Asbestos Concerns Prompt Relocation of U.S. Attorney’s Office in Bridgeport, CT

In July 2009, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced plans to relocate the attorneys and staff working in the Brien McMahon Federal Building in Bridgeport, CT after decades of concern about asbestos.

Over the years, concerns were often expressed about suspected asbestos dusts and flakes in the offices, particularly after maintenance work was completed in the offices.  However, since quarterly air testing conducted by the General Services Administration (GSA) had shown readings within the permissible exposure limits as set forth by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), plans to relocate the office stagnated.

The final decision to move the offices came about during a June 2009 meeting with GSA representatives, the U.S. Department of Justice's Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys and the U.S. Attorney's office in Connecticut. As a result of the meeting, the GSA will oversee the search for leased space for the new offices. The process is expected to take 12 to 18 months.

When the building was constructed in 1965, asbestos was used as fireproofing on steel beams, underneath concrete floors and in glue on floor tiles. In 1983, the GSA identified the building as the 14th worst on a 1983 list of 44 buildings with flaking asbestos, and a GSA specialist recommended a floor-by-floor shutdown to remove or encapsulate the asbestos. However, approval for the project, which had been estimated to cost $1.3 million at the time, was never obtained.

Over the years, other remediation projects have been conducted in the building, including the removal of asbestos from the courtroom and office annex. That project, which was completed in 1991, cost $4.2 million to complete.

Even limited exposure to asbestos is known to cause serious illnesses such as mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer or asbestosis.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an asbestos illness, contact our lawyers today for a free review of your case. A Weitz & Luxenberg representative will contact you as soon as possible.