Committee Holds Hearing on Manufacturers of FEMA's Toxic Trailers
As part of its continuing investigation into the FEMA’s toxic trailers, the Committee held a hearing on July 9, 2008, in 2154 Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing examined the role of four manufacturers who provided trailers with dangerous levels of formaldehyde to victims of the Gulf Cost hurricanes in 2005.
The Committee’s investigation and hearing in 2007 revealed that FEMA failed to adequately respond to reports of problems with the trailers, and the CDC recently announced that flawed manufacturing practices and lax government oversight were key factors in the production of the toxic trailers. A preliminary transcript of this hearing is now available.
The following witnesses testified:
Dr. Michael McGeehin, Director, Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Mr. Jim Shea, Chairman, Gulf Stream Coach, Inc.
Mr. Steve Bennett, President, Pilgrim International, Inc.
Mr. Ronald J. Fenech, President, Keystone RV, Inc.
Mr. Peter Liegl, President and Chief Executive Officer, Forest River, Inc.
Documents and Links
- Majority Staff Analysis: Trailer Manufacturers and Elevated Formaldehyde Levels
- Formaldehyde Level Chart
- Testimony of Jim Shea
- Testimony of Ronald Fenech
- Testimony of Peter Liegl
- Sample Formaldehyde Test Results for Unoccupied FEMA Trailers
- Formaldehyde Test Results for Occupied FEMA Trailers
- Letter from Gulf Stream VP to FEMA Director of Operations
- Internal FEMA E-mail
- Statement by Gulf Stream Coach Regarding FEMA Trailers
- E-mail from Scott Pullin to Dan Shea
- E-mail from Make Heimowitz to Dan Shea and Jim Shea
- Internal Gulf Stream E-mail
- Testimony of Michael McGeehin
- Preliminary Hearing Transcript