From the National Association of Home Builders

Sales of newly-built, single-family homes surged 8.3 percent to a seasonally adjusted, annual rate of 497,000 units in June, their fastest pace in the last five years, according to data released today by HUD and the U.S. Census Bureau.

"New-home buyers are returning to the market in larger numbers as firming prices, shrinking inventories of homes for sale and improving local economies convince them that now is the time to make their move," said Rick Judson, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Charlotte, North Carolina.

"Meanwhile, the very low supply of new homes on the market is indicative of the difficulty that builders are having in keeping up with demand due to availability issues with regard to materials, credit, labor and lots for development."

"The takeaway from this report is that the housing recovery is solidly on track and isn't going to be derailed by slightly higher mortgage rates," said NAHB chief economist David Crowe. "After years of fence-sitting, buyers are back and are ready to move forward with an investment in homeownership." Looking ahead, he said he anticipates further, though more incremental gains in sales through the end of this year.

Three out of four regions saw solid gains in new-home sales activity in June, with the Northeast, South and West posting increases of 18.5 percent, 10.9 percent and 13.8 percent, respectively. The Midwest posted an 11.8 percent decline following an above-trend bump in activity in May.

The inventory of new homes for sale declined to 161,000 units in June, marking a razor-thin, 3.9-month supply at the current sales pace. The months' supply of homes for sale has not fallen below this level since March of 2004. 

The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association's (HPBA) Tom Stroud has won the Canadian Standard Association's (CSA) Award of Merit for his outstanding work on safety standards, including glass-fronted gas fireplaces.

The CSA recognized Tom for his work with the Technical Advisory Group, which was working to protect toddlers from being burned by the glass fronts of vented gas fireplaces. He helped craft solutions grounded in sound technology, according to the organization, and pushed for rigorous yet appropriate testing standards.

By merging the interests of the CSA, the HPBA and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, CSA said, Stroud ensured a balanced approach that protects both consumer and industry interests. He also worked with HPBA to push the story out to national media, promoting consumer awareness and the work of the CSA.

As senior manager for Codes & Standards for HPBA, Stroud is active in standards development. He serves as vice chairman of CSA's joint Technical Advisory Group for Vented Gas-fired Warm Air Heaters. He is also a member of the National Fuel Gas Code Committee and serves on the International Code Council, National Fire Protection Association, the Building Energy and Standards Committee and other groups. 

The Rug Market America didn't have a bet on the sex of the new royal little one, but if we had looked into our popular British styles, we may have seen a clue!

The Blue Union Jack, # 25463, a part of our polyester indoor-outdoor rug styles that would be at home in a palace or any British-chic inspired nursery. It features easy care and soft fiber construction. Suggested Retail: $349 for 5X8 ft. For further information or comment, contact Laurie Rudd lrudd@laurieruddpr.com. 

By Pat Guth, Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing a new clean-up standard for the asbestos-laden town of Libby that will be 5,000 times tougher than what has been used in past projects regarding the clean-up of airborne asbestos, according to an article in The Missoulian.

Environmental experts proclaim this to be a move that finally represents a victory for those who have fought hard against companies such as W.R. Grace and Co., a Maryland-based manufacturer that showed little regard for employees and for the environment in regards to asbestos exposure and contamination in Libby.

In the town of Libby, contamination from Grace's vermiculite mine has already resulted in the deaths of more than 400 individuals with nearly 1,800 other area residents or former workers sickened by some sort of asbestos-related disease, including mesothelioma. Grace officials, however, object to the current proposal, which they say is going too far and could result in extremely expensive clean-ups at sites throughout the United States.

Others, however, believe the EPA is doing the right thing in demanding that the concentrations of airborne asbestos be as low as possible.

"In many respects, it would be like banning it, getting it so low," said former assistant U.S. Surgeon General Richard Lemen. "EPA is being realistic and saying, 'Look, we know there's asbestos out there and we're not going to get rid of all of it, but let's put our concentration as low as we possibly can.'"

The article notes that the new standards would declare that airborne asbestos concentrations exceeding two-100,000ths of a fiber per cubic centimeter pose a health risk. Previously, action was taken only when the substance was airborne in amounts greater than one-10th of a fiber per cubic centimeter. This is an issue that is crucial to the health of Libby residents.

In addition, the EPA proposal, for the first time, sets a risk level for non-cancer illnesses, such as the lung disease asbestosis, which has already killed dozens of individuals in and around the town and has sickened hundreds more.