The Center for School Mold Help

 A Collection of Katrina Mold Information (from media and government sources)

The near biblical impact of the hurricanes of August, September and October, 2005 in the Southern United States has

yielded special needs and thus, special attention from The Center for School Mold Help.

"Since the storm (The Dexter School Gym - see story below) [has] been unsafe and unusable. There's mold on some

of the walls, and the wooden floor is severely buckled. "The foundation under this floor is just dirt," Sumrall says.

Katrina's winds blew the tin roof straight off the athletic facility that also houses a classroom and weight room. Inside,

waterlogged ceiling tiles are sagging and falling to the floor, and the floor tiles are coming up too. " March 31, 2006,

WLBT3 Jackson, MS

These news articles and information have been gathered to provide the best of what is available, to help those trying

to make decisions and return children to schools in these heavily impacted areas. The information within may also

apply to past and future hurricane impacted areas, or mold exposures in general.

The common keys to safety within these documents that apply to remediation, that apply to schools and buildings in

general are:

1. Eliminate the source of moisture and dry the building, using containment if necessary and precautions as advised

by EPA/OSHA. Using the Precautionary Principle, establish a containment for all molds to be removed from schools

and do not conduct work with children or staff present or within an area in current use.

2. Remove and dispose of all porous materials that have become contaminated using EPA and/or OSHA

recommended methods.
DO NOT TAKE POROUS OR ORGANIC-BASED (CELLULOSE-BASED) MATERIALS FROM A CONTAMINATED BUILDING

AND PLACE THEM IN A CLEAN BUILDING. THIS INCLUDES CARDBOARD BOXES, BOOKS AND PAPER SUPPLIES.

3. Get professionals both to advise and conduct the work. Do not have the same (or an affiliated) company do the

pre-and post-testing that does the work, if possible.

4. Decontaminate nonporous materials using EPA or OSHA recommended methods

5. Do not expose people to the mold (use protective equipment and do not allow children or others to be present

during the remediation)

6. Decontaminate the air inside and all surfaces using EPA and/or OSHA recommended practices

7. Determine if the building can be made safe and have it evaluated prior to reoccupation, both by a professional

8. Get help in finding professionals, check their credentials, licenses, and references

9. Note: encapsulation of mold is never mentioned as a solution by the government agencies

10. Protection from exposure to molds and their toxins is extremely important - persons working on mold or entering

a moldy building should use EPA/OSHA recommended protective clothing and masks designed for mold removal.

11. Nonprofessionals conducting mold remediation are not trained and may be harmed or make the problem worse.

12. Do not occupy a building with visible mold inside.

13. Understand that hidden mold is likely to occur in moist, dark spaces such as basements, wall cavities and above

the ceiling. Flooded buildings often have moisture go behind the wall that can start hidden molds growing.

If you know of a particularly helpful document, link or news story, please submit at: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

You may also submit your personal experience to that email address, related to schools impacted by hurricanes,

regarding concerns about school mold, water damage, school mold prevention or problems, with your full name,

contact information including phone number, address, city, state, and school district, school name and location. Your

name will not be revealed without your written permission and personal information is to be provided for our records

only and for verification.
 
 
 Toxic FEMA Trailer Complainant Dies
http://www.wwltv.com/local/stories/wwl071307khabortion.6fabe04e.html 
 Demolish or save? May 07, 2007 
 Fierce Hurricane Season Predicted -Restoration and Environmental Remediation Tips 
 New Orleans Endures the `New Normal' 
 Dexter School In Need, Tylertown, MS school needs gym rebuilt 
 New Orleans educators return to unhealthy schools, New York State United Teachers, March 2, 2006 
 Dr. Shoemaker's Report on St. Bernard Parish, New Orleans, 2/22/06 
 Certain toxins produced by black mold are found by researchers to be capable of killing nerve cells, MSU Press

Release: 2/28/06 
 Dr. Richard Lipsey's Preliminary Report on New Orleans Mold 
 Mold Specialists visit St. Bernard Parish, New Orleans, LA, Feb. 9, 2006 
 Specialists Warn of Mold Dangers, Feb. 11, 2006 
 National Council for Occupational Safety and Health - October 6, 2005 Letter to Congress and the Senate 
 NEA Heads Up Book Donation Drive for Hurricane Stricken Area Schools and Libraries 
 Living on Earth TV Transcript: New Orleans Mold, 11/25/05 
 Katrina Cough: the Health Problems of 9/11 Are Back 
 National Council for Occupational Safety and Health Letter to Congress re: Katrina worker dangers 
 Keeping the Light on Katrina: Katrina Cough 
 Katrina and School Re-openings: An Alert from NewsSlice 
 Hurricane Katrina: A Perfect Storm For Mold Litigation by Alexander Robertson, Esq. 
 OSHA Information for Post-Hurricane Workers 
 OSHA and American Biological Safety Association Molds Information 
 Hurricane Katrina and Flood Restoration and Remediation: Professional Tips 
 Research About Molds (Fungi), Buildings, and Human Health 
 Mold Resource List from California Department of Health 
 Mold in My Home: What Do I Do?, by California Department of Health Services
Updated 2004 
 Media Articles About Hurricane Impacted Schools 
 Katrina Creates Opportunities for Two Segregated Schools 
 
Toxic FEMA Trailer Complainant Dies

wwltv.com, Baton Rouge, LA

Woman who sued over poisons in FEMA trailer dies of lung cancer
01:46 PM CDT on Friday, July 13, 2007
Associated Press

BATON ROUGE -- A woman who claimed in a lawsuit that FEMA trailers exposed their residents to formaldehyde has

died of lung cancer.

Desiree Collins, 47, who had asked the federal court in Baton Rouge to approve her suit as a class action -- not

against the Federal Emergency Management Agency but against companies that sold trailers to FEMA -- died July 2.

She had spent several weeks at Baton Rouge General Medical Center with respiratory problems. Her lung cancer

was diagnosed a week before she died, attorney Justin Woods of New Orleans said Thursday.

Woods said he hasn't determined whether formaldehyde is to blame the cancer, and forensics specialists will test

tissue taken while Collins was alive.

However, lung cancer is typically diagnosed after years, even decades, of growth -- a major reason it is so deadly.

"Because symptoms often do not appear until the disease has progressed, early detection is difficult," the American

Cancer Society says on its Web site. About 60 percent of patients diagnosed with the most common form die within a

year after diagnosis, it says.

Collins, whose family lived at Renaissance Village near Baker, sued Forest River Inc. of Elkhart, Ind., and other

unnamed travel trailer vendors.

Her husband, Earl, and her children now will act as plaintiffs in the case, Woods said. He said that if tests indicate the

lung cancer is connected to formaldehyde exposure, the lawsuit will be changed to include a wrongful death claim.

At issue are 120,000 trailers FEMA supplied to people displaced by hurricanes in 2005.

The lawsuit alleges Collins and thousands of other hurricane victims in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama who lived

in the trailers "have been exposed to dangerously high concentrations of formaldehyde fumes and have had no

choice but to accept their plight."

Formaldehyde is used in a number of materials inside the trailers, including particle board, plywood, glue, curtains,

molded plastic and countertops. It can irritate eyes, nose, throat and skin, according the U.S. Department of Health

and Human Services.

As of May, FEMA had received 140 formaldehyde complaints.

A spokeswoman for River Forest lawyer Jason Bone of New Orleans said he was not available for comment.

In documents filed earlier this week in Baton Rouge federal court, Bone writes that the company's trailers met FEMA

guidelines and complied with state and federal law. "In all material respects, River Forest provided safe and

reasonably efficient housing."

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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  Demolish or save? May 07, 2007

http://blog.nola.com/times-picayune/2007/05/demolish_or_save.html

Demolish or save?

Posted by The Times-Picayune May 07, 2007 6:41PM

Categories: Breaking News

An aggressive city program is designed to rid the landscape of homes deemed 'imminent health threats.' But some

property owners say their homes are salvageable - and they want to save them

By Michelle Krupa
The Times-Picayune

In a tree-shaded corner in the Lower 9th Ward, a red brick house with boarded windows sits ready for demolition,

possibly as soon as this week. At least that's what the homeowner fears.

Iris Gladney, a retired school teacher, closed on her Road Home grant last week, and she wants to use the money to

remodel her one-story home on Lamanche Street. But according to a citation posted on the front door in March and a

notice published last month in the newspaper, New Orleans City Hall has declared the house a tear-down.

STAFF PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGERThe home of Iris Gladney at 1743 Lamanche in the Lower 9th Ward seen

Wednesday May 2, 2007.

Under an ordinance enacted after Hurricane Katrina, the city can demolish or gut a property within 30 business days

of citing it as an "imminent health threat," then place a lien on the tract for the cost of the work.

The law aims to deal swiftly with the city's worst-ravaged properties by sidestepping a multi-tiered appeals process

required by a separate city law -- one that gives owners 120 days to clean, gut and board-up blighted properties, or at

least prove they're working toward that goal. The city created the Good Neighbor Program to enforce the milder rule.

But with officials set to begin demolishing "imminent health threat" sites this week, fair-housing advocates, along

with some property owners whose buildings have been tagged, are crying foul, saying the city is trying to knock

down stable -- albeit badly damaged -- homes.

Critics of the city's plan harbor three main objections: haphazard enforcement of the law, a confusing and

inconsistent notification process and lack of a clear recourse to save condemned properties.

STAFF PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGEREven with half of its brick wall fallen the home to the far left at 1835 Forstall was

not tagged Wednesday May 2, 2007, to be demolished in the citys initial batch of 267 properties to be demolished or

gutted under the "health threat" ordinance. But, 1829 Forstall, right, was cited by the city to be torn down. According

to a housing advocate the house, right, appears to be sound but for a cosmetic post missing on the porch.

Several advocates have threatened to sue City Hall to derail impending tear downs. What's more, they say that in the

past week they have identified more than a dozen sites where homes that the city had tagged for demolition already

have come down, in some cases far in advance of the 30-day waiting period.

Meanwhile, the city's timeline for clearing the properties remains fuzzy.

A city spokesman said in late April that the work would begin sometime this week. But officials have not responded

to an April 26 written request by The Times-Picayune for a list of the properties on deck to be demolished or gutted.

A city spokesman did not respond immediately Monday to the newspaper's questions about several buildings that

housing advocates said were demolished last week.

City Hall in March released a list of 267 properties where inspectors had posted -- or soon would post -- pink citations

alerting residents to the 30-day deadline. Of the stock, 187 properties were slated to be torn down; 80 were scheduled

to be gutted.

The vast majority in both categories were located in the Lower 9th Ward, with the rest scattered across eastern New

Orleans, Gentilly, Lakeview and Central City. Officials said the initial batch represented only about one-quarter of the

1,200 properties it has identified as violating the new law.

Donna Addkison, chief development officer of the city's Office of Planning and Development, wrote in an e-mail

Thursday that as of April 23, the city had identified a total of 592 "health threat" properties, with 352 set for demolition

and 240 slated to be gutted. Seventy-six properties had been abated by the owner of record, she said.

However, despite a written request, the city has yet to provide a list of those addresses, leaving some residents

whose homes have been tagged uncertain about which category they fit in.

"I don't want my house torn down," Gladney, 68, said this week, adding that she doesn't understand why her property

was cited in the first place. "I got a contractor to say that it's not in danger of collapse. I was planning on remodeling

it, and my granddaughter and I were going to live in it.

"It's completely gutted. It's been treated for mold. And I pay a man every month to cut the grass," she said. "Why

would I be applying to the Road Home to rebuild it if I wanted my house torn down?" �

Methods questioned

A central complaint about the "health threat" law is the method of enforcement: While many cited houses in the

Lower 9th Ward clearly cannot be rebuilt, critics of the city's methods say other buildings that bear pink notices seem

salvageable.

The discrepancy has raised questions about how the law is being applied, said Soleil Rodrigue, legal coordinator for

Common Ground Collective, a nonprofit group that offers recovery services.

In many cases, she said, owners want to rebuild, and some even have gotten city building permits, only to find pink

citations on their front doors.

Perhaps most confounding is that some houses that don't appear to pose an overt danger to passers-by are located

near buildings that seem obviously to be in danger of collapse, Rodrigue said.

For instance, a cursory survey last week found that about a block from Gladney's property, the roof of a single

shotgun house had caved into the front room. The home's side walls splayed outward, nearly touching the buildings

on either side.

That house on Caffin Avenue, however, did not display a "health threat" notice, nor was it listed in the register of 267

properties that the city provided in March.

Meanwhile, a mile away, a two-story, wood-frame house rested on the roof of an apparently stable brick home on

Delery Street. The address on the wooden house suggested that it belonged across the street. But it, too, lacked a

pink notice, and it could not be found on the demolition list.

Advocates this week also pointed to the lot at 1736 Tricou St., the former home of a white, one-story bungalow with a

small porch and a picture window in front. The city's database shows that the property was slated to be gutted and

got a pink citation on March 15. But a notice never appeared in the newspaper, a search of Times Picayune records

show. When housing advocates went by the lot last Thursday, the house was gone.

City officials did not respond to questions about the property, including whether it was knocked down under the

"health threat" ordinance.

"I don't understand," Rodrigue said. "Why are these (apparently) structurally sound places being noticed when they

haven't even finished clearing places that are in imminent collapse?

"What's left standing are (buildings) that are dramatically destroyed -- half-collapsed houses, a house on top of a car

-- while structures that could easily be repaired are being (cited to be) demolished," she said. "It's like putting out a

spark on the ground when you have a fire raging behind you."

Responding to questions from The Times-Picayune, Addkison this week explained in the most explicit terms yet some

of the principles inspectors use to enforce the "health threat" law:

-- The structure is substantially damaged and structurally unsound. "Unremediated damages 20 months after the

hurricane will compromise the structural integrity of a building," she said.

-- Poorly constructed structures built to minimum code standards were unable to withstand the effects of Katrina as

well as quality constructed homes.

-- Substantially damaged slab-on-grade homes below the base flood elevation cannot be elevated to meet current

code requirements.

-- Removing an interior wall by gutting could structurally compromise a home, making it a candidate for demolition.

Besides Addkison's comments, however, the standards have not been posted formally for public review, mayoral

spokesman David Robinson-Morris said.

Some owners claim no notice

Beyond enforcement, homeowners and housing advocates have taken issue with how the city is notifying owners

whose properties are cited under the "health threat" law. Under the ordinance, officials must post a citation on the

property, send a copy by regular mail to the owner's last known address and post a notice on the city's Web site and

in the newspaper.

By comparison, City Hall's Good Neighbor Program, which was created to enforce the more tolerant gut-and-secure

law, requires officials to notify delinquent owners by certified mail and to schedule at least one administrative court

hearing for an owner to dispute the citation or show an intention to comply with the law.

"The Constitution requires that some basic things be done, like make real efforts to contact the owner of the building

and offer them an opportunity to contest the decision. Their first program, the Good Neighbor Program, actually was

doing it correctly," said Bill Quigley, a Loyola University law professor who, with other attorneys, has asked Mayor

Ray Nagin to block the demolition of structurally sound 9th Ward homes.

Addkison said properties cited under the "health threat" law traverse an eight-step process that includes initial

inspections by the city and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which foots the bill for demolitions handled

by the Army Corps of Engineers. The corps has done the bulk of demolition and debris-hauling jobs since Katrina.

Though the city's law only requires notification by regular mail, Addkison said property owners cited under the

"health threat" ordinance also should receive a notice of pending demolition from FEMA by certified mail. Under

federal law, the agency also must put each property through reviews for historic preservation and asbestos

abatement, she said.

Those requirements, though not ordained by the city, can amount to a de facto extension of the 30-day period,

meaning the "health threat" ordinance may not be as austere as it seems, Addkison said.

"While the ordinance allows the city to demolish these structures within 30 days, it did not take into account the three

historical review processes that properties condemned for demolition," she said, adding that the boards and

committees that govern the reviews "meet only once per month and those meetings are subject to cancellations."

Beyond policy objections, housing advocates also say that the city's notification process has been confusing at best.

Namely, they point to inconsistent language among the various citations and the fact that none clearly indicates

whether the city intends to gut the property or knock it down.

According to the ordinance, a property can be demolished or gutted a full 30 working days after the city tries to notify

the owner that it is a "serious, imminent and continuing threat to the public health, safety and welfare" because it is

"unremediated, ungutted, open to the public, unsafe, unsanitary or conducive to ill health."

The pink notice posted on houses repeats that language under a bold headline: "Notice of condemnation for public

safety and welfare." The newspaper notice, meanwhile, states that the property is in "imminent danger of collapse

and must be removed."

Moreover, the dates on various notices have not always matched, leaving some homeowners confused about when

the 30-day period ends.

For instance, the notice affixed to Gladney's door listed March 13 as the start of the 30-working day period.

Meanwhile, the property database released by the city showed the home was "approved for demolition" on March

15. It was weeks later, on April 4, that a public notice citing her property first appeared in The Times-Picayune.

As for a letter, Gladney said she never got one. She said the city ought to have her current address: her

granddaughter's house in Marrero. Gladney has lived there -- and has used that address on all important documents

-- since returning from a yearlong stay in Houston after Katrina, she said.

"I know they have my mailing address because I paid the taxes on the house last year. I paid it by check by mail,"

she said. "And they cashed the check."

A review of a handful of other Lower 9th Ward properties shows similar disparities.

City officials did not respond to questions regarding the inconsistent language of the notices and the conflicting

dates. Pointing to the review process in general, Addkison said the city is meeting its obligation to protect property

owners.

"As you can see, the city is taking the necessary steps to ensure that no homeowner's property rights are infringed

upon and the property owner, 19 months after Hurricane Katrina, has been given an ample amount of time to

remediate the current situation of their properties," she said.

In letters to Nagin on April 4 and April 23, attorney Tracie Washington and other housing advocates asked the city to

correct inconsistencies in the "health threat" law and give homeowners "a meaningful opportunity to demonstrate

ongoing efforts to repair their homes."

Unlike the rules of the Good Neighbor Program, the "health threat" ordinance makes no reference to an appeals

process, nor does it set a standard that residents can meet to save their properties from the wrecking ball.

Though the newspaper notice invites property owners to contact the Department of Safety and Permits to contest the

citation, it also states that the city "makes no legal representation that relief will or will not be granted." That has left

some homeowners fretting over whether gutting the house or pruning the lawn -- or any sort of remediation -- could

save the home, Rodrigue said.

Addkison said homeowners indeed have the ability to "rectify the condemnation." They must submit photos to prove

that the homes has been gutted and secured. The city then will scheduled a follow-up inspection to validate claim.

She said residents with questions about their condemnation notice can contact the Bureau of Code Enforcement at

(504) 658-4200 or (504) 658-4300.

Meanwhile, housing advocates in a second letter advised the mayor to create a process for homeowner appeals in

order to "avoid a ... lawsuit." And they asked Nagin to remove five specific properties from the demolition list,

claiming that the houses have been gutted and boarded up and the lawns cut; Gladney's house is one of them.

Rodrigue said the group has gotten no response.

If your home is on the list and you believe it does not meet criteria laid out by the city, please comment in the section

below or contact reporter Michelle Krupa at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or (504) 826-3312.

Click here to see list of properties

Post a comment | View comments (4)

Comments

guynolan says...

SIMPLE SOLUTION:
Have homeowners demonstrate that they will return and rebuild. How? By returning and obtaining gainful

employment.
FEMA should set up two employment agencies: one for returnees and one for permanent evacuees. If the supposed

returnees refuse to register for the local employment, disqualify them from any assistance. If the local aliens refuse,

cut off their free room and board out of town.

Posted on 05/07/07 at 7:35PM

SWORDOFTRUTH says...

First, we have George W. Bush and the United States Army Corps of Engineers devastate the neighborhoods of New

Orleans. Next we have Kathleen Blanco and her yellow brick Road Home Program which has not provided funds to

rebuild New Orleans. Now we have C. Ray Nagin and his demolition program. The Citizens of New Orleans are

expected to accomplish in 19 months what federal, state, and local government have been unable to accomplish in

19 months in regards to levees, Road Home Program, and a comprehensive rebuilding plan for the City of New

Orleans. I guess it is easier to tear down than to build.

Posted on 05/07/07 at 9:09PM

DavidY says...

Talk to the Preservation Resource Center people (prcno.org) and they'll tell you it's almost always less expensive to

repair / rebuild than to tear down and build new. Spend $50K on a 70 year old house and you'll have a nice,

well-built home that can stand for decades to come. Spend $50K to tear down and build new and you'll have a

non-descript box that will never make anyone happy, plus you'll have lots of additional construction waste. Whether

the house stays with the current owner or is turned over to someone else, repair and renovation makes more

economic sense and helps retain the unique architectural character of the city while giving people a place they can

be proud to call home.

Posted on 05/07/07 at 9:45PM

Kennerygirl says...

All I can say is that I WOULD NOT want to be an inspector in NO. The city itself can barely function so this is not to

suprising that they are having trouble keeping up...the extent of the damage in the city is astounding. This would be

hard for any group to keep up with and remember you are still dealing with the government which usually do thing

ass backwards anyway (trust me I worked for the government for 10 years!

Posted on 05/07/07 at 10:02PM

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  Fierce Hurricane Season Predicted -Restoration and Environmental Remediation Tips

April 9, 2007 Fierce Hurricane Season Predicted -Restoration and Environmental Remediation Tips Volume 1 Issue

271
IEQ Review

Fierce Hurricane Season Predicted -Restoration and Environmental Remediation Tips
by Alan L. Wozniak, CIAQP Pure Air Control Services, Inc.

Clearwater, FL- This year's hurricane season will likely be more active than normal, the director of the National

Hurricane Center warned today, one day after a leading researcher forecast a "very active" season. William Gray, a

top hurricane forecaster on Tuesday predicted a ``very active" season this year with at least nine hurricanes, five of

them major hurricanes, and a good chance that one major hurricane will hit the U.S. coast. With the hurricane

season fast approaching, homeowners and building owners need to prepare in advance for what looks like to be an

active hurricane season.

The Restoration and Environmental Remediation Tips provided by Pure Air Control Services and Environmental

Diagnostics Laboratory (EDLab™) is intended assist those living in areas affected by potential hurricanes, flooding

and resulting mold, bacteria, mycotoxins and ubiquitous allergens.

Storm water damage should be dried within 48 hours to prevent mold contamination. However, as was the case with

Katrina, due to the massive damage such rapid restoration and remediation is often impossible.

After a flooding disaster, consumers need to be wary of fly-by-night charlatan/shaman operators seeking to take

advantage of water damage victims.

Pure Air Control Services recommends that consumers use the following minimum guidelines to qualify and quantify

any contractors they hire:

Obtain references from your health department, insurance company, friends and neighbors
Know your contractor (check references)
Check with the Better Business Bureau
Make sure the contractor is licensed, bonded and insured (including professional liability insurances)
Obtain a copy of their license and insurance certificates. Make sure their liability/general liability covers mold.
Hire contractors certified by reputable trade organizations such as AEE, IAQA, IIRC, ASCR, AIHA, NADCA
Differentiate between a “Restoration contractor” and a “Remediation contractor.” Most restoration contractors are

not knowledgeable in environmental remediation techniques and protocols.
Certified contractors should follow a strict code of ethics (ask for a copy of their respective “code of ethics” they plan

to work with)
For mold/bacteria damaged buildings or homes, request a pre-remediation (baseline study) study to determine the

starting point of your concerns
Request a post remedial environmental clearance study. This is essential to assure good indoor air quality (health

and safety) and may be required when you sell your home.
Request that the microbiology laboratory used is accredited by the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA)

Environmental Microbiology Laboratory Accreditation Program (EMLAP). Be careful that the lab of record is

accredited and that the consultant and the remediation firm have not forged laboratory data. Call the laboratory

directly for confirmation if their are any questions. See related article: Fla. Couple Charged with Faking Mold

Remediation Lab Results

Contractors must work according to established industry standards and guidelines, including but not limited to:

- ACGIH Bioaerosols: Assessment and Control
- EPA Mold Remediation for Homeowners
- New York City Department of Health - Guidelines on Assessment and Remediation of Fungi in Indoor Environments
- EPA Mold Remediation for Schools and Commercial Buildings
- IICRC S500 Standard and Reference Guide for Water Damage Restoration, Guide for mold remediation
- NADCA ACR 2005, Assessment, Cleaning and Restoration of HVAC Systems

Resources and Guidelines for Disaster Restoration and Environmental Remediation available at:

- U.S. EPA Mold Remediation for Home owners
- Building Health Check (BHC™) - Mold Remediation Guidelines www.BuildingHealthCheck.com
- Environmental Diagnostics Laboratory (EDLab™) - Mold & Bacteria Bioaerosol Guidelines www.EDLab.org
- Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA): Steps to Take After a Disaster
- Institute of Inspection, Cleaning & Restoration Certification (IICRC)

Find a Water Restoration Service Provider (to remove water and dry out the building):

- Association of Specialists in Cleaning & Restoration (ASCR)
- Institute of Inspection, Cleaning & Restoration Certification (IICRC)

Find an Environmental Remediation/HVAC Service Provider (to perform mold/bacteria contamination clean up):

- National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA)
- American Indoor Air Quality Council (AMIAQ)

Find an Indoor Environmental Inspector (to perform environmental testing, draft specifications and provide clearance

studies):

- Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) - Certified Indoor Air Quality Professionals (CIAQP)
- American Indoor Air Quality Council http://www.amiaq.org/Certified-Members/certified-iaq-consultants.htm
- American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA)

Specific Tips for Homeowners Having Restoration or Environmental Remediation Work:

Compare the amount of the insurance check with the estimate by the restoration and remediation contractors. They

aren’t always the same but should be close to each other for the covered part of the loss.
Ask the remediation contractor to provide a Critical Path Method (CPM) schedule detailing the work schedule, start

and completion dates.
Pay a minimal deposit, 10% (if any)
Pay a portion of the cost at halfway, typically 40%
Confirm quality of materials installed with those specified, inspect and verify satisfactory completion of work before

paying the final 50%
Request a clearance study before final payment
Warning Signs:

Contractor wants 50% deposit plus cost of materials
Contractor offers financing of the deductible or other significant costs
Contractor offers to act as the homeowner’s agent in representing them to FEMA and lists themselves as beneficiaries
Contractor offers to work on behalf of the insurance carrier (without the carrier’s approval)
Contractor emphasizes cost saving over relationship, trust and final warranty of satisfaction
Contractor is not able provide a list of references
Contractor is not capable or able to provide professional environmental clearance for your home
About Pure Air Control Services:
Pure Air Control Services (http://www.pureaircontrols.com) has an in-house microbiology laboratory accredited by

the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), one of only 42 in the U.S. and the first in Florida

(http://www.edlab.org). The firm has over 500 million square feet of building/home diagnostics/remediation

experience in over 10,000 buildings/homes and has analyzed over 100,000 environmental laboratory samples. In

addition, the professional staff has served as expert witnesses in over 100 mold/IAQ-related cases.
Pure Air Control Services is under contract with the General Services Administration (GSA), Contract #GS-10F-0488R,

linking them directly to federal government agencies to provide IAQ consulting, laboratory analysis, as well as HVAC

system cleaning and mold remediation.
The firm has offices in Tampa, FL, Atlanta, GA, West Palm Beach, Fl., Mobile, AL., Houston, TX, Orange, CA. and

Washington, DC, while servicing the entire country.
The firm provides the following indoor environmental services on a national basis:

Building Sciences Evaluation
Building Health Check
Environmental Microbiology Laboratory (AIHA Accredited)
Environmental Project Management/ IEQ Training Courses
IAQ-Screen Test Kits/EvaluAire and EvaluAire Pro
Mold Remediation Services
HVAC System Remediation
Clients of Pure Air Control Services include: General Services Administration (GSA); Johnson Controls; Allstate

Insurance; Carrier Air Conditioning; Siemen's Building Systems; Naval Air Warfare Center, Orlando; Naval Air Station

- King's Bay, Georgia; The Haskell Company; Leon County Government, Tallahassee, Florida; Pinellas County

Government, Clearwater, Florida; Collier County Government, Naples, Florida; Bayfront Medical Center, St. Pete,

Florida; US Army - Ft. Bragg, Kentucky; Naval Station - Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; Montgomery County School District,

Maryland; Citrus County School District, Florida; and many others.

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

For additional information, please contact:

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  New Orleans Endures the `New Normal'

July 15, 2006

THE NATION
New Orleans Endures the `New Normal'
Sure, Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest came back. But everyday life in the city remains shattered.

By Ann M. Simmons, Times Staff Writer

"At the end of the school year, 25 of 128 New Orleans public schools had reopened; and just 12,000 of the city's 60,000

students had returned. By September, 57 schools with space for up to 34,000 students are expected to be open,

although according to school officials, there only will be staff to handle 22,000."

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  Dexter School In Need, Tylertown, MS school needs gym rebuilt
http://www.wlbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=4710664&nav=2CSf

WLBT3
Mississippi
Tylertown, MS
Walthall County 03/31/06
Dexter School In Need

By Cheryl Lasseter
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

"The situation we have here is everyone is so depressed. Coaches depressed, teachers depressed, custodian

depressed, kids are too," says Randy Sumrall, the Athletics Director for Dexter Attendance Center, a K-12 school in

Walthall County.

Seven months after Hurricane Katrina, little has changed in the section of the school where about 70 percent of the

high school students enjoy spending their time: the gymnasium. Since the storm it's been unsafe and unusable.

There's mold on some of the walls, and the wooden floor is severely buckled. "The foundation under this floor is just

dirt," Sumrall says.

Katrina's winds blew the tin roof straight off the athletic facility that also houses a classroom and weight room. Inside,

waterlogged ceiling tiles are sagging and falling to the floor, and the floor tiles are coming up too.

Students are locked out of the dangerous gym area. But because of a dispute over the extent of the damage in this

facility, FEMA has not yet compensated for the damages. During round one of applications, FEMA inspectors

prepared a write-up to replace the building. But that write-up was rejected by FEMA administrators who thought the

building as a whole could be repaired.

Walthall County Superintendent of Schools, Greg Ellzey, rejected that. "It just didn't seem to be a suitable solution to

the problem since there was so much damage," he says. "So we're on the third attempt now to get something done."

Student Ebony Hampton hopes the third time's a charm. She's the school's first female baseball player, playing right

along with the boys during this tough season. "We had to play all our games away. All the traveling got in the way of

some of the students' homework," she says.

Insurance has paid for a new roof on the school's main building. Despite a few lingering problems, the academic

year has been smooth.

But the bottom has fallen out of the gym... literally. "There's not much left to work with except.... starting over,"

Sumrall says.

Superintendent Ellzey hopes to get an answer on his third request for a new gym in the next few weeks.

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  New Orleans educators return to unhealthy schools, New York State United Teachers, March 2, 2006

New Orleans educators return to unhealthy schools

New York State United Teachers, March 2, 2006
Environmental health threats are sounding silent alarms as students and teachers return to schools in New Orleans ,

attempting to reclaim their lives after hurricanes devastated their city last year. "Chronic depression, suicide and just

chronic emotional malaise plague the region," said Darryl Alexander, an occupational health and safety coordinator

for the American Federation of Teachers, who last month returned from Mississippi and New Orleans . "I don't know

how these folks are doing it." Alexander was accompanied by Ellie Engler of the United Federation of Teachers in

New York City to train members on how to deal with mold. The pair also toured McMain High, one of three public

schools that have reopened in New Orleans . (Last month, the United Teachers of New Orleans filed a lawsuit

demanding the school district reopen more schools.) "Health challenges are huge in the Gulf Coast region,"

Alexander said. "Asthmas and allergies probably top the list, but a larger problem is probably mental health."

When teachers returned to work at McMain High, Alexander said, they reported that the school was "filthy." "It is

better now," she said. "However, there is a lot of work to do to make it fully operational." Not all problems were

hurricane-related, she said; some are left over from the neglect that has held down schools in the region. "Also,

workmen are still there in the basement dealing with the flood damage," she said. While reopening the school

begins a return to routine, "Students and staff have great mental health challenges because of all the chaos and

turbulence in their lives," said Alexander. She said the school nurse is still trying to get health records for disparate

students. Asthma, she added, is "rampant in the school." AFT's Health and Safety Program has available fact sheets

with essential information on how to stay protected, along with specific cleaning strategies, in the aftermath of

hurricanes and floods.
Call (800) 238-1133 ext. 5677.
— Liza Frenette
(http://www.nysut.org/newyorkteacher/2005-2006/060302hurricanerelief.html)
____________________________________
NYSUT.org.

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  Dr. Shoemaker's Report on St. Bernard Parish, New Orleans, 2/22/06

Click here to download Dr. Richard Shoemaker's study of New Orleans Residents, 10/22/06
Patients from five separate groups in St. Bernard Parish were screened for possible biotoxin associated illness

2/9/06-2/12/06 using a self-administered history and a non-invasive test of neurotoxicity (visual contrast sensitivity

“VCS”).

-----------

Thursday, February 16, 2006 12:45 PM
Subject: St. Bernard Parish

 
 Nationally known, Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker talks with a patient Thursday aboard the Scotia Prince cruise ship in

Violet, where he is examining St. Bernard residents. Steve Cannizaro Photo, St. Bernard Parish Official Information,

http://www.sbpg.net/

I recently returned from 4 days of testing fireman, homeless adults, homeless children, Parish government employees

and control patients from one of the worst affected of the areas surrounding New Orleans. To think New Orleans is

safe for its citizenry to return is illogical. Having a few square miles of high, dry area in the French Quarter does not

mean NO is ready for re-occupation. The incredible toxin burden these people face is unbelievable.

I have an Excel that summarizes our initial data analysis that I would be happy to attach to an email if someone

would like a copy.
(Note: SMH will obtain and post, shortly.)

We worked in St. Bernard Parish. It comprises 2100 sq miles of previously lush lowland and wetlands; it was covered

by 8-15 feet of salt water for over three weeks. I saw a couple of egrets, a few pelicans, a few daffodils coming up

and a red maple leafing out, but most of the life as anyone would know it is gone.

FEMA and Homeland Security approved my visit before the fact, but after NO Channel 6 and the NO Times Picayune

ran pieces on sickened patients documented at my site, FEMA at first threatened to arrest me and then demanded

that all the physicians on board the Scotia Prince boat (provides safety, shelter, bathroom, showers and three meals

daily for 1000 people) who saw my clinic abandon the boat and go to another. My clinic at the USPHS site was

cancelled. If it weren't for the protection provided by state Homeland Security representative, I don't know where I

would be now.

With over 60% of patients sickened in a catchments area of over 1,000,000 people, which projections of our numbers

predict, one must wonder how many people will go beyond the "magic cut-off" of 6 months of mold illness without

treatment.

The blatant disregard for what we know about mold illness, with a concomitant ongoing occurrence of treatable

illness, like what is also disregarded about other syndromes, like Gulf War and Lyme, remains a national disgrace.

Ritchie C. Shoemaker MD
Pocomoke, MD
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.chronicneurotoxins.com
www.moldwarriors.com

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  Certain toxins produced by black mold are found by researchers to be capable of killing nerve cells, MSU Press

Release: 2/28/06

Click here: Michigan State University Newsroom - MSU researchers say black mold toxins could affect sense of smell

News Release Tuesday, February 28, 2006
MSU researchers say black mold toxins could affect sense of smell

Contact: Jack Harkema, Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, (517) 353-8627, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ; James

Pestka, Food Science and Human Nutrition, (517) 355-8474, Ext. 125, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ; or Tom Oswald, University

Relations, (517) 432-0920, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

2/28/2006

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State University researchers in the Center for Integrative Toxicology have found

that certain toxins produced by black mold, that ubiquitous fungus found everywhere from damp basements to

thousands of buildings in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans and the U.S. Gulf coast, are capable of killing nerve cells,

essential for the sense of smell, that are located in the nasal passages of mice.

The scientific study – the first of its kind to investigate the potential harmful effects of inhaling mold toxins on the

nasal passages – has been released on the prepublication Web site of the scientific journal, “Environmental Health

Perspectives,” at http://www.ehponline.org/docs/2006/8854/abstract.html. It also will be presented by MSU

researchers at the Society of Toxicology annual meeting in San Diego in early March.

“Essentially, this toxin is killing off the cells needed for the sense of smell,” said Jack Harkema, a University

Distinguished Professor of pathobiology and diagnostic investigation and one of the MSU researchers. “This is the

first animal study to really show that a toxin derived from the spores of black mold may cause significant damage in

the nose and the frontal part of the brain involved in olfaction.”

According to the MSU researchers, these toxins found in black mold, also known as Stachybotrys chartarum,

specifically killed olfactory sensory neurons in the nasal airways of exposed mice. These nasal neuronal cells are

known to detect odors and send electrical signals to the parts of the brain that are necessary for the sense of smell,

or olfaction.

In addition, they found that the mice that inhaled these fungal toxins developed rhinitis, inflammation of the nasal

passages. Mild inflammation also was detected in the animals’ olfactory bulbs, the part of the brain directly

connected to the olfactory nerves from the nose. Olfactory bulbs relay the smell signals from the nose to other parts

of the brain that are involved in olfaction.

“The mice used in the study were allowed to sniff a single small dose of the toxin, which is known as satratoxin G,”

said James Pestka, a professor of food science and human nutrition. “The amount of toxin given to the mice would

be close to estimated amounts that a person, without respiratory protection, may inhale when working in a room

heavily contaminated with black mold.”

“In every mouse that received the single dose of satratoxin G,” said Zahidul Islam, a research assistant professor in

Pestka’s laboratory, “there was a large loss of olfactory sensory neurons through a process called programmed cell

death or apoptosis, and all of these same mice also developed secondary inflammation in the nose and olfactory

bulbs of the brain.”

“This is the first report actually showing that olfactory neurons undergo death when exposed to low levels of these

toxins,” Harkema said. “Can we extrapolate to humans? It’s hard to say. But we do know that olfactory cells that line

the airways of mice are similar to those in the human nose.

“Are our noses more or less sensitive to this toxin, and other similar fungal toxins? This is really a crucial question

yet to be answered.We also need to develop better ways of detecting these toxins in the contaminated air of

water-damaged buildings, so that we can protect the public from toxic exposure,” he said.

Exposure to black mold has been linked to another dangerous respiratory disorder called pulmonary hemorrhage. A

number of infants in the Cleveland area who lived in mold-contaminated homes were reported in the mid-1990s to

have developed this lung disorder and some even died as a result of this condition. This bleeding disorder of the

lungs appeared to be caused by something in the air of the infants’ home environments, most likely toxins produced

by Stachybotrys chartarum or similar fungi.

“Also, it has been reported that there are neurological conditions in people who have inhabited mold-contaminated

buildings or homes,” Harkema said. “They’ve claimed to suffer from memory loss or other neurological symptoms. As

we all know, memory can be triggered by what we smell. Our studies in mice suggest that airborne toxins from mold

may damage our ability to smell.”

A recent Institute of Medicine report said “critical gaps” exist in the knowledge of the effects of black mold and its

relationship to what is known as “damp building syndrome.”

“What our laboratory research, and those of others, will do is allow us to better understand the cellular mechanisms

underlying the toxin causing injury in the nose and brain,” Pestka said. “It is crucial, however, that others also

conduct well-designed human epidemiological studies so that we can better determine the overall human health

impact of exposure to airborne toxins from black mold.”

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  Dr. Richard Lipsey's Preliminary Report on New Orleans Mold

This is a preliminary report by toxicologist and world-class expert on building molds, Dr. Richard Lipsey, posted with

permission (Also, please see the article about his visit to New Orleans in our second posting in this category.)

Feb. 11, 2006 I inspected the ship, Scotia Prince, and talked to many of the residents on board the ship Feb 11 and 12,

and saw the preliminary data from Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker's study regarding the health of ship board workers. The

Scotia Prince workers had few if any symptoms and all of the St Bernard Parish residents, who were living on the

Scotia Prince, said they felt better on the ship than when they were walking in the neighborhoods in St Bernard.

They were breathing filtered, safe air on board the Scotia Prince and getting showers and three meals a day.

I was shocked to find out that the Habitat for Humanity volunteers that I toured with, and who were trained by FEMA,

had been told that mold cannot hurt you and you do not need any protective equipment. This was totally wrong and I

gave them the 800 phone number of the lab that could overnight the proper safety equipment to them c/o the Scotia

Prince since none of them had mailing addresses. Highly pathogenic endotoxins from gram negative bacteria were

found earlier by NIOSH scientists and personnel from the Louisiana Dept. of Health and the levels were 20 times

above normal on average. The levels were not only high inside the flooded homes but also in the ambient air in the

neighborhood. Gram negative bacteria all produce endotoxins, similar to mycotoxins used in germ warfare at very

high levels to kill people within minutes, and include Legionella bacteria, Salmonella, E. coli from human sewage,

etc.

I inspected almost every area and neighborhood in St. Bernard Parish on Friday and Saturday and took samples and

I took pictures, which I will send in the next e-mail in a few minutes. Most of the residents doing remediation of their

homes were wearing protective equipment and dragging contaminated debris to the curbside. I inspected many

homes and the stench of rotting materials was in every home and there was significant water damage and high

levels of pathogenic molds and bacteria in every home since the homes had been under water for days and have

been growing mold for months. There were snakes living in some of the homes and marsh grass in most of the

homes and many had marsh grass on top of the roof indicating how deep the water was in those areas of St. Bernard

Parish. None of the homes were safe to occupy or even be inside for any length of time without personal protective

equipment including a HEPA respirator, rubber gloves, goggles and a Tyvek suit.

Most of the homes had extremely high levels, the highest I have ever seen in my 35 years of testing homes for toxic

mold. The levels will be in the tens of millions of spores per gram of dirt on furniture or on wallpaper, etc. and the

most common pathogenic mold appeared to be Stachybotrys, which can produce mycotoxins and is sometimes

called the " black mold ", the most toxic of all toxic molds. It is 10 times more toxic that the most pathogenic of the

Penicillium or Aspergillus molds which also can produce mycotoxins. Stachbotrys is uncommon in contaminated

homes and I rarely find it in even the most sick of the sick buildings. Stachybotrys produces tricothocenes and highly

purified forms were developed by the U.S. Army and never used and have since, probably been destroyed.

Many of the homes must be bulldozed and burned since they cannot be salvaged. The Murphy Oil spill has

contaminated 30 to 40 square blocks of St. Bernard Parish so EPA has declared it a contaminated zone requiring

remediation. None of the Scotia Prince residents should return even to the neighborhoods without proper protective

equipment much less return to their destroyed homes and try to live in them.

Dr. Richard L. Lipsey ( 904 )398-2168 550 Water St, #1230, Jacksonville, FL 32202 Forensic Toxicologist and former

Adjunct Professor, Univ. N. Florida, Div. Continuing Educ., HazMat/OSHA Fla. Comm. College Jax, Institute of Occ.

Safety & Health, Clinical Toxicology Advisory Comm., Florida Poison Info Center, Jax. _www.richardlipsey.com_

(http://www.richardlipsey.com/)

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  Mold Specialists visit St. Bernard Parish, New Orleans, LA, Feb. 9, 2006

Mold Specialists Visit St. Bernard

February 9 , 2006

By: Steve Cannizaro
St. Bernard Parish Official Information: News
http://www.sbpg.net/cannizaro020906.html

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In his short time in St. Bernard Parish, Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker of Pocomoke, Md., a nationally recognized authority on

mold-related illnesses, has already heard about what is called the Katrina Cough, the throat-clearing that some

people have developed which doesn’t seem to go away. He wants to determine if mold is playing any part in it.

Shoemaker, who runs a biotoxin clinic and is the author of the 2004 book, “Mold Warriors,’’ has donated his time to

come to St. Bernard Parish through Sunday to examine patients with respiratory problems to see if there is a mold

illness problem.

The owner of the Scotia Prince cruise ship that is docked at Violet and is home to several hundred St. Bernard

residents displaced by Hurricane Katrina invited Shoemaker to come set up an office on the boat, where he began

seeing patients on Thursday and will continue through Sunday. Parish President Henry “Junior’’ Rodriguez said he

encourages residents to be examined if they are experiencing problems.

Also from Friday through Sunday, a mold toxicologist, Dr. Richard Lipsey of Jacksonville, Fla., head of Lipsey &

Associates, will be in St. Bernard Parish to speak with parish officials about mold problems as well as inspect some

buildings and homes, where samples will be taken, parish officials said.

Shoemaker said Prof. Matthew Hudson, owner of the cruise ship Scotia Prince invited him. “I have been asked to

come here and determine the possibility of mold illness in patients’’ who have been in flooded homes, Shoemaker

said.

He said illness from mold is often misdiagnosed.

“I am a treating physician,’’ he said. “I have seen more than 5,000 people with bio-toxin illnesses.’’ Shoemaker goes

over a patient’s medical history and any current symptoms and also administers a special eye exam.

A schedule has been set up for the doctor to see patients. He will be available in the ship’s infirmary from 8 a.m. to

noon and 1-7 p.m. on Friday, 8 a.m. to noon and 5-9 p.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. to noon on Sunday.

The cruise ship is accessed from a dock in the 6400 block of East St. Bernard Highway in Violet. It is a federal

installation and visitors are subject to all posted rules.

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  Specialists Warn of Mold Dangers, Feb. 11, 2006

Specialists Warn of Mold Dangers
February 11 , 2006
By: Steve Cannizaro

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

Nationally known medical doctor and a mold toxicologist warn of dangers of mold problems in St. Bernard Parish

Toxicologist Dr. Richard Lipsey removes a sample of mold from a home in Meraux on Saturday, Feb. 11. Lipsey was

invited to St. Bernard to determine the toxicological status of soils and samples from homes and buildings. Photo,

Cannizaro.

St. Bernard residents and contract employees working in storm-damaged homes should take extra strong precautions

to protect themselves from dangerous mold because there is evidence pointing to an illness of biological toxins in

patients he has examined in the parish the past few days, a nationally known doctor who is a recognized authority

on mold-related illnesses said Saturday, Feb. 11.

Also, a nationally known toxicologist who arrived in St. Bernard on Friday said samples he took Saturday in

flood-damaged homes seem to show the presence of stachybotrys, the black mold which produces deadly myco

toxins and he too warned that proper equipment is needed when working in possible mold-infested environments.

“I think we can safely say the 200 patients I’ve seen – as a group – show strong evidence of an illness of a

biological toxin,’’ said Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker of Pocomoke, Md., who runs a biotoxin clinic and is author of the

2004 book “Mold Warriors.’’

He can’t say that mold is the source of the problem but further testing, including blood tests, may be needed for

patients, said Shoemaker, who was invited here by Prof. Matthew Hudson, owner of the Scotia Prince cruise ship

docked in the Mississippi River, which is housing and feeding several hundred parish residents.

Inflammation and a cough are some symptoms he has seen, Shoemaker said.

He will make a report to parish authorities, including recommendations to confirm diagnosis and treat patients.

Shoemaker said illness from mold is often misdiagnosed. “I am a treating physician,’’ he said. “I have seen more

than 5,000 people with bio-toxin illnesses.’’ Shoemaker goes over a patient’s medical history and any current

symptoms and also administers a special eye exam

Shoemaker, who is volunteering his services, will continue seeing parish residents Sunday from 8 a.m. to noon

aboard the ship, which can be accessed at a dock in the 6400 block of East St. Bernard Highway at Violet.

Also visiting St. Bernard at the invitation of the cruise ship owner owner is Dr. Richard Lipsey of Jacksonville, Fla.,

who is also volunteering his services.

“Every home I’ve been in I’ve found what appears to be stachybotrys,’’ said Lipsey, who said he is trying to

identify different types of species of mold. He toured the parish and has been talking with parish officials about mold,

as well as taking sample.

Lipsey also said he is concerned that people are working in homes and buildings without proper masks, gloves and

boots to deal with mold problems. He noted that many non-English speaking people have flocked here to work

removing debris and said he wonders if they all have been properly instructed to use the right equipment on the job.

Lipsey said he has seen the effects of numerous hurricanes in his 20 years in F0lorida but hasn’t seen anything

comparable to the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina. “You could put all our (in Florida) hurricanes together and

it can’t equal the devastation I’ve seen in the 9th Ward (of New Orleans) and St. Bernard Parish.’’

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  National Council for Occupational Safety and Health - October 6, 2005 Letter to Congress and the Senate

National Council for Occupational Safety and Health - October 6, 2005 Letter to Congress and the Senate
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thousands of disaster responders, workers, and volunteers in the Gulf Coast areas affected by Hurricane Katrina

remain inadequately protected against exposure to environmental health hazards.

As individuals and organizations in the fields of community, public health and occupational and environmental

health and safety, disaster response, recovery and cleanup, we are greatly concerned. Many of us have been directly

involved in 9/11 rescue, response, and recovery efforts. In the wake of the terrible tragedy of Hurricane Katrina we

urge that the lessons learned in 9/11 response efforts not be ignored in Katrina response operations.

As we came to recognize in the aftermath of 9/11, there is a difference between rescue and recovery. Now, however,

a month after the storm, we are now well into the recovery stage on the Gulf Coast, and therefore EPA and OSHA

should immediately commence enforcement of life-saving workplace and environmental laws and regulations.

Failure to do so puts countless workers and residents at risk of contracting preventable environmental and

occupational diseases. This was our experience in the aftermath of 9/11, when thousands of workers and residents

were unnecessarily exposed to toxic substances after being assured by EPA that the air was safe to breathe. At the

same time, workers were left unprotected by OSHA, which declined to enforce its respiratory protection standard and

other regulations. The illnesses of thousands of New York workers and residents today are in part the result of the

failure of government agencies to enforce environmental and occupational health regulations after 9/11.

Therefore, we are unalterably opposed to the legislative proposal of Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) to allow the

Environmental Protection Agency to temporarily suspend or relax its rules.

The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health is a federation of non-profit organizations around the United

States that advocate for worker safety and health. COSH groups are private, non- profit coalitions of labor unions,

health and technical professionals, and others interested in promoting and advocating for worker health and safety.

Although it is not yet possible to characterize with certainty the toxic nature of the flood waters that cover Louisiana

and Mississippi, what is known is of great concern. The flood waters have been contaminated by 6.7 million gallons

of petroleum as a result of major spills from refineries and with another 1-2 million gallons of gasoline from gas

stations and 300,000 flooded cars. There have been hundreds of smaller oil spills (396 as of Wednesday 9/14). The

flood waters contain elevated levels of sewage, bacteria, lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, arsenic, and

pesticides. Some contaminants, such as benzene, are presumed to be present in such large quantities that the EPA

has not considered it necessary to conduct sampling. The flood waters impacted 31 hazardous waste sites and 446

industrial facilities that reported handling highly dangerous chemicals before the storm. Thousands of damaged

buildings are likely to be contaminated with mold and asbestos. Additionally, to our knowledge, no tests have been

conducted for dioxin which is known to be present at levels of concern in southwest Louisiana.

As the flood waters recede, contaminants that remain have the potential to become airborne when disturbed by

natural causes (wind and other storms) or by cleanup activities, creating an even greater occupational and public

health hazard.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Environmental Protection Agency Joint Taskforce published

on September 17, 2005 an initial Environmental Health Needs and Habitability Assessment. The report provides an

outline of the threats to the health of the public and of the workers who will be involved in cleaning up the areas

impacted by Katrina. These threats are serious and are unprecedented in scope.

The joint report provides a valuable overview. However, it offers no details concerning what needs to be done to

protect workers and residents. That is why we believe that Congress should act on the following recommendations.

We must not repeat the errors of 9/11 today in New Orleans. Response and recovery operations must proceed

expeditiously, but the health and safety of those engaged in such efforts must be protected.

We urge immediate action on the following steps:

1. Presume Contamination Until Proven Otherwise: Given the wide range and toxic nature of contaminants to which

workers, volunteers, and residents may be exposed, it is imperative that work areas be presumed to be contaminated

and that appropriate precautionary measures be implemented until the work environment is demonstrated to be

safe.

2. Implement the National Response Plan=s Worker and Community Environmental Testing and Monitoring

Provisions: The worker and community environmental testing and monitoring provisions of the National Response

Plan must be followed closely. It provides for hazard identification, environmental sampling, personal exposure

monitoring, collecting and managing exposure data, development of site-specific safety plans, immunization and

prophylaxis, and medical surveillance, medical monitoring and psychological support.

3. Enforce all OSHA and EPA Regulations: Environmental and occupational health standards must be strictly

enforced. We are distressed that OSHA has defined its role in Katrina response, as in 9/11, as advisory rather than

enforcement.

4. Assess the Hazards: EPA should conduct comprehensive environmental sampling to characterize the nature and

extent of environmental hazards and NIOSH and OSHA must conduct a comprehensive assessment of the hazards

posed to recovery workers. Hazard assessment should include evaluation of environmental hazards presented by

chemical plants and refineries, hazardous waste sites, in-place building materials, biological agents, and other

potential sources affected by the storm. Environmental monitoring should be ongoing. Sampling results should be

accessible to the public in a timely manner. Toxic materials should be catalogued, evaluated and tested, and any

known or potential releases contained. Failure to act will threaten returning residents and workers and will increase

long- term cleanup costs as toxic substances spread to larger areas.

5. Train and Protect Clean Up Workers: All cleanup workers (public and private sector, paid and unpaid) should

receive the appropriate OSHA-required training and equipment for protection against the hazards to which they may

be exposed. OSHA should specify the minimum training that must be provided to workers engaged in clean-up and

recovery. Training may include that which is required under OSHA’s Hazard Communication, Respiratory Protection,

Personal Protective Equipment, and Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response standards.. Protective

equipment may include respirators and protective clothing and equipment.

6. Provide Appropriate Decontamination for Workers: To protect worker and public health, emphasis must be placed

on regular decontamination of workers and volunteers and of their protective gear, tools, equipment, and vehicles.

Workers and volunteers must be trained in the importance of meticulous personal hygiene in the presence of toxics

and must be provided with appropriate decontamination and sanitary facilities.

7. Provide Medical Surveillance: Provision must be made for early detection and treatment of occupational,

environmental, and psychological illnesses. To ignore the medical needs of potentially exposed workers and

residents is asking them to be guinea pigs in a long-term experiment the consequences of which remain unknown.

All public and private sector rescue, response, and cleanup workers, including volunteers, should be entered into a

centralized database to facilitate medical surveillance.

8. Protect Vulnerable Workers: Special consideration must be given to protection of immigrant and temporary

workers, who reportedly are being recruited in large numbers. In 9/11 response efforts, immigrant and temporary

workers were the workers least likely to be provided with proper training and respiratory protection, and were the

workers least likely to have medical insurance. As a result, they incurred high rates of illness without having access

to medical treatment.

9. Adopt Uniform Re-occupancy Standards:: EPA must work with local governments to ensure that a protective health

and safety standard for re- occupancy applies uniformly to all communities and also is sensitive to the needs of

vulnerable populations. EPA has indicated that it will permit local authorities to determine re-occupancy criteria, but

it is critical to ensure that all re-occupancy occurs according to standards that are adequately protective of public

health.

A cleanup of this magnitude and complexity has never been undertaken. While we support proceeding with the

cleanup and recovery with dispatch, protection of the health of clean-up workers and of the public at large must be

given the highest priority.

Endorsing Organizations; 9/11 Environmental Action; Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now

(ACORN); Atchafalaya Basinkeeper (LA); AFL- CIO; Alliance for Healthy Homes; Amalgamated Transit Union;

American Federation of Government Employees; American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees;

American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees/CSEA, Local 100 ; American Federation of State,

County and Municipal Employees, Local 264; American Federation of Teachers/AFTHealth Care; American Public

Health Association; Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund; Association of Occupational and

Environmental Clinics; Buckeye Environmental Network; Buffalo Musicians Association, Local 92 AFM; Center for

Health Environment and Justice; Center for the Biology of Natural Systems, Queens College, CUNY; Center for

Constitutional Rights; Center for Public Health and Health Policy, University of Connecticut; Change To Win;

Chemical Sensitivity Disorders Association; Church World Service Emergency Response Program; Citizen Action of

Western New York; Citizen's Environmental Coalition; Citizens Leading for Environmental Action and Responsibility

(New Hampshire); Clean Water Action; Coalition for Economic Justice/JWJ-Buffalo; Coalition of Black Trade

Unionists, Buffalo Chapter; Communications Workers of America; Communications Workers of America, District 1;

Community Concerned About NL Industries; Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice; Confined Space

Weblog: News and Commentary on Workplace Health & Safety, Labor and Politics; Deep South Center for

Environmental Justice at Dillard University (New Orleans); Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine,

School of Medicine, University of Connecticut ; East Massachusetts Jobs With Justice; Environmental Community

Action (Atlanta); Environmental Health Fund; Environmental Health Watch; Environmental Justice Resource Center at

Clark Atlanta University; Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (Grace) Public Fund; Government

Accountability Project; Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility; Harriet Hardy Institute; Health Care

Without Harm; Healthy Schools Network; Houston Council on Occupational Safety and Health; Health Professionals

and Allied Employees, American Federation of Teachers; International Brotherhood of Teamsters; International

Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 264; International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 17; International Union of

Painters and Allied Trades, District Council 4; Lasco County Citizens for Human Dignity (Oregon); Latin American

Organization for Immigrants Rights; Learning Disabilities Association of California; Louisiana Environmental Action

Network; Maryland Pesticide Network; Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health; mi casa -

S.T.E.P.S. housing movement; Mississippi Workers' Center for Human Rights; National Center for Environmental

Health Strategies, Inc.; National Council of Churches of Christ, USA; National Council of La Raza; National

Employment Law Project; National Environmental Trust; National Education Association Healthy Schools Caucus;

National Immigration Law Center; National Puerto Rican Coalition; Natural Resources Defense Council; New

Hampshire Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health; New Jersey Work Environment Council; New York City

Central Labor Council; New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health; New York State Council of

Churches; New York Disaster Interfaith Services; New York State Labor-Religion Coalition; New York State Nurses

Association; New York State Public Employees Federation; Next Generation Choices Foundation; North Carolina

Justice Center; Nuclear Age Peace Foundation; Ocean State Action (RI); Office & Professional Employees

International Union, Local 212; OMB Watch; Oregon Center for Environmental Health; Oregon Physicians for Social

Responsibility; Pesticide Action Network North America; Philadelphia Area Project on Occupational Safety and

Health ; Philadelphia Jobs With Justice; Physicians for Social Responsibility; Physicians for Social Responsibility-Los

Angeles; Public Citizen; Public Health Association of New York City (PHANYC); Puerto Rican Legal Defense and

Education Fund; Restaurant Opportunities Center of New York (ROC-NY); Retail, Wholesale and Department Store

Union, UFCW; Rhode Island Committee on Occupational Safety and Health; San Francisco Bay Area Physicians For

Social Responsibility; Sciencecorps; Service Employees International Union; Sierra Club; Society for Occupational

and Environmental Health; Sweatshop Watch; The Council of Churches of the City of New York; The New York

Immigration Coalition; Toledo Area Jobs With Justice; Toxic Action Center; Transport Workers Union, Local 100;

UNITE HERE! Rochester Joint Board, Buffalo District; United American Nurses; United Auto Workers (UAW),

International Union; United Auto Workers (UAW), Region 9; United Auto Workers (UAW), Local 879; United Church of

Christ National Disaster Ministries, Disaster Response Coordinators Network; United Federation of Teachers, American

Federation of Teachers; United Methodist Church NY Annual Conference; United Steelworkers ; United Support &

Memorial For Workplace Fatalities; Vermont Public Interest Research Group; We Act for Environmental Justice, Inc.;

Western New York Area Labor Federation; Western New York Council On Occupational Safety and Health; Work Life

Institute (Houston); WORKSAFE!; World Trade Center Community Labor Coalition ; Young Korean American Service

and Education Center

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  NEA Heads Up Book Donation Drive for Hurricane Stricken Area Schools and Libraries

Feb. 21, 2006, 9:40AM (PRN) NEA Launches New Program to Bring New Books to Public Schools in Need

PRNewswire

NEA's Books Across America to Help Restock
Gulf Coast Public School Libraries
WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Education Association and its partners, The NEA Foundation,

First Book, and The Heart of America Foundation(R), today launched Books Across America -- a nationwide initiative

designed to provide new books to public school libraries and students in need. Starting this month, NEA and its

partners will travel to the Gulf Coast region on a weeklong Reading Relief Tour to deliver new books to more than 40

public school libraries in more than 26 cities impacted by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. The tour will kickoff

February 27 in three cities: Houston, Texas; Mobile, Alabama; and Jackson, Mississippi. The tour will culminate in

New Orleans with Read Across America Day on March 2, the birthday of beloved children's author Theodor Geisel

(Dr. Seuss).

"Books Across America addresses a critical issue: Gulf Coast public school libraries are still in desperate need of new

books and supplies, six months after the devastating hurricanes," said NEA President Reg Weaver. "Bringing books

back to these schools and students who have lost so much is a top priority for NEA. We are engaging our 2.7 million

members and people nationwide to do everything they can to restock the shelves of public school libraries and

classrooms in the Gulf Coast."

During the Reading Relief Tour, a host of celebrities, athletes and notable public figures, as well as NEA members,

will participate in reading events and help deliver new books and money to public school libraries and their

students. The tour, part of a yearlong effort to bring books to the Gulf Coast, will visit more than 26 cities, including:

Baton Rouge, LA; Beaumont, TX; Biloxi, MS; Chalmette, LA; Galveston, TX; Gulfport, MS; Lafayette, LA; and Lake

Charles, LA.

First Book is providing every child in each school visited with a new book, while The Heart of America Foundation(R)

is donating new library books for all the schools involved in the Reading Relief Tour. In addition, The Heart of

America Foundation(R) will be pairing up NEA member schools in other parts of the country with Gulf Coast public

schools to help provide them with new books. NEA member schools will achieve this through organizing book drives

and coordinating fundraisers throughout the year.

"NEA members dedicate their lives to inspiring children to become readers and lifelong learners. Over the last

several months, First Book has seen firsthand the impact of providing millions of new books to children whose lives

were so disrupted by the hurricanes," said Kyle Zimmer, president of First Book. "We are a proud partner of Books

Across America and are committed to continuing to provide millions more books to the schools, libraries and to

children who need our help the most."

Books Across America's efforts to restock Gulf Coast public school libraries will continue beyond the Reading Relief

Tour. Nearly 45 million individuals nationwide are expected to join the program this year by donating money and

new books, fundraising, organizing book drives and volunteering their time to deliver books.

Books Across America's partners are offering a number of ways individuals can help out, including the following:

The NEA Foundation is collecting monetary contributions to provide directly to public schools so they can replenish

their materials.
Through First Book, individuals can buy specific books for children to read at home. First Book is also offering several

opportunities for volunteers to help get even more books into the hands of children.
The Heart of America Foundation(R) is spearheading book drives to get books to public school libraries and

classrooms. They are also providing information to volunteers on how to organize their own drives.
"The Heart of America Foundation(R) is delighted to join NEA's Books Across America project to help rebuild school,

classroom and home libraries in the Gulf Coast area affected by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma," said Angie

Halamandaris, president of The Heart of America Foundation(R). "The program offers help to students and schools

affected by the hurricanes, and provides opportunities for educators, students, parents and others to give aid where

it's needed most -- to the hurricanes' youngest victims."

Gulf Coast public school libraries suffered tremendous devastation and destruction. Nearly six months following the

hurricanes, many library shelves still remain empty. Statistics from the American Library Association are startling:

In Louisiana more than 150 school libraries were damaged and/or destroyed. New Orleans Parish alone lost 63

percent of its 126 schools. Mississippi lost 43 school libraries. Mississippi's Department of Education estimates it will

cost more than $32 million to replace libraries and media centers. It will take approximately $6.1 million to replace

media materials including periodicals, trade books and supplies.
Texas library facilities from Beaumont to Orange to Silsbee took a beating. Alabama lost not only about 14,000

valuable books, but the historic Mose Hudson Tapia Public Library in Bayou La Batre. The 73-year-old log building

took on about six feet of water. Black mold took over once the water receded. Books Across America is NEA's second

action aimed at providing hurricane relief. In September 2005, immediately following Hurricane Katrina, the

Association set up a Hurricane Relief Fund for students, teachers and school employees affected by the hurricane. In

addition, NEA provided $500,000 in direct aid, set up a toll-free helpline for Gulf Coast school employees and created

the NEA Adopt a School Program to match donors with schools and classrooms in need of assistance.

For more information about NEA's Books Across America, visit http://www.nea.org/booksacross.

About The NEA Foundation The NEA Foundation inspires public education employees to ensure that all students

succeed. Created in 1969 by the National Education Association, The NEA Foundation gives grants and awards to

public school teachers, education support professionals and/or faculty and staff in institutions of higher education

with the goal of improving public education. Every year, each of the 2.7 million members of NEA contributes $1 in

addition to their dues to support the foundation's activities. In addition to member contributions, the foundation is

supported by generous gifts from corporations, philanthropic organizations and individuals. To learn more about The

NEA Foundation and its contributions to public education, visit http://www.neafoundation.org.

About First Book
First Book is a national nonprofit organization that gives children from low-income families the opportunity to read

and own their first new books. In neighborhoods across the country, First Book Advisory Boards unite leaders from all

sectors of the community to identify the most effective communitybased literacy programs reaching children living at

or below the poverty line and provide them with First Book grants of free books and educational materials. The First

Book National Book Bank, a subsidiary program of First Book, is the first centralized system that enables publishers to

donate books and educational materials online to reach millions of children who need them the most. First Book has

distributed more than 40 million new books to children in need in hundreds of communities nationwide. To learn

more about First Book, please visit http://www.firstbook.org.

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  Living on Earth TV Transcript: New Orleans Mold, 11/25/05

Living on Earth

New Orleans Mold

Living on Earth is an independent media program and relies entirely on contributions from listeners and institutions

supporting public service. Please donate now to preserve an independent environmental voice.

Air Date: Week of November 25, 2005

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, mold spore levels in many parts of New Orleans are two to four

times normal levels. Despite government safety warnings, residents are being allowed back into parts of the city with

unsafe mold contamination counts. Many locals are complaining of runny noses, sore throats and a persistent cough.

Host Steve Curwood talks with Dr. Gina Solomon, senior scientist for NRDC, which conducted independent mold

measurements, and Dr. Dick Jackson, former head of the Center for Environmental Health at the Centers for Disease

Control.

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  Katrina Cough: the Health Problems of 9/11 Are Back

Note from SMH: This article highlights the failings of the US government, once again, to adequately warn citizens

working in the hurricane stricken regions of the Gulf Coast to protect themselves from harmful pollutants and toxic

substances, including indoor and outdoor molds in those areas. The push to attract people back to the area seems to

be the priority, rather than the protection of the population from harm. People returning to these areas and

especially children, are at risk of developing long-term, chronic health conditions that can impact the rest of their

lives. SMH urges the utmost caution in working in and around molds, in particular. Without the correct equipment

and methods, one is at grave risk. Children should be kept completely away from mold.

----------------------------
The following was taken from NewsSlice, an online news service operated by Healthy Schools Network, Inc. to

promote healthier students, personnel, school facilities, and communities-- topics at the intersection of health,

environment, building sciences, and education.

To subscribe to NewsSlice, go to
http://www.healthyschools.org/newsslice.html and complete the subscription form.

Katrina Cough: the Health Problems of 9/11 Are Back.

By Amanda Schaffer
Slate
Nov. 15, 2005, at 12:54 PM ET
http://www.slate.com/id/2130421/fr/rss/

People returning to New Orleans and other flood-ravaged areas have recently come down with a constellation of

symptoms-coughs, sore throats, runny noses, and respiratory trouble-that has earned itself a name. The ailment is

called Katrina cough, and local doctors say it is widespread. They attribute it mainly to the mold and contaminated

dust left behind by the floodwaters that have been stirred up by cleanup and demolition work.

Shortly after Katrina hit, doctors worried aloud about the potential for a devastating outbreak-of cholera, say, or

typhoid fever. When these worst-case scenarios didn't come to pass, public health officials breathed a sigh of relief

and moved on to other priorities. Katrina cough isn't necessarily dramatic, and some experts have dismissed it as

minor. But it can be serious for people with asthma, respiratory illness, or compromised immune systems. As we

should have learned from the aftermath of 9/11, early symptoms like coughs can auger chronic health problems

among people who aren't protected from ongoing hazards. If Katrina cough follows the 9/11 pattern, more people are

likely to become sick months or years from now-unless we start doing more to protect them.

Following 9/11, the EPA and OSHA failed to safeguard nearby residents and workers at Ground Zero from

unnecessary exposures to asbestos, lead, glass fibers, concrete dust, and other toxins. The damage was caused not

by a few days of rescue work, but by weeks and months of cleaning up the site or living nearby. The EPA offered

assurances that the air outside of Ground Zero was safe to breathe-even though, as the agency's inspector general

found in 2003, the agency "did not have sufficient data and analyses to make such a blanket statement." The EPA

also caved to pressure from the White House Council on Environmental Quality "to add reassuring statements and

delete cautionary ones" from its public announcements about the disaster. And in overseeing work at Ground Zero,

OSHA decided not to enforce workplace health rules as it regularly would have, but instead acted primarily as an

"adviser" to employers. As a result, the agency did not ensure that workers wore proper protective gear, especially

respirators, though the equipment was widely available on the site. (For more on respirators and Ground Zero click

here.)

The aftermath of Katrina differs from 9/11 in the specific toxins that have been unleashed. But so far, the failure of

governmental agencies to protect people against long-term health risks is eerily reminiscent. Once again, activists

contend, the EPA is downplaying risks faced by returning residents-this time from petroleum products, arsenic, lead,

mercury, bacteria, and rampant mold. The agency has distributed flyers and made public service announcements

about the potential hazards of mold, asbestos, lead, carbon monoxide, and other toxins. But virtually everyone I

spoke with said that these materials either are not reaching people or are not helpful. Wilma Subra, a Louisiana

chemist and environmental consultant who is a former MacArthur fellow, says that the agency has dodged the key

question: who should return to areas touched by the hurricane and when.

More than 16 percent of New Orleans children suffered from asthma, for example, according to the American Lung

Association. They are at particularly high risk in mold-infested houses. But the EPA has declined to tell these

children's parents to keep them away until the cleanup has significantly progressed. Meanwhile, just as it did at

Ground Zero, OSHA has decided to advise contractors and other employers rather than to enforce standards. (An

OSHA spokesman said that enforcement would begin at a particular site if there was a fatality or a specific complaint

there.)

Meanwhile, people fixing their own homes may find it difficult to follow the safety directives that the government has

in fact issued, because they can't find protective equipment like respirators. Web sites like this one from the CDC note

that anyone working inside of a building that's been soaked in floodwater should wear a respirator. But in the New

Orleans area and possibly elsewhere, stores like Home Depot have mostly run out of the needed model, called an

N95, which filters about 95 percent of particulate matter and costs about $18 for a box of 20. So says Johanna

Congleton, the Louisiana director of Physicians for Social Responsibility, who adds that the doctors in her group have

seen people cleaning their homes while wearing painter's masks-which can actually trap particulate matter and

make breathing problems worse.

Also troubling is the lack of protection for recovery workers hired by contractors. Subra says the workers she has

seen have no respiratory gear. Contractors are reportedly hiring the workers, many of them Latino immigrants, in

nearby cities like Houston. "I know men who have gotten so sick with diarrhea, skin inflammations and breathing

problems they can't work. . The contractors just hire more," said Juan Alvarez, director of the Latin American

Organization for Immigrant Rights in Houston, in a letter sent to Congress by the New York Committee for

Occupational Safety and Health and other groups.

It's not too late for the federal government to do better. If the EPA made a push for respirators, stores like Home

Depot and Wal-Mart would probably restock N95s because they'd know people would buy them. OSHA could use its

enormous influence over manufacturers. And OSHA needs to establish some means of enforcement to make

employers take responsibility for the health of their workers; the ad hoc advisory playbook that the agency adopted

after 9/11 is not a good model.

At the moment, however, the government is poised to take steps in the wrong direction. Bills pending in the Senate

would relieve governmental contractors of liability for damage to property or people (including in cases of

negligence), or would allow for temporary suspension of environmental rules against polluting air and water. And

the EPA has approved a proposal by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality that would allow for the

burning of construction debris in four New Orleans parishes. The incineration is supposed to use smoke-reducing

technology, but environmental advocates are still worried about the release of toxins into the air.

Four years after 9/11, the high costs of loosening public health rules after a disaster are evident. Thousands of people

who worked at Ground Zero or lived in lower Manhattan are still sick with respiratory problems and other illnesses

because of the contaminants they were exposed to. Some do not respond to standard medications and can't work.

And the total price exacted by the toxins is still unknown: It won't be clear for many years whether cancer rates are

higher for the 9/11 and Katrina coughers.

Amanda Schaffer is a frequent contributor to Slate.

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  National Council for Occupational Safety and Health Letter to Congress re: Katrina worker dangers

Hundreds of the nation’s leading organizations and experts call on Congress for immediate action to protect Gulf

Coast cleanup workers from serious health hazards

The letter reproduced below -- endorsed by 126 organizations and 104 individuals -- was sent to every Member of

Congress on October 6, 2005. For a press released that was issued when the letter was made public, click here.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Click National Council for Occupational Safety and Health to read letter and activate links

c/o New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH)
275 Seventh Avenue, 8th floor
New York, New York
212-627-3900

October 6, 2005

Dear Member of the House of Representatives and Senator:

Thousands of disaster responders, workers, and volunteers in the Gulf Coast areas affected by Hurricane Katrina

remain inadequately protected against exposure to environmental health hazards.

As individuals and organizations in the fields of community, public health and occupational and environmental

health and safety, disaster response, recovery and cleanup, we are greatly concerned. Many of us have been directly

involved in 9/11 rescue, response, and recovery efforts. In the wake of the terrible tragedy of Hurricane Katrina we

urge that the lessons learned in 9/11 response efforts not be ignored in Katrina response operations.

As we came to recognize in the aftermath of 9/11, there is a difference between rescue and recovery. Now, however,

a month after the storm, we are now well into the recovery stage on the Gulf Coast, and therefore EPA and OSHA

should immediately commence enforcement of life-saving workplace and environmental laws and regulations.

Failure to do so puts countless workers and residents at risk of contracting preventable environmental and

occupational diseases. This was our experience in the aftermath of 9/11, when thousands of workers and residents

were unnecessarily exposed to toxic substances a