Work underway to remove asbestos at state legislature building
ABOUT ANY SERIOUS INJURIES WITH
THAT CRASH. THANK YOU, BRIAN.
>> THIS IS A LIVE LOOK AT THE
LEGISLATIVE BUILDING IN RALEIGH
WHERE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES
VISIT EVERY DAY. NOW THERE ARE
CONCERNS ABOUT THE AIR. THEY
WOULD BREATHE IN SIGHT. RNC
CAPITAL TEAM OBTAINED THIS
PERMIT SHOWING AS BEST AS WAS
BEING REMOVED LAST MONTH.
BUT NO ONE WAS TOLD ABOUT IT.
OUR CAPITAL BUREAU CHIEF LAURA
LESLIE IS LIVE ON JOAN STREET
AFTER TALKING TO LAWMAKERS WHO
ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE AIR.
THEY BREATHE FLOOR.
>> GERALYN RIGHT HERE OUTSIDE
THE SENATE. YOU KNOW, THIS
BUILDING OPENED IN 1963.
SO ASBESTOS HERE HAS BEEN AN
ONGOING PROBLEM IN THE PAST,
THOUGH, WHEN THEY NEEDED TO
REMOVE THAT CANCER CAUSING
MATERIAL, IT CLOSED OFF ENTIRE
AREAS. THIS TIME THEY JUST TOOK
IT OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
NIGHT. I DIDN'T TELL ANYONE
WHAT THEY WERE DOING WHILE
HUNDREDS OF SCHOOL KIDS AND
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC KEEP
WALKING THESE HALLWAYS.
REPRESENTATIVE MARIA CERVASIO
WAS LEAVING HER OFFICE LATE
ONE NIGHT WHEN SHE FOUND
ASBESTOS SIGNS BLOCKING THE
HALLWAY.
>> AND WORKERS AND HAZMAT SUITS
TAPING A PLASTIC SHEETS.
I KNEW THIS WASN'T QUITE RIGHT
AND WE WEREN'T GETTING ANY
NOTIFICATIONS ON IT. THIS WORK
WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOUR
REAL OBTAINED THE STATE PERMIT
THAT CONFIRMS IT WAS AN
ASBESTOS REMOVAL PROJECT.
CREWS WORKED AT NIGHT AND
CLEARED AWAY EVERYTHING
INCLUDING THE SIGNS BY MORNING.
AND WE HAVE VENTILATION THAT
GOES THROUGH THIS WHOLE
BUILDING.
>> SO WHO KNOWS HOW IT WAS
GOING THROUGH? IF THERE WAS
DISRUPTED? WE'RE PART OF THE
BUILDING ALL THAT.
>> SENATOR GREG MEYER DIDN'T
KNOW ABOUT IT EITHER IN.
>> THAT'S WILLFULLY PUTTING ALL
OF US, INCLUDING THE PUBLIC
THAT COME HERE EVERY DAY AND
A HEALTH HAZARD WITHOUT
NOTIFICATION. THE PERSON IN
CHARGE OF NOTIFYING LAWMAKERS
AND THE PUBLIC WOULD BE
LEGISLATIVE SERVICES. OFFICER
PAUL COBLE.
>> IN AN EMAIL TO SERVE ON E A
COBLE SAID STATE HEALTH
INSPECTORS HAD SIGNED OFF ON
THE PROJECT. THERE IS NO RISK
TO ANYONE IN THE BUILDING AS WE
DO THE WORK HE WROTE COBLE DID
NOT RESPOND TO OUR REPEATED
QUESTIONS OR INTERVIEW
REQUESTS. SENATE LEADER PHIL
BERGER IS ONE OF KABUL'S
BOSSES. BERGER DIDN'T KNOW
ABOUT THE ASBESTOS REMOVAL
EITHER, BUT HE SAYS HE'S NOT
WORRIED ABOUT PUBLIC EXPOSURE.
HE'S CONFIDENT IT'S BEING DONE
SAFELY. I LOOKED INTO IT.
DON'T THINK WAS IT LIKE TO BE
CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING STATE
LAWMAKERS SHOULDN'T HOLD THEM?
STATE AND FEDERAL GUIDELINES
SAY OTHERWISE IT IS BEST
PRACTICE AND A RESPONSABILITY
FOR THE PROPERTY OWNER TO POST
OR NOTIFY EVERYONE THAT
ASBESTOS REMOVAL PROJECT IS
TAKING PLACE SAID STATE HEALTH
DEPARTMENT SPOKESWOMAN SUMMER.
TONY,
NOW THAT PERMIT THAT WE
ACQUIRED FOR THE BEST. BUT AS
BEST AS REMOVAL, CLEARLY STATES
THAT IS REQUIRED TO BE POSTED
DURING THE DURATION OF THE
WORK.
>> I ALSO ASKED COBLE WHERE
THAT WAS POSTED. HE DIDN'T
ANSWER THAT QUESTION EITHER.
I ALSO REACHED OUT TO THE
CONTRACTOR WHO DID THE WORK.