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Boston City Council Order and Press Release Regarding Mold Hearin

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Boston City Council

In City Council

Order of Councillors Maura Hennigan, Chuck , Felix Arroyo,

Yancey, Maureen Feeney, Flaherty, Ross, Scappiccio, and

WHEREAS:  There is growing concern nationally, statewide and within Boston,

regarding the problem of indoor mold contamination and poor indoor air quality

due to water intrusion in public and private buildings; AND

WHEREAS: EPA, Boston Public Health Commission, Massachusetts Nurses

Association, MassCosh, Boston Urban Asthma Coalition, HUD, Sheet Metal Workers

Union,

National Teachers Association, Indian Health Service, and many other agencies

and organizations have conducted vast amounts of research or have recognized

through this research the known serious health effects and property damage

caused by indoor mold; AND

WHEREAS: The issue of indoor mold contamination in all buildings has been an

issue of concern to residents of the City of Boston; AND

WHEREAS: Potential health effects and symptoms associated with mold exposure

include, but are not limited to, allergic reactions, asthma, and other

respiratory complaints; AND

WHEREAS:  That the Boston City Council urges the Mayor and Boston Public

Health Commission to work locally and nationally with the Boston Congressional

Delegation to seek passage of legislation, H.R. 1268 - U.S. Toxic Mold Safety

and

Protection Act, that could offer help to the City of Boston to remediate

public buildings with indoor air quality problems; THEREFORE BE IT   

ORDERED: That the appropriate committee of the Boston City Council convenes a

hearing to address this serious public health threat and learn what Boston

can do, as a city, to educate the public and prevent further contamination

Filed in the City Council: Tuesday, October 19, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

At-Large Boston City Councillor Maura Hennigan

Phone: 617-635-4217

Fax: 617-635-3734

E-mail: mauraH@...

Date: October 21, 2004

Hennigan Joins Public Awareness Campaign on the Health Effects of Mold

Wednesday, October 20, 2004 -Councillor Maura A. Hennigan joined the U.S.

House of Representatives as well as various local and national organizations in

a

public awareness campaign by calling for a hearing on the ill effects of

indoor mold.  Although indoor mold is sometimes invisible to the naked eye, the

potential health effects and symptoms associated with mold exposures are very

visible and include, but are not limited to, allergic reactions, asthma, and

other respiratory complaints. 

The aim of Hennigan's order is to educate the public about the problem of

indoor mold and poor indoor air quality due to water intrusion in public and

private buildings in the city.  Many local, state and national agencies and

organizations have conducted research and/or have recognized the serious health

effects and property damage caused by indoor mold including: Massachusetts

Nurses

Association, MassCosh (Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Health and

Safety, Boston Urban Asthma Coalition, as well as many others.**

" Just because you don't see something doesn't mean its not there, " said

Councillor Hennigan during today's hearing.  " This is a serious public health

risk

and I look forward to continuing to raise awareness and educate the public

about this issue by bringing in those who are knowledgeable on this matter, "

Hennigan concluded.

Hennigan's call for a hearing on the issue corresponds with legislation, H.R.

1268, introduced by Congressman Conyers, Jr. of Michigan, which is being

considered on the national level by the U.S. House of Representatives.  The

bill, otherwise known as the U.S. Toxic Mold Safety and Protection Act or The

Melina Bill, would generate guidelines for preventing indoor mold growth,

establish standards for removing mold when it does grow, provide grants for mold

removal in public buildings, authorize tax credits for inspection and/or

remediation of mold hazards, and create a national insurance program to protect

homeowners from catastrophic losses.

This June, Congressman Conyers, the ranking member of the House

Judiciary Committee, introduced the first Toxic Mold and Indoor Air Pollution

Congressional Caucus and hosted a press conference and briefing on September 22,

2004

in Washington, DC to further raise awareness of this growing public health

hazard.  A representative group of people from across the country, including

Massachusetts, traveled to Washington DC during the week of September 20, 2004

to

advocate for immediate Congressional action through the new Mold Advocacy

Education and Research Coalition (M.A.P.E.R.) and raise awareness of the public

health threat posed by exposure to indoor molds and their by-products.

Currently, Hennigan's order for a hearing has been referred to the Boston

City Council's Committee on Health and Human Services where it awaits to be

scheduled.  If you have any questions about this order, have a personal story to

tell, or would like to be notified when the hearing is scheduled, please contact

Councillor Hennigan's office at (617) 635-4217 or via e-mail at:

maurah@....

####

For more information, please call Kenneally in Councillor Hennigan's

Office at: 617-635-4217 or after hours/on the weekend at: 617-892-0125.

** A partial list of agencies and organizations that have conducted research

or have recognized the serious health effects and property damage caused by

indoor mold: CDC, EPA, FEMA, ASHRAE, ANSI, NIOSH, OSHA, AIHA, WHO, AMA, American

Lung Association, U.S. Surgeon General, American Academy of Pediatrics,

ACGIH, U.S. Army, USDA, Massachusetts Nurses Association, American Academy of

Allergy, Asthma and Immunology American Agricultural Association, MassCosh,

Boston

Urban Asthma Coalition, National Academy of Sciences, IAQA, Silent Spring,

Building Environment and Thermal Envelope Council, HUD, Indoor Environmental

Standards Organization, Sheet Metal Workers Union, National Teachers

Association,

and Indian Health Service.

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