UM presents toxic mold and wood foundations study at Glacier Homes

[Guest guest]

By McGill

Wednesday, December 5, 2007 1:51 PM MST

" I was surprised by how enthusiastic people were about wanting to do

something, especially approaching the Congressional Delegation to explore the

possibility of some type of federal assistance, " said Robin Saha, assistant

professor at the University of Montana's Department of Environmental Justice.

Saha and two of his former graduate students came to Browning Friday, Nov. 30,

to discuss homes with black mold and other contaminants, particularly the wood

foundation houses at Glacier Homes.

In a background paper provided at the discussion, it was noted that Glacier

Homes is a result of a U.S. Housing and Urban Development program of the late

1970s called the " Mutual Help Homeownership Opportunity Program. " HUD allocated

funds to the Blackfeet Housing Authority to build Glacier Homes, but required

they be built using wood foundations treated with chromated copper arsenate

(CCA). Although both tribal members and the Housing Authority questioned the use

of CCA, now banned for residential use by the U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency, HUD nevertheless forced them into approval.

The wood foundations combined with the moist climate in Blackfeet Country

encourages the growth of toxic black mold in the homes, in addition to poorly

built plumbing, septic and ventilation systems. Asbestos and lead were also

used, creating a health hazard for those living there.

Residents of Glacier Homes have long complained of suffering a litany of

illnesses they feel are caused by their homes. The symptoms are mostly

respiratory, but to date no scientific studies have been done to make a direct

connection between the illnesses and the toxic houses. In addition, explained

Suta Calling Last Arrowtop and Cumming, Saha's two graduates who

presented their data Friday, the federal government has not established exposure

guidelines for " mycotoxins, " the sort of poisons emitted by mold.

Residents of Glacier Homes filed a class-action lawsuit against HUD and the

Housing Authority in 2002, but it was dismissed in 2004 by U.S. District Judge

Sam Haddon who ruled that HUD cannot be sued because of various laws that apply

to housing projects and that sovereign immunity protects Blackfeet Housing as

well. In 2006, that decision was reversed by the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of

Appeals, saying Blackfeet Housing had waived its immunity but still protected

HUD from being obligated to pay damages for its actions.

Blackfeet Housing has asked for a rehearing of the case in the 9th Circuit Court

in hopes HUD will be held responsible, but a decision has not yet been delivered

and whatever it is, there is a strong possibility it will be appealed.

" HUD has emergency funds for non-Indian housing, " said Saha. " It's an

outrage, treating Indians as second class citizens. People were very concerned

about the things the students found. "

Calling Last Arrowtop and Cumming presented the results of their research at

homes in Browning, Heart Butte and Seville. Although the pair has already

graduated, Saha said they wanted to come to Browning and present their data,

called the " Blackfeet Indoor Bio-Contaminant Assessment Project. "

" It's very important because the health of the people means concern for babies

and elders inhaling black mold and toxic chemicals, " said Blackfeet Councilwoman

Betty . " There are many tribal employees living in those houses. The issue

is black mold. "

The study focused specifically on mycotoxins produced by black mold. Calling

Last Arrowtop and Cumming explained the toxins are not only inhaled, they can

also be absorbed through the skin. All together, they said they'd selected 36

houses and gathered information between last November and last March. They

tested 27 of them with air and tape samples for mycotoxins, as well as

interviewing residents of the homes for health problems.

They found high levels of the toxins in 20 of the homes sampled, about 74

percent. Of a total of 127 residents interviewed, 71 percent reported

mold-related symptoms, with an average of 2.3 per person and an average age of

30 years. In addition, a survey of children revealed about 37 percent reporting

asthma, a condition frequently associated with toxic mold exposure, or about one

in three. The national average for asthma in children is about one in 14.

Saha and the students noted that litigation has produced no tangible results for

the people living at Glacier Homes. They said some of the homes could probably

be rehabilitated while others should simply be torn down. People shouldn't be

living in them, but where are they to go if they leave? " People need to get out

of there, " said Saha, " but they have no place to go and limited resources. "

In the end, they recommended several steps, all of which began with " spreading

the word. " Getting the news out about the conditions at Glacier Homes and other

housing projects afflicted with black mold is the start to attracting donors and

charities, as well as enlisting the services of Montana's Congressional

Delegation. They said funds might be obtained through a special appropriation as

was done with the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians whose homes were

beset with a similar infestation. Congress might also authorize emergency

funding for Indian housing authorities, as is the case with non-Indian HUD

agencies.

Hearing the information presented, Councilwoman said she would pursue

having a housing emergency declared by the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council to

put pressure on Congress. She indicated she would be in Washington, D.C. on Dec.

18 and is looking for pictures and letters of support to take with her. For more

information, or to provide information, call Councilwoman at 338-7521 or

Jerry Blevins at 338-3761.

Comments: JHH wrote on Dec 8, 2007 3:25 PM:

" Unfortunately, Washington, D.C. is the problem. The federal government made

the decision to approve the construction of Glacier Homes. The federal

government also made a promise to adequately meet the housing needs of tribes on

reservations. The federal government must be held accountable. The public should

be outraged at this clear violation of human rights and environmental injustice.

With support from the Blackfeet tribe, Montana's Congressional Delegation, and

the citizens of Montana, change is possible from the national to the local

level. I agree that the Blackfeet tribe should be in charge of a local solution,

but the funds should come from the responsible party, the federal government.

The funding must not take further money away from other federal funds for

tribes. The bottom line is that grandparents, children, brothers, sisters, and

parents are living in substandard, toxic homes. Safe, clean and adequate housing

is a human right. It is as obvious as the mold

growing in the Glacier Homes that the federal government's actions and

inactions have enabled environmental injustices and a public health tragedy on

the Blackfeet reservation. Promises are made to be kept. "

d1311 wrote on Dec 6, 2007 2:54 PM:

" I don't think the solution is sending a Tribal Councilperson with secondary

knowledge on another trip. The proper approach is to work toward a viable

solution for the Tribal members, which may not be what the national solution.

For example, when this arose in North Dakota, HUD authorized new housing for

those affected, but that came off the national NAHASDA budget. Is this what we

want, because it drew the ire of other tribes. It appears that there has been a

tremendous skirting of this issue for far too long. I think the concentration

should be on a local solution before the negative impacts grow beyond reason.

Focus on new housing which will remove our members from further danger. Please

consider this avenue instead of another run to Washington, D.C., where things

become quagmired and the issues become bleared. "

http://www.goldentrianglenews.com/articles/2007/12/10/glacier_reporter/news/news\

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