FEMA's Response To Allegations Of Suppressed Or Influenced Formaldehyde Reports
Release Date: January 28, 2008
Release Number: FNF-08-009
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) does not condone any actions that would prevent an employee or contractor from expressing an opinion about how FEMA has handled the formaldehyde concerns. The health and safety of residents has been and continues to be our primary concern. FEMA has not and will not attempt to, nor will it condone any effort to, suppress or inappropriately influence any report from the Center for Disease Control's Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) or any report from any agency, including any related to the effects of formaldehyde on residents in its direct housing program.
The initial consultation with ATSDR was intended to determine effective mitigation measures, and did not discuss long-term health impacts. As is noted in the report, "FEMA has not requested ATSDR to evaluate long-term formaldehyde concentrations in trailers or health concerns related to potential exposures." FEMA received the report on that consultation on Feb. 1, 2007. On March 17, FEMA received a letter from a CDC scientist indicating that the February 2007 health consultation was incomplete.
ATSDR released a revised report in October 2007. This revised report supports the initial report in that ventilation of travel trailers was effective in lowering formaldehyde levels. It was revised to include a number of caveats relating to potential health impacts of long term exposure. At the time of the release of this revised report, FEMA was already moving ahead with CDC on more comprehensive testing, including long-term health effects. In addition, FEMA already had begun an aggressive outreach campaign to occupants advising them of potential exposure to formaldehyde and offered those residents an option for immediate relocation to alternative housing.
Secretary Chertoff and Administrator Paulison have each made it clear that the health and safety of residents is FEMA's top priority. Every person who has called FEMA's formaldehyde call centers with concerns has been offered an immediate move to a hotel or motel until alternative housing is located
Last Modified: Monday, 28-Jan-2008 17:59:43