Congressmen call for hearing on houseboat design linked to CO deaths

Scott Thomsen

Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2001 | 9:30 a.m.

PHOENIX - Three Republican congressmen are calling for a hearing to review a popular houseboat hull design that has been linked to carbon monoxide poisonings at Lake Powell on the Arizona-Utah line.

Arizona Reps. Bob Stump and J.D. Hayworth and Colorado Rep. Scott McInnis have written a letter to Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-N.J., who chairs the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure's subcommittee on Coast Guard and maritime transportation asking for the hearing.

"We see this hearing as a valuable opportunity to publicize the issue and the potential danger, especially important as the boating season draws closer, as well as highlight the actions taken by the Coast Guard and responsible houseboat manufacturers to address the design flaw," the congressmen wrote. "Everyone's goal is clearly to address the problem and eliminate preventable deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning."

Late last year, published reports of a study by researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the National Park Service, showed that the hull and swimming platform at the back of many houseboats trap high levels of carbon monoxide created by gasoline-powered electric generators.

People then swim into the odorless, colorless gas and are overcome by the poisonous fumes.

Investigators also are testing carbon monoxide levels of houseboats at Lake Mead on the Nevada-Arizona border.

At least nine people have died and 102 were sickened by carbon monoxide at Lake Powell in the past decade, the researchers found. Of the deaths, seven involved houseboats, all built with the rear exhaust design. The other two involved pleasure boats.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cited the findings in December while calling for a redesign of the boats to reduce the exhaust hazard. And NIOSH released test results from boats at Lake Cumberland in Kentucky showing similar carbon monoxide buildups.