WASHINGTON -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention took too long to correct its 2007 report concluding that residents of FEMA trailers could reduce formaldehyde exposure by the "opening of windows and vents," despite findings by its top toxicologist that the recommendation was "possibly misleading and a threat to public health," according to a House subcommittee report.

Top officials at the Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry, a subagency at the CDC, are scheduled to answer questions about the issue during a hearing today by the House Committee on Science & Technology's Subcommittee on Investigations & Oversight.

Among the key findings in the report by subcommittee staffers:

Chris De Rosa, the toxicologist who concluded that the agency's reassuring findings about possible health problems related to formaldehyde exposure in trailers were flawed, told his superiors of his concerns Feb. 27, 2007, but that a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency warning of his concerns was not sent out until March 17.

-- The FEMA official who received the letter told subcommittee staff that he filed the letter without sharing it with co-workers because he believed everyone at the agency already was aware of the potential health risks.

-- FEMA continued to use the original Agency for Toxic Substances report to justify maintaining the status quo and keeping people in trailers after March 17, 2007, and the agency's top officials "remained silent" and did nothing publicly or privately to correct the record.

-- De Rosa continued to send e-mails to top agency officials, urging them to become more engaged, warning that there is no safe level of formaldehyde exposure. On Sept. 21, 2007, he wrote that the agency was failing to protect the public health on formaldehyde and other issues.

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