garages.

Please post any comments you have and I will try to get them to her when she calls me.

Please ask her, if a license is required what would the hurdles be? Will their be an exam? Whom will provide the training? Will it be generic safety and HAZ-MAT training? Where would someone go to take get the license? Town hall? Internet course? Prior to getting the license are you required to provide proof of purchase which shows that you purchased the proper equipment(HVLP spray gun)etc etc. And of course the most important question and the driving point behind this whole thing. HOW MUCH IS THE LICENSE GOING TO COST?

Go to this site and read the FAQs.

http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/area/auto/autobody_area.html

This was included in an email I (and probably everyone who emailed EPA regarding these rules) received today. As you will see the rules would basically require a hobbyist who paints no more than two cars a year to have an HVLP gun, read some rules, and certify each time they bought paint that they understand the nature of what they are buying and how to protect themselves and their neighbors
from the hazards involved. If the state they live in caught them willy nilly ignoring common sense they would first be cautioned and then on 2nd offense could be fined.

I am going to call this Kim Teal person tomorrow to make sure I did understand what I just read but after reading the FAQs at this point I am reassured.