310 GREENWICH STREET Block: 142 Lot: 25 BIN: 1083239 40 Harrison Street/Independence Plaza

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

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window tracks contain hazardous dust from the trade center dust storm and the P months-long barge operation. Just this month, one 4th floor tenant facing Harrison Street had clumps of dust fly into her apartment when she attempted to open her windows.

At your suggestion, we are contacting the DEP to request a report on the rooftops of all IPN buildings. We are also requesting that DEP work with EPA to develop a coordinated process for the testing and cleaning of our buildings, including the windows, since, if the exteriors of the buildings are cleaned after the interior cleaning of individual apartments and the common areas, the buildings will simply become re- contaminated.

We do not feel that EPA's and DEP's planned method of visual inspection will adequately assess the condition of our buildings. Based on the illnesses that have plagued IPN residents since 9/11 (constant respiratory, sinus, bronchial, skin rashes, eye infections, headaches, etc.), we believe there is a need to do a thorough cleaning of the entire complex, and that the need to clean exteriors must be based on stringent, comprehensive testing, not merely visual inspection.

In regard to the cleaning of ventilation systems, you said that the EPA would request an HVAC specialist to inspect the ventilation systems at IPN as part of the whole-building cleanup. We believe all ventilation systems need to be examined and cleaned or re- cleaned by certified duct cleaners using state-of-the-art technology. Many apartments had some management-ordered cleaning of their bathroom vents but the cleaning was not done in an organized manner, leaving many vents uncleaned, and reports from tenants indicate that the cleaning that was done was far from adequate. In many bathrooms, black soot is still coming in from the vents.

Many tenants at our general tenants' meeting were concerned about mercury and lead, as well as other metals. In our conversation, you said that the EPA would be doing at least 200 wipe sample tests for metals at IPN and if the results showed elevated levels, the scope of the cleanup would be altered to address the situation. You also stated that: EPA would consult with metal specialists. Apartment cleaning would include wet wiping of hard surfaces and HEPA vacuuming, including the cleaning of books and other household items. Clothing would be the responsibility of the tenants.

Our Environmental Committee has requested that we inform you of two additional concerns not included in our last letter: How will the EPA address the cleaning/testing of room air conditioning units? Some tenants have not replaced their units or had them professionally cleaned and, since the units are likely reservoirs of contamination, we feel that they should be

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NYC-WTC 000134678