Dear Tribal Leader, This is to inform you that we have temporarily delayed the scheduling for pick up of manufactured housing units (mobile homes) that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has allocated, through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), to your tribal government through the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Act (P.L. 109-295). Pick ups are delayed while we test the air quality of the units. Based on recent formaldehyde testing conducted and evaluated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), FEMA is taking precautionary safety measures to guide the provision of excess manufactured housing. Prior to selling, excessing, transferring, or donating a manufactured home to any individual or entity, FEMA will have the air quality of the units independently tested to determine formaldehyde levels. FEMA is first testing mobile homes for use in recently declared disasters in Arkansas, Tennessee, Oregon and those Midwest States affected by flooding to provide housing for displaced residents. Barring any new disasters, and as soon as current disaster housing needs are satisfied, FEMA will proceed with testing on mobile homes scheduled for donations. At this time, we expect testing on tribal units to begin in the next 20 days. FEMA will provide the certified results of such testing, as well as a compendium of formaldehyde risk and warning information and additional information about relevant health concerns, to the intended tribal government. All testing will be conducted by qualified third party industrial hygienists trained and experienced in conducting industrial hygiene and/or indoor air quality air sampling. The industrial hygienist will conduct a sample utilizing the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Manual of Analytical Methods 2016. Once your tribal government receives the testing results, three (3) to five (5) business days from testing, you must notify FEMA if you accept or reject the units for transfer. Acceptance/rejection of the units can be made using the “Tribal Release Form,” a copy of which was sent to your office in the initial award letter. (If you do not have a copy of this form, please contact your local HUD office.) Pick ups will be scheduled as units are tested and accepted by the tribal government. If your tribal government would like to reject the units before testing, please submit a signed copy of the “Tribal Release Form”, with rejected units checked, to FEMA by fax at (202) 646-3752, to the attention of the Emergency Housing Unit. FEMA is currently evaluating options for testing units that were previously picked up by tribal governments prior to the suspension. FEMA will be responsible for ensuring that these units are tested or replaced with other tested units. Tribal Leader Page Two If you are one of the tribal governments who have already picked up units, a FEMA representative will contact you to discuss the next steps. One option to consider is that tribal, state, and local governments, and occupants, may independently conduct additional air quality tests on transferred mobile homes. However, these tests would be conducted on a non-reimbursable basis. Please accept our apology for this delay and the suspension of previously established deadlines. I appreciate your understanding that the additional precautionary safety measures are necessary. Should you have any further questions, please contact Elizabeth Kelley, a member of my staff, at (202) 646-3752, or Tribal Liaison Steven Golubic, at (202) 646-4264. Sincerely, Eric Smith Assistant Administrator Logistics Management Directorate Summary and Concurrence Sheet Purpose Section 689k of the Post Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 authorizes the FEMA Administrator to transfer unused housing units to tribal governments if appropriate. 1,000 units were allocated to 114 tribal governments. Of this number, 51 units were picked up by tribes before the hold on transfers was placed in order to test for formaldehyde. This letter notifies tribes of the delay and gives further instructions. Recommendation Approve the language of the letter and forward it to the Office of the Administrator for final approval. Coordination William Gibbons Program Leader Emergency Housing Unit Logistics Management Directorate Approve/date______________________ Disapprove/date _______________________ Modify/date _______________________ Needs discussion/date __________________ Gordon Hackett Chief, Logistics Operations Division Logistics Management Directorate Approve/date______________________ Disapprove/date _______________________ Modify/date _______________________ Needs discussion/date __________________ David Trissell Chief Counsel Office of Chief Counsel Approve/date______________________ Disapprove/date _______________________ Modify/date _______________________ Needs discussion/date __________________ Jonathan Thompson Director, Office of External Affairs Approve/date______________________ Disapprove/date _______________________ Modify/date _______________________ Needs discussion/date __________________ Coordination, Continued Dan Shulman Director Office of Legislative Affairs Approve/date______________________ Disapprove/date _______________________ Modify/date _______________________ Needs discussion/date __________________ Carlos Castillo Assistant Administrator Disaster Assistance Directorate Approve/date______________________ Disapprove/date _______________________ Modify/date _______________________ Needs discussion/date __________________ U.S. Department of Homeland Security Washington, D.C. 20472 www.fema.gov