Boston City Council Hearing Notice on Mold For Immediate Release

[Guest guest]

For Immediate Release

Boston City Councillor Maura A. Hennigan would like to inform the public that

a Boston City Council hearing will be held to address the serious public

health threat of mold and poor indoor air quality, and to learn what Boston can

do, as a city, a state and a region to educate the public and prevent further

contamination.

The date of the hearing is Thursday evening, December 9, 2004 at The Boston

Teachers Union Hall, 180 Mount Vernon Street, Dorchester, MA at 6pm.

This past June, Congressman Conyers Jr. (D-Michigan), 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.

Congressman Conyers, who is sponsoring The U.S. Toxic Mold Safety and

Protection Act, HR1268 will testify at the Boston hearing. This 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. In addition, an Emergency Appropriation Bill is included to help schools

remediate contaminated buildings and improve air quality.

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. 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. " 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.

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: CDC (Center for Disease Control), EPA

(Environmental Protection Agency), FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency),

ASHRAE

(American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers),

ANSI (American National Standards Institute), NIOSH (National Institute for

Occupational Health and Safety), OSHA (Occupational Health and Safety

Administration), AIHA (American Industrial Hygiene Association), WHO (World

Health

Organization), AMA (American Medical Association), American Lung Association,

U.S.

Surgeon General, American Academy of Pediatrics, ACGIH (American Conference of

Governmental Industrial Hygienists), U.S. Army, USDA (US Drug Administration),

Massachusetts Nurses Association, American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and

Immunology,  American Agricultural Association, MassCosh (Massachusetts

Coalition

for Occupational Safety and Health), Boston Urban Asthma Coalition, National

Academy of Sciences, IAQA (Indoor Air Quality Association), Silent Spring,

Building Environment and Thermal Envelope Council, HUD (Housing and Urban

Development), Indoor Environmental Standards Organization, Sheet Metal Workers

Union,

National Teachers Association, and Indian Health Service, and the

Massachusetts Teachers Association.

Testimony is expected from; Congressman Conyers, physicians currently

treating mold related illness, teachers, including a group from California,

Environmental groups, Mold Advocacy groups, research scientists specializing in

Occupational and Environmental Medicine, nurses, and many others. The general

public

is cordially invited to attend.

For directions, please visit http://www.btu.org/topnavbar/directions.html

For further information, contact

Boston City Councillor Maura Hennigan 617-635-4217

Mulvey son 617-522-1372

978-433-0450

Boston City Council

Notice of Public Hearing

  

November 24, 2004

The Boston City Council's Committee on Environment and Historic Preservation

will hold a public hearing on Thursday, December 9, 2004 at 6:00 P.M. at the

Boston Teachers Union Hall, 180 Mt. Vernon Street, Dorchester, Ma 02125.

The subject of the hearing is:

Docket # 1407 -  Order for a hearing on 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.

This matter was sponsored by Councillor Hennigan and referred to the

committee on October 20, 2004.  

Members of the public are cordially invited to attend and testify. If you

have not testified at a Council hearing before, please arrive (5) minutes before

the call of the hearing to sign up and become familiar with the hearing

format, testimony locations and sound system. Please bring fifteen (15) copies

of

any written documentation you wish to present at the hearing.  If you know of

others who may be interested in this hearing, kindly notify them.

Written comments may be made part of the record and available to all

Councilors by sending them by fax or mail to arrive before the hearing, please

use the

address below.

For the Committee:

Jerry P. McDermott, Chair

Committee on Environment and Historic Preservation

Mail Address:   Docket # 1407 - City Hall, Boston, MA  02201

Fax Number:    (617) 635-4203 Attn:  Lincoln E. , Docket # 1407

Telephone Number: 635-3043 / E-Mail: Lincoln.@...

Comcast  - A-51 / cablecast date: December 10, 2004 @ 10: 00 A.M.

*************************************************************

Boston City Council

In City Council

Order of Councillors Maura Hennigan, Chuck , Felix Arroyo,

Yancey, Maureen Feeney, Flaherty, Ross, Scappiccio,

and Tobin

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