Pepperell 'mold house' owner to lobby in D.C.

[Guest guest]

Lowell Sun

http://www.lowellsun.com/cda/article/print/0,1674,105%7E4746%

7E2412280,00.html

Pepperell 'mold house' owner to lobby in D.C.

By ANDREW RAVENS

Sun Staff

Sunday, September 19, 2004 - PEPPERELL paid particular

attention to the speeches at this past summer's Republican and

Democratic national conventions. She has a big political message of

her own to deliver.

, a victim of toxic mold that infested her ee Road home and

made it unlivable, was to board a plane today for Washington, D.C.,

where she will tell her story at a Congressional press conference and

briefing on Wednesday.

" My lawyer told me to speak slowly, but I am going to put my two

cents in, " said , who filed a lawsuit against two real-estate

agents and a home inspector for failing to divulge information about

mold in the home she purchased. " I have a burning in my belly. "

and several other mold victims are scheduled to speak on behalf

of a mold-awareness bill sponsored by Rep. Conyers Jr., a

Michigan Democrat.

seeks a law that requires a mold inspection before a house is

sold and a general increase in awareness of the adverse health

effects caused by mold and indoor air pollution.

Shortly after moving into her home, developed a debilitating

case of asthma her doctors attributed to the mold. Her husband, Rick,

and 6-year-old son Cameron did not suffer any ill affects but

relocated with her to an apartment building a few blocks away in the

same Pepperell neighborhood.

The $220,000 mortgage on the home will likely be charged off, but

said her family will suffer from bad credit for years.

The family lost all of their possessions in December 2003 because

everything books, cars, furniture, clothes was contaminated with mold.

But instead of shattering in the adversity, turned into a mold

activist and makes regular appearances in local newspapers and on

television.

She now runs for Mold Relief Inc., a nonprofit agency that contacted

her after reading about her story on the Internet.

Larkin, who started the agency's Web site, www.moldrelief.org ,

is impressed with ' efforts to publicize the horrors of mold.

" has been instrumental in putting this all together, " said

Larkin, reached from Florida, where she is helping hurricane victims

with flooding and potential mold issues. " is truly amazing a

real go-getter. "

Larkin, and 12 other lobbyists for mold legislation plan to

distribute information to hundreds of congressmen tomorrow and

Tuesday.

They hope to increase sponsorship of Conyers' toxic-mold bill from 34

Congressmen to 100.

" It's a lofty goal, but we have several people like heading to

D.C., " Larkin said.

The bill includes several provisions including: research and public

education; mold inspection in public housing; indoor mold hazard

assistance; tax provisions; and establishment of a national toxic-

mold insurance program.

Ravens' e-mail address is aravens@... .