New York State Toxic Mold Task Force

[Guest guest]

When I read a previous posting about my state, New York, establishing a " Toxic

Mold Task Force " , I felt proud to be a New Yorker. As we New Yorkers have come

to learn, our pride lasts only as long as it takes us to Google up the facts.

Fact #1- The law (below) was passed in 2005. Fact #2- The first meeting of the

task force took place a year and a month AFTER the task force was supposed to

have put its findings into a finished report and delivered it to the State

Legislature. I LOVE NEW YORK! Fact #3- The N.Y. State Dept. of Health maintains

a 45 day archive, online, of webcasts of all of its committee meetings. Its easy

to get paranoid, but there is NO archived wecast of the Toxic Mold meeting. So,

all I know for sure, is that they write one hell of a good press release. Its

your guess whether or not the task force meeting ever really took place on

December 4th, as the press release said it did. So far, I can't locate any

mailing address, email address, or phone number,

for the task force.

Here is a list of the members of the task force. They are all serving WITHOUT

PAY. Thats really going to help [sarcasm]. It would be a good idea if all our

New York State moldies (myself included) inundate these people with info, data,

lobbying, and all-around pushiness, until they get the message. Their day job

locations are next to their names. If any New York moldies want to coordinate

our lobbying efforts, email me at josephsalowitz@... .

If any of our medical, scientific, and mold professionals want to offer their

professional testimony and submit data, please contact these task force members.

New York State leads the way for the nation. If we can get recognition of our

problem, and legislation to help us, in N.Y. State, it will go a long way

towards getting help from the Federal Government. Go Team!!!!!!!!!!

The 2005 Law:

§ 1384. New York state toxic mold task force. 1. The New York state

toxic mold task force is hereby established. The task force shall:

(a) assess, based on scientific evidence, the nature, scope and

magnitude of the adverse environmental and health impacts caused by

toxic mold in the state;

( measure, based on scientific evidence, the adverse health effects

of exposure to molds on the general population, including specific

effects on subgroups identifiable as being at greater risk of adverse

health effects when exposed to molds;

© identify actions taken by state, and local governments, and other

entities;

(d) assess the latest scientific data on exposure limits to mold in

indoor environments;

(e) determine methods for the control of mold in a cost-effective and

environmentally sound manner and identify measures to mitigate mold; and

(f) prepare a report to the governor and the legislature that assesses

the current body of knowledge on toxic mold, provides the status of

toxic mold in the state, and assesses the feasibility of any further

actions to be taken by the legislature or state agencies as recommended

by the task force.

2. For purpose of this title, the term " mold " shall mean any form of

multicellular fungi that live on plant or animal matter and in indoor

environments. Types of mold shall include, but not be limited to,

cladosporium, alternaria, aspergillus, trichoderma, memnoniella, mucor,

and stachybotrys chartarum, often found in water damaged building

materials.

3. The task force shall issue its findings, in the form of a report,

no later than November thirtieth, two thousand six.

4. The task force shall consist of a total of fourteen members and

shall include the commissioner and the secretary of state or their

designees. The commissioner and the secretary of state shall select the

task force's twelve at-large members from each of the following: SUNY

college of environmental science and forestry, New York Indoor

Environmental Quality Center, Inc., New York city department of health

and mental hygiene, NY STAR Center for Environmental Quality Systems,

public health officer, environmental health officer, certified public

health engineer, pediatric environmental health specialist, a person

with an expertise in toxicology, a person with an expertise in mycology,

a person with expertise in mold abatement from a labor organization that

represents workers performing mold abatement and a person with expertise

in real estate management, including building repair, renovation or

rehabilitation of multi-family and single family residences.

5. The commissioner and the secretary of state or their designees

shall serve as joint chairs of the task force.

6. The task force may consult with any organization, educational

institution, governmental agency, or person including, but not limited

to, the United States department of health and human services, the

United States environmental protection agency, and the occupational

safety and health administration.

7. The commissioner and the secretary of state may reconvene the task

force, with the same or different members, after issuance of the report,

to address any toxic mold issues.

8. The members of the task force shall serve without compensation,

except that at-large members shall be allowed their necessary and actual

expenses incurred in the performance of their duties under this title.

November 2007 Press Release:

Toxic Mold Task Force Established

The Department of Health and the Department of State are pleased to announce

that the New York State Toxic Mold Task Force has now been established and will

be having its first meeting. We have designated Dr. Kim of the Health

Department and Mr. Mahar of the Department of State to lead the Task

Force. The Task Force members are:

Dr. Kim, Interim Director, Center for Environmental Health, New York

State Department of Health

Mr. Mahar, Assistant Director, Division of Code Enforcement and

Administration, New York State Department of State

Dr. Anagnost, Associate Professor, DCMWPE, SUNY College of Environmental

Science and Forestry

Mr. Terry Brennan, President, Camroden Associates, Inc.

Dr. Ginger Chew, Assistant Professor, Mailman School of Public Health,

Columbia University

Mr. D', Research Scientist, New York City Department of

Health and Mental Hygiene

Mr. Denz, Director of Environmental Health Services, Broome County

Health Department

Ms. Desiderio, Assistant Director of Environmental Health, Erie County

Department of Health

Mr. Faisst, Public Health Director, Madison County Health Department

Dr. Haines, Emeritus Scientist, New York State Museum

Dr. Meyer Kattan, Professor of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center

Dr. ph Laquatra, Hazel E Human Ecology Extension, Professor in Family

Policy, College of Human Ecology, Cornell University

Dr. Melius, Administrator, NYS Laborers' Health and Safety Trust Fund.

Dr. Jianshun Zhang, Professor and Director, Energy and Indoor Environmental

Systems, Syracuse University

The first meeting of the Task Force will be on Tuesday, December 4, 2007 from

8:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. in the Boardroom of the New York State Nurse's

Association Headquarters office, 11 Cornell Rd, Latham.

The Toxic Mold Task Force was created in 2005 under Title 11-A of Public

Health Law, Section 1384. The Task Force will be preparing a report to the

governor and the legislature that assesses the current body of knowledge on

toxic mold, provides the status of toxic mold in the state, and assesses the

feasibility of any further actions to be taken by the legislature or state

agencies, as required by the law.