Re: MSNBC.com Article: FEMA lawyers nixed trailer tests for toxicity

[Guest guest]

MY GOD, Darlene, THANK YOU for posting this.

What could possibly be more crystal clear than this:

THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN...

................

" WASHINGTON - The Federal Emergency Management Agency has suppressed

warnings from its own Gulf coast field workers since the middle of

2006 about suspected health problems that may be linked to elevated

levels of formaldehyde gas released in FEMA-provided trailers,

lawmakers said today.

At a hearing Thursday of the House Oversight and Government Reform

Committee, investigators released internal e-mails indicating that

FEMA lawyers rejected environmental testing out of fear that the

agency would then become legally liable if health problems emerged

among as many as 120,000 families displaced by Hurricane Katrina who

lived in trailers.

FEMA's Office of General Counsel " has advised that we do not do

testing, " because this " would imply FEMA's ownership of this issue, "

wrote a FEMA logistics specialist on June 16, 2006, three months after

news reports surfaced about the possible effects of the invisible

cancer-causing compound and one month after the agency was sued.

Another FEMA attorney on June 15 advised, " [d]o not initiate any

testing until we give the OK. . . . Once you get results and should

they indicate some problem, the clock is running on our duty to

respond to them. "

------------------

This is absolutely insane... What the hell is going on in this country?

[Guest guest]

You know, its important to separate the lying from the fact that

housing was desperately needed by people and that providing trailers,

even if they were formaldehyde carrying, was a good thing given the

lack of other options.

What outrages me is that FEMA covered this up when their workers told

them about it- rather than simply following up with testing, and then,

if it was positive, simply telling people then that they needed to

keep the trailers well ventilated to avoid health problems. (after

all, they were free..)

BTW, Darlene, the original title and URL for the story is below.

There are also some associated documents at the Washington Post site..

copies of the FEMA documents.. " Memo to House Committee on Oversight

and Government Reform " (pdf) and " Statement by FEMA Administrator

ison " (pdf)

-------

FEMA Suppressed Health Warnings for Workers, Katrina Victims

Agency Rejected Environmental Testing on Formaldehyde Gas Levels

By Spencer S. Hsu

Washington Post Staff Writer

Thursday, July 19, 2007; 6:02 PM

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/19/AR2007071901039.\

html

[Guest guest]

I second this very Good Darlene

Elvira

LiveSimply <quackadillian@...> wrote:

MY GOD, Darlene, THANK YOU for posting this.

What could possibly be more crystal clear than this:

THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN...

................

" WASHINGTON - The Federal Emergency Management Agency has suppressed

warnings from its own Gulf coast field workers since the middle of

2006 about suspected health problems that may be linked to elevated

levels of formaldehyde gas released in FEMA-provided trailers,

lawmakers said today.

At a hearing Thursday of the House Oversight and Government Reform

Committee, investigators released internal e-mails indicating that

FEMA lawyers rejected environmental testing out of fear that the

agency would then become legally liable if health problems emerged

among as many as 120,000 families displaced by Hurricane Katrina who

lived in trailers.

FEMA's Office of General Counsel " has advised that we do not do

testing, " because this " would imply FEMA's ownership of this issue, "

wrote a FEMA logistics specialist on June 16, 2006, three months after

news reports surfaced about the possible effects of the invisible

cancer-causing compound and one month after the agency was sued.

Another FEMA attorney on June 15 advised, " [d]o not initiate any

testing until we give the OK. . . . Once you get results and should

they indicate some problem, the clock is running on our duty to

respond to them. "

------------------

This is absolutely insane... What the hell is going on in this country?

---------------------------------

Luggage? GPS? Comic books?

Check out fitting gifts for grads at Search.

[Guest guest]

Live and Who: After I had read this and the article on sarcoidosis, I thought

hmmm, well every one should see these. Things have a way of coming out to the

public, they should realize that. Darlene

[Guest guest]

They do - now, briefly, thanks to the Internet, but we also have to realize

that under our current 'system' of financing elections, things are getting

worse and worse, they won't get better until elected officials don't have to

whore themselves out for the money to get reelected.

Corporations also should not be able to steal their shareholders money to

lobby for political causes.. (right now they are considered to 'be' *people*

and their 'free speech' is protected *for that reason*.. CORPORATIONS ARE

NOT PEOPLE..)

I think that the 19th century Supreme Court case decreeing corporate

personhood (what is known in constitutional law circles as the " Santa Clara

decision " was deeply flawed and the issue needs to be re-examined..)

On 7/20/07, Darlene <darlenesb2000@...> wrote:

>

> Live and Who: After I had read this and the article on sarcoidosis, I

> thought hmmm, well every one should see these. Things have a way of coming

> out to the public, they should realize that. Darlene

>

> _

>

[Guest guest]

MORE FEMA TRAILERS SENT TO KANSAS FOR FLOOD VICTIMS TO LIVE IN. IN THE

NEWS LAST NIGHT.

>

> Live and Who: After I had read this and the article on sarcoidosis,

I thought hmmm, well every one should see these. Things have a way of

coming out to the public, they should realize that. Darlene

>