[StBernard] Lawmakers blast FEMA about toxin

[Westley Annis]

Article published Jul 20, 2007
Lawmakers blast FEMA about toxin
Agency reportedly ignored formaldehyde complaints
Ana Radelat 
Gannett News Service 
WASHINGTON - Lawmakers said Thursday that the Federal Emergency Management
Agency has covered up the health hazards posed by formaldehyde in thousands
of travel trailers housing hurricane victims.
"You were hiding all the smoking guns," U.S. Rep. Thomas Davis of Virginia
told FEMA Administrator David Paulison.

Davis, the top Republican on the House Oversight and Government Reform
Committee, and other members of the panel rebuked the agency for ignoring
complaints from hurricane victims who told of burning eyes, respiratory
ailments, bloody noses and other health problems.

U.S. Rep. Bobby Jindal, R-Kenner, said one of his constituents, who had only
one lung, told him he preferred to move into his moldy, Hurricane
Katrina-wrecked home rather than continue to live in a trailer he believed
had high formaldehyde levels. He also said formaldehyde poisoning is
suspected in the cancer death of another hurricane victim in his district.

"I hope you understand that for somebody in the Gulf Coast to hear, 'I'm
from FEMA' is pretty scary," Jindal said.

"It's sickening and the exact opposite of what government should be," said
committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif.

Paulison said "in hindsight" his agency should have done more to address
hurricane victims' complaints.

Formaldehyde is a naturally occurring chemical, but in elevated levels it
can cause headaches, burning eyes and throats, nausea and difficulty
breathing.

It also is a suspected carcinogen.

The committee obtained records showing agency lawyers warned officials FEMA
could be liable if formaldehyde tests on the trailers suggested negligence
on the government's part.

One FEMA attorney wrote, "Do not initiate any testing until we give the OK.
... Once you get results and should they indicate some problems, the clock
is running on our duty to respond to them."

Another agency attorney advised FEMA officials to refrain from testing the
trailers, as environmental groups like the Sierra Club and hurricane victims
had asked, because this "would imply FEMA's ownership of this issue."

"It is impossible to read the FEMA documents and not be infuriated," Waxman
said.

Formaldehyde is released from many construction materials, including plywood
and spray-on insulating foam.

FEMA had advised trailer residents to air out their homes if they were
concerned about formaldehyde levels.

On Thursday, Paulison admitted it was bad advice.

"We did not know earlier that that is not going to be sufficient, especially
in the summer in the Gulf Coast," Paulison said.

Paulison said FEMA has asked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
to test trailers in Mississippi and Louisiana for bacteria, mold and
formaldehyde.

Several hurricane victims testified FEMA rejected requests to get their
trailers tested and other help.