The Federal Emergency Management Agency

A federal jury on Thursday rejected a New Orleans family's assertions that the government-issued trailer they lived in after Hurricane Katrina exposed them to dangerous fumes, in the first of several trials that could lead to hundreds of similar claims being resolved. Five men and three women decided that a trailer made by Gulf Stream Coach Inc. and occupied by Alana Alexander and her 12-year-old son, Christopher Cooper, was not "unreasonably dangerous" in its construction. One juror saying the plaintiffs' attorneys never had the "smoking gun" that proved their case. The jury also concluded that Fluor Enterprises Inc., which had a contract to install ... Read Full Story

Federal jurors have reached a verdict in the first trial over claims that government-issued trailers exposed Gulf Coast hurricane victims to potentially hazardous fumes. After eight days of testimony, the jury heard closing arguments Thursday in the case against trailer manufacturer Gulf Stream Coach Inc. and government contractor Fluor Enterprises Inc. The plaintiffs for this first of several trials are New Orleans resident Alana Alexander and her 12-year-old son, Christopher Cooper. They lived in a FEMA trailer for 19 months after Hurricane Katrina damaged their home in August 2005. Alexander's lawyers claim elevated levels of formaldehyde in the family's trailer aggravated Cooper's asthma and ... Read Full Story

Date Published: Friday, October 23rd, 2009 A bill is in the works to place federal limitations on formaldehyde in homes. Industry and environmental groups have backed the proposed bill, according to the Wall Street Journal. Formaldehyde is an invisible gas known to cause cancer, can also cause other illnesses ranging from nosebleeds to chronic bronchitis, and can aggravate asthma. Commonly used in manufactured homes and furniture, formaldehyde can cause respiratory problems and has been classified as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and as a probable carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The International Agency for Research on Cancer ... Read Full Story

Jury selection has begun in the first trial over whether victims of hurricanes Rita and Katrina were exposed to potentially dangerous fumes while living in government-issued trailers. Jurors were being screened Monday for the lawsuit against trailer maker Gulf Stream Coach Inc. The lawsuit was filed by New Orleans resident Alana Alexander and her son, Christopher Cooper. However, the Federal Emergency Management Agency won't be on trial. Judge Kurt Engelhardt ruled last month that a two-year statute of limitations bars Cooper's claims against the government. Lawyers say they plan to appeal that ruling. Hundreds of residents claim FEMA trailers exposed residents to high levels ... Read Full Story

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is being sued again over accusations that it violated the Endangered Species Act by issuing flood insurance without determining whether development would impact imperiled plants and animals. WildEarth Guardians filed a federal lawsuit against the agency in New Mexico on Tuesday. The suit follows similar legal actions in Washington, Oregon, Florida and Arizona. Environmentalists contend FEMA skirted its duties to protect endangered and threatened species and conserve their habitat by issuing insurance polices for development within flood plains. They contend such areas, especially in arid states, are vital to species' survival. WildEarth Guardians want FEMA to consult with federal ... Read Full Story