Document LpvJ7peyK6B8QEKdOKVnM457X

memorandum TO: Roger Bernstein FROM: Ren lane > /Z&S2.DATE: ------------- June 9, 1986 r;.A .w h \s ' ' fc* - juri 'j. 0 ib&'J c_ 11 - j--. REFERENCE Chicago Hearing to Revise the Building Oode 3\ Hearing Review I attended the June 7 hearing in Chicago held by Mayor Washington's Advisory Oaimission to Revise the Building Oode. While testimony was open to any building code topic, most participants spoke either in favor of or in opposition to a proposed ordinance which would allow the use of plastic pipe in building construction in the city of Chicago. Mayor Washington introduced and supports the ordinance. Fourteen people testified as follows: Support Jack Dillon R&G Sloan Manufacturing Oo. Jim McCarthy local 130 Plunbers Union Glen Pariani R&G Sloan Manufacturing Oo. Patricia Horton Allied lube and Gonduit Oorp. Jack Lancaster Plastic Pipe and Fitting Assn. Ren Murphy Owner/local Plumbing Oo. Jim Houlihan (on behalf of Cantex Industries) Charles Ftorsberg Carlon Dick Home American Society of Sanitation Engineers Steve Pregun Shell Chemical Dr. Robert Hinderer B.F. Goodrich THE SOCIETY OF THE PLASTICS INDUSTRY. INC OCC 3353 Support adoption of national codes and upgrade of current code diaries Ostrander Multi-Family Construction Advisory Oanmittee Robert Rolan National Electrical Manufacturers Assn. John Gooton Registered Professional Engineer Presentations were kept brief because speakers were limited to 5 minutes each. No questions were asked and there was no press coverage of any kind. The proceeding was videotaped and, along with the June 14 hearing, will be broadcast on a local TV station that covers the City Council and related government bodies. The opposition spoke to the following issues: 1. burning plastics emit toscic gases - local 130 Plumbers union; 2. current activity at the federal level, vis-a-vis the National Fire Protection Research foundation Risk Assessment project, will be completed in three years; should withhold any decisions or changes in code until the project is completed - ATCOR;. 3. glue funes fran installation of plastic pipe have caused a lung infection and liver ailment - owner/local plumbing company; 4. serious contamination, permeation, and leaching potential exist with the use of plastic pipe - Anerican Society of sanitation Engineers. Interestingly, ATCOR's remarks were not consistent and counter to the arguments used in New York State; we should secure a copy of the videotape of the hearings. Unfortunately, Nina McClelland of the National Sanitation Foundation was grounded in Detroit and unable to make the hearing. She will, however, make her presentation on June 14. I met briefly with Jim Wise of the Mayor's office and offered SPI's assistance as they see fit. Jim Houlihan, who spoke on behalf of Cantex Industries, is a former state Assemblyman from North Chicago and a lobbyist being retained by CarIon. He is optimistic about the chances of a pro-plastic code change. I am less so. City Council Make-up Mayor Washington has an extremely slim majority on the City Council. There are 25 Republicans and 25 Democrats, with the Mayor having the deciding vote. Last Friday, in a six-hour Council session, the Mayor, after three years of battle, finally gained control of the powerful ccnmittee structure. The committees were pared frcm 37 to 28, with a clear Washington majority on each. And, while sane key committee chairmanships were maintained by sane of his opponents, the duties, budgets and memberships of those ccnmittees were altered to the extent that the chairmen were left with little control. OCC 3354 The rules carmittee, where the plastic pipe ordinance currently rests, is chaired by a Republican; however, the majority of carmittee members support the Mayor. At this point, one of two things will happen to the ordinance: it can be reported out of the carmittee for a full City Council vote or, more likely, it will remain in the Riles Carmittee for 90 days when the Council will vote to call the bill to a floor vote. The ordinance was introduced April 14. Wiile the hearings are pro forma and no one is listening, there will be a political reckoning of nunbers pro and con. Therefore a like amount of support at the June 14 exercise is important; the unions may turn out in greater force at the next hearing as they recognize this political fact, as well. KFI/ndn cc: Lew Freeman Roy Qottesman Julie Archuleta Mike O'Mara Debbie Neale Alan Olson George Siyder Kent Rogers Ron Roberts Richard Brooke OCC 3355