In October 1986, the US congress enacted the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA). AHERA requires that all K-12 grade educational system must provide for the inspection of their school facilities for asbestos-containing materials. When asbestos-containing materials are found, the school must develop an asbestos management program to ensure that the facility is free of any potential health hazards that may be related to the presence of asbestos building material.

AHERA Section 763.83 defines the following as school buildings:

1. any structure suitable for use as a classroom, including a school facility such as a laboratory, library, school eating facility, or facility used for the preparation of food;
2. any gymnasium or other facility which is specially designed for athletic or recreational activities for an academic course in physical education; or
3. any other facility used for the instruction or housing of students or for the administration of educational or research programs; and any maintenance, storage, or utility facility, including any hallway, essential to the operation of any facility described in (a), (b), and (c).

Any building which meets the above noted definition of a school building is covered under AHERA and must be inspected for asbestos. If any asbestos containing building material (ACBM) is found during the initial inspection, these buildings must be re-inspected triennially for asbestos. The 1995 AHERA triennial re-inspection must be completed no later than July 9, 1995.

Sisters School District employ the services of a professional asbestos management firm who has completed a study to determine the presence, location, and quantity of asbestos-containing materials in all district facilities.  The facilities have been recently re-inspected in accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines for asbestos-containing materials and this study, as well as all historic data regarding asbestos, is available for your review.