Waxman: Trailer makers knew of health risk

WASHINGTON, July 9 (UPI) -- The largest manufacturer of trailers used to house hurricane victims ignored the trailers' health risk, the chairman of a U.S. House panel said Wednesday.

"No one was looking out for the interests of the displaced families," Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., said during a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing. "(The Federal Emergency Management Agency) failed to do its job and trailer manufacturers took advantage of the situation."

Gulf Stream Coach Inc. of Nappanee, Ind., received more than $500 million in government contracts for more than 50,000 trailers for the victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, The Indianapolis Star reported. The committee sought internal documents from Gulf Stream and three other travel trailer makers based in Indiana, Pilgrim International Inc., Keystone RV Inc. and Forest River Inc.

Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., the committee's ranking Republican, said "confusion among federal agencies" about the matter created the problem, not the trailer makers.

In prepared testimony, Gulf Stream Chairman Jim Shea said the company tried to voice concerns about formaldehyde to FEMA, but was snubbed.

"Gulf Stream had test results that showed its trailers were a public health threat, and the company never told the families living in its trailers," Waxman said.

The committee said Pilgrim never did testing, and Forest River and Keystone conducted limited testing and found high levels.