Union warns of lead and asbestos removal dangers at Fannie Mae HQ redevelopment

A huge inflatable rat and men in hazmat suits greeted drivers on Wisconsin Avenue in front of the former location of Fannie Mae headquarters early Wednesday morning and again Thursday afternoon. The demonstration was organized by the LIUNA Mid-Atlantic Regional Organizing Coalition (MAROC) to call attention to the dangerous and illegal practices of Progress Environmental. Since ground-breaking in December 2018, Progress Environmental has fired two workers for raising safety concerns over lead and asbestos removal. “This response is concerning to workers, businesses, and schools” nearby, the union says. MAROC has filed a complaint against Progress Environmental with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the DC Department of the Environment. They’re also encouraging D.C. residents to call Roadside Development and demand a safer project for workers and surrounding communities. 

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