FEMA Rejects Florida Request to Help Chinese Drywall Victims
By Jim Greene
Published on April 18, 2010
A Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regional director has rejected a request by a Florida state official that the agency conduct a preliminary assessment of damage caused to homes in the state by Chinese drywall.
In his letter to David Halstead, Florida's interim emergency management director, Phil May, a FEMA regional manager based in Atlanta, said the issues surrounding Chinese drywall are a matter of consumer product safety. He said the situation does not qualify as an emergency or major disaster and is not appropriate for investigation by his agency.
FEMA Director Urges State to Work with Other Agencies
May encouraged Halstead to continue work already begun by Florida officials with other federal agencies, including the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
In more than 2,800 reports to the CPSC, more than half from Florida, homeowners have blamed corrosive fumes from Chinese drywall for damage to air conditioning system parts, electrical wiring, water pipes and fixtures, appliances, and household items such as flatware and jewelry.
Corrosion damage is blamed on fly ash used in Chinese drywall. Fly ash is a byproduct of burning coal in power plants and contains high concentrations of contaminants present in raw coal, including sulfurous compounds. One of the first reported signs of Chinese drywall contamination is the smell of rotten eggs, caused by sulfur dioxide.
CSPC, HUD Promise Repair Standards, Block Grants
The CPSC and HUD are developing standards for correcting the drywall problems in homes, due out in about two months. HUD officials have said that block grants will be available for repairs, primarily for low- to moderate-income families.
May did not respond to a request by Halstead for financial aid for homeowners from FEMA.
If your home has been damaged by Chinese drywall, contact an experienced defective products attorney. Despite early denials by the makers, distributors, and suppliers of this toxic material, officials have recognized its damaging effects. You may be eligible for financial compensation to help you restore your home and your life.
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