Dear Ms. Morley,

Your comments recently printed in the Washington Post are hard to swallow. You were quoted as saying “contractors have had “plenty of warning” about the new rules”. As a small business owner, a former social worker and participant in the first Earth day I have been an advocate for conservation and a safe environment since the mid 1960’s. I’ll compare my commitment to healthy housing to anyone. What I find hard to take is the arrogance of advocates and regulators who assert opinions as if they are absolute and superior to all others. Do you think I and my peers knew by some sort of telepathy that these regulations had been passed and recorded in the Federal register? I am better informed than most of my peers and yet I knew nothing – not one hint of these new regulations until January of this year.

Only recently has the industry begun to hear of these regulations. If a grass roots effort were not active most contractors would still know nothing of this issue. Are you so callous to the well being of the millions of men and women who make a living in the remodeling industry that you are unable to admit that the EPA has horribly mismanaged this issue? Making a splash on Earth day is hardly worth the price that will paid if those of us in compliance are denied work because we’re underbid by un-certified firms, if a large percentage of these jobs are tackled by unqualified homeowners or remodelers willing to operate below the radar. More children will be exposed, not less.

EPA has grossly underestimated, in the sloppiest fashion imaginable, the cost of compliance. The estimated additional cost of $8.00 to $167.00 per job is laughable. Angela Hoffman wrote me, after promising to send me the financial analysis EPA performed, that the EPA used a “straight line mathematical formula” to arrive at the estimate of $35.00 per job (this admission occurred after she asserted in a meeting we held at OMB that “the EPA never estimated $35 per job, that the $35.00 figure was in only one misconstrued press release”). Does anyone, anyone at all understand what a “straight line mathematical formula looks like? New math was bad enough. In the parallel universe that is Washington DC this might pass for a plausible explanation ; out here in the sticks we expect more. Pray tell, what job could ever incur just $8.00 in additional cost?

I am eager to do what is right for my customers, my employees and my community I am in favor of reasonable and effective efforts to protect anyone at risk of lead poisoning. What I am against is regulation that is unclear, difficult to implement, an open invitation for ruinous litigation and the demonization of the hard working men and women who live by the sweat of their brows and the work of their hands. Despite your confident and misguided belief to the contrary there has not been sufficient time to prepare. EPA has had sufficient time. After all they have been driving this truck. The EPA’s performance, the abysmally inadequate job they’ve done is plain for all to see. Your assertion that they will have 150,000 trained by April 22, 2010 is an absurd and patently false claim designed to cover up their pitiful performance. Sadly in this age they are unaccountable. You may feel that a $37,500 per day/per occurrence fine is just, I don’t. However, I’m willing to risk all the liability this regulation exposes me to, if the EPA staff and their enablers are subject to the same fine for their failings. What do you say Rebecca? How about a little accountability in DC?

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 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) have named Andersen Corporation and its family of brands, including Silver Line Windows, Andersen Windows, Renewal by Andersen and Eagle Window & Door the 2011 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year for the Product Manufacturer-Windows category for the second year in a row.

 ”It is an honor to again be recognized by the industry with this prestigious award and is an excellent example of how the Andersen family of brands, including Silver Line, is developing and promoting energy efficient solutions that meet or exceed the ENERGY STAR criteria as well as our customers’ needs” said Randy Iles, president of Silver Line. “We received the designation for our outstanding contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by manufacturing and educating consumers about energy-efficient products.” Andersen Corporation will be recognized on April 12, 2011, at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.

 Silver Line has been part of the ENERGY STAR program for nearly a decade. Again, as a subsidiary of Andersen Corporation, we have been honored for our leadership in manufacturing products that earn the ENERGY STAR moniker, the government-backed symbol of energy efficiency.  This distinction honors our continuing commitment to providing energy-efficient products, as well as the company’s comprehensive use of ENERGY STAR information in media relations, point of sale signage and displays, advertising, websites and training materials.

 SilverLine’s commitment to energy efficiency and environmental sustainability is more than a trend. Providing our dealers and trade customers with quality, ENERGY STAR qualified products is part of our commitment to be the “best value” to our customers. We are proud to be recognized again by ENERGY STAR for providing energy-efficient products that help customers save money and conserve valuable natural resources.

 The 2011 Partner of the Year Awards are given to manufacturers and retailers that successfully  promote and deliver ENERGY STAR qualified products, helping our customers reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save money. Award winners are selected from more than 20,000 organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program.

Having met Dave while posted from The I’On Group to the Hammond’s Ferry Development in North Augusta, South Carolina, I knew from the first meeting why The Window Gallery maintains its well-deserved and stellar reputation throughout the Augusta MSA regional business community. The launching of Hammond’s Ferry represented a new real estate development business model, and Dave Steele consistently nurtured the Builders Guild concept and continues to do so. The Window Gallery championed the vision and execution of Hammond’s Ferry.

Dave and his group are more than product suppliers and vendors. They are partners, and I invite anyone to call The I’On Group to verify this. The Window Gallery is the preferred window source partner on three Charleston, South Carolina projects: Jefferson Canal homes in I’On; Morris Square in downtown Charleston and Mixon in North Charleston. The experience with The Window Gallery in North Augusta was such that it had to continue in Charleston. Fortunately for us here at The I’On Group, we have The Window Gallery on our development and sales team.

Quite simply, The Window Gallery culture and philosophy lives and breathes customer service. Period! Nothing is above and beyond when it comes to the firm’s commitment to customer satisfaction! In my opinion, this is why the alignment with Andersen is such a successful fit. The Window Gallery and Andersen are well united. It’s all about customer service and satisfaction. The icing on the cake is the pure fun and enjoyment that comes with partnering with The Window Gallery! It’s the real deal.

I have been impressed with how Dave has grown his business over the years into one of the largest Andersen Window dealers in the Southeast while maintaining the quality and excellent service that attracted me to him in the first place. His ethical approach, attention to detail and sound judgment have all served to bring this about. It has been a real pleasure doing business with him.