DEP draft press release on building cleaning status

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection’s Commissioner, Christopher O. Ward, today announced that the Exterior Building Cleanup Program (a component of the federal, state and city’s comprehensive Indoor Air Quality Program) has completed cleaning the roof and exteriors of 71 buildings in the downtown area.

The exterior cleanup program is one part of the government’s overall comprehensive program to reassure the public that air quality in lower Manhattan is, and will continue to be, safe. Continuing to gain the public’s confidence in air quality in and around the World Trade Center site is important to the ongoing renewal and future development of the downtown area.

The exterior building cleanup is entirely funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, whose support has been unwavering. Under the program, building owners whose property has been identified by inspectors as having World Trade Center debris are eligible to have the debris removed from their buildings at no cost. To date, over 1,000 buildings have been visually inspected in the downtown area for possible WTC debris. In addition to the 71 buildings already cleaned, 56 buildings are scheduled for cleaning; some of which are already underway.

An additional 60 buildings have been cleaned by building owners privately, outside of the cleanup program. All these buildings have had their cleanup verified by a DEP inspector to ensure that all debris was removed.

The work is being conducted by licensed asbestos contractors, supervised by DEP personnel. Asbestos contractors are being used to ensure that debris removal is done in the most protective manner possible to the public and workers. DEP personnel and their contractors have been working since June 7 to complete the 71 buildings.

The work is being conducted at times which are most convenient for the businesses and residents in the area, and includes weekends and nights.

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