HomeMy WebLinkAboutLegislationCity of Miami
Legislation
Resolution
City Hall
3500 Pan American
Drive
Miami, FL 33133
www.miamigov.com
File Number: 15-00699 Final Action Date:
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION URGING THE 114TH UNITED
STATES CONGRESS AND PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMATO PASS LEGISLATION
REQUIRING IMPORTED CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS MEET THE SAME
STANDARDS AS DOMESTIC CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND TO
PROMULGATE RULES FOR IMPORTED AND DOMESTIC CONSTRUCTION
MATERIALS TO ENSURE THEY ARE NOTA HAZARD TO HUMAN HEALTH;
DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO TRANSMITA COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO
THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AS STATED HEREIN.
WHEREAS, beginning in 2001 and coinciding with a large increase in construction activity
nationwide, contractors and builders began purchasing imported drywall for homes and offices to
offset a lack of supply of domestic drywall; and
WHEREAS, said imported drywall, colloquially referred to as "Chinese drywall" due to its place of
manufacture, caused electrical, mechanical, and plumbing failures in homes where it was installed due
to very high amounts of hydrogen sulfide gas emanating out of the product and corroding metal in
which the gas made contact; and
WHEREAS, hydrogen sulfide gas has caused a host of respiratory and other adverse health
effects for those living and working in buildings with this imported drywall; and
WHEREAS, Lumber Liquidators, a leading retailer of laminate and wood flooring in the United
States has been accused of importing laminate flooring containing formaldehyde in such high
concentrations that it exceeds the standard set by the state of California by over twenty (20) times; and
WHEREAS, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission ("CPSC") is currently
investigating this laminate flooring; and
WHEREAS, the construction industry, including renovations and remodeling of buildings, is an
important industry for South Florida and the City of Miami in particular; and
WHEREAS, it is sometimes necessary to use imported construction materials to cover domestic
supply shortfalls; and
WHEREAS, the importation of substandard products creates an uneven playing field for domestic
construction materials suppliers who are held to more rigorous standards; and
WHEREAS, substandard imported construction materials can cause severe adverse health effects
to those working and living in close proximity thereto;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA:
City of Miami Page 1 of 2 File Id: 15-00699 (Version: 1) Printed On: 5/27/2015
File Number: 15-.00699
Section 1..The ..recitals and findings contained in the Preamble to this Resolution are adopted and
incorporated as fully set forth in this Section.
Section 2. The Miami City Commission urges the members of 114th United States Congress and
President Barack Obama to pass legislation requiring that imported construction materials meet the
same safety standards as domestic construction materials and that the Environmental Protection
Agency and / or CPSC promulgate rules to protect consumers from potential adverse health effects
from such materials.
Section 3. The City Clerk is directed to transmit a copy of this Resolution to Senators Bill Nelson
and Marco Rubio, to all the members of Congress, and to President Barack Obama.
Section 4. This Resolution shall becorne effective immediately upon its adoption and signature of
the Mayor,{1} -.
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS:
I_ I.
VIC ORIA M NDEZ
CITY ATTORNEY
Footnotes::
{1} If the Mayor does not sign this Resolution, it shall become effective at the end of ten (10) calendar
days from the date it was passed and adopted. If the Mayor vetoes this Resolution, it shall become
effective immediately upon override of the veto by the City Commission.
City of Miami Page 2 of 2 File Id: 15-00699 (!Version: 1) Printed On: 5/27/2015