TALLAHASSEE, FL -- Gov. Charlie Crist isn't declaring a state of emergency over the use of Chinese drywall in Florida just yet, but he is asking for federal help to study the controversial building material.
The drywall, imported from China during the building boom of 2002 to 2006, has been blamed for foul odors, corroded copper pipes and wires, and respiratory problems.
On Thursday, U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler, D- Boca Raton, asked Crist to make the emergency declaration for Florida, where thousands of homes may have been impacted by the material, so residents could get funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to obtain safe walls.
Instead, in a letter to Wexler on Friday, Crist said he would push federal agencies to conduct air sample tests to help the state determine if a health advisory is warranted.
Crist also wrote the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention seeking assistance. He said the state health department tested 12 houses in South Florida and found compounds in the drywall that cause corrosion and "could pose a health hazard."
Josh Rogin, a spokesman for Wexler, said today the residents could be closer to getting the help they need.
"We're very happy with the route the governor is taking," he said. "Once he determines the air quality is dangerous for citizens, we hope the next step is a state of emergency."
Parkland Mayor Michael Udine invited Wexler to Parkland to tour some of the affected houses, and Wexler said he will be there Tuesday. "It means getting more information to the residents, which is what they need right now," Udine said.
John Willis, who owns a house in the Banyan Isles section of Parkland, said he is looking for a rental so his family can escape the problems in his house--corroded TV cables and blackened air-conditioning coils.
He said today he is pleased with the governor's response.
"I'm certainly glad to see they are taking this seriously," said Willis. "Whether that leads to anything in the short-term that is helpful to my family, I'm unsure.
He said most families want to move to a safe location, but "they can't do that and pay their mortgages at the same time.... They are without information, stranded in their homes. And they are panicking."
