EPA testimony before NY State committee, Nov 2001

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

, Statement of Kathleen Callahan Acting Deputy Regional Administrator U.S. Environmental Page 1 of 4 • *

Region 2 Air Superfund Water Waste Cress-Prog ram Pestiddes Compliance Grants tetivltics Subject Index @ Indicates external links with no implied endorsement. IFull DIsclaimerl Search_____ Speech In the News Info Resources statement of Kathleen Callahan Acting Deputy Regional Administrator U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Contact EPA States, TObes Before the New York City Council Environmental Protection & Caribbean Committee FOIA________ November 1, 2001 Ki s &Teachers Community Good morning Mr. Chairman, and members of the Committee. I welcome this opportunity to join my state and city colleagues in appearing before Conservation you to discuss the ongoing response by the federal Environmental Protection Agency to the tragic events of September 11. Joining me this Health_______ morning is Peter Brandt, Chief for Intergovernmental Affairs and Berry Shore, our State and Local Government Contact. Science On the morning of September 11, EPA responded immediately as events unfolded at the World Trade Center. Our Emergency Response Teams were on the scene that day in lower Manhattan, in Brooklyn, where the smoke plume was moving, and in New Jersey, assessing the possible public health and environmental impacts of the attacks.

Since September 11, EPA and other federal, state and city agencies have taken literally thousands of samples of dust, air, drinking water, stormwater runoff and river sediments in and around the World Trade Center site. We've also sampled at the Fresh Kills landfill, which has been receiving debris from the disaster site; in nearby neighborhoods and in New Jersey.

We've tested for the presence of pollutants such as asbestos, fine particulate matter, lead, volatile organic compounds, dioxin, benzene, metals, PCBs and other chemicals and substances that could pose a threat to the public and workers at the site. Fortunately, the vast majority of our tests find levels of these contaminants that pose no significant long-term health risks to residents, business employees and visitors beyond ground zero. And despite recent press accounts which suggest otherwise, these findings have not changed. In fact, environmental conditions off the site have improved in recent weeks.

While this news may be reassuring to the public, it is important to emphasize that the risks are different for the response workers at the World Trade Center site, who are working long hours in often very smokey and dusty conditions. That is why we have repeatedly said that workers at the site should wear respirators and other protective gear. EPA and other agencies have provided thousands of respirators and other gear to response workers at the site. We have set up washing stations at which workers can wash off and change into clean clothing before going home. Signs directing workers to wear protective gear are posted at our wash

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