EPA/NYC Approach Draft Plan, May 20, 2002

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

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t ■ t I' EPA/NYC Indoor Air Approach DRAFT SUBJECT TO CHANGE May 20,2002 Overarching Goal; To Develop an Action Plan which contains Near and Longer Term Components. This Action Plan is designed to support NYC residents and worker populations, so they may have confidence and protection regarding any potential significant increased Ihealth risks which might result from the exposure in their indoor environments on a long term basis to potential contaminants from the collapse of the WTC buildings and associated fires. Maintaining this confidence and protection with enable and enhance the economic revitalization of Lower Manhattan on an expedited basis. Near term actions will focus on confirming or refining, if appropriate, clean up techniques, removing remaining debris/dust from the WTC collapse and offering clean up and post clean up sampling to residents.

Program Implementation;

EfA will be the lead agency for overseeing all actions of the program. NYCDEP is collaborating and supporting the program by taking responsibility for issuing and managing contracts for key components of the program and for directly implementing three of the projects: cleaning of unoccupied buildings, cleaning of exteriors of buildings and obtaining HVAC expertise. EPA will directly implement the pilot building cleaning effort and the background study.

Program Components;

A) Near-term: The goal of the near term program is to provide cleaning and sampling to residents of Lower Manhattan upon request, to provide additional indoor air sampling data for asbestos to evaluate qualitatively the effectiveness of clean up techniques, to provide confirmation of infonnation on recommended clean up techniques, and to assure removal of any remaining debris/dust outside of WTC ground zero area which may still remain, thereby eliminating potential for re-entrainment in the air.

Timing ofNear Term Efforts: Activities are underway now to prepare for the EPA hotline becoming operational on May 30. Outreach efforts will begin shortly to advertise the availability of the cleaning and testing program. Duration of all efforts may continue through December depending upon public response.

1. Cleaning of Debris-Laden Unoccupied. Uncleaned Buildings

Program: The remaining unoccupied (residential and commercial), uncleaned buildings near the WTC site that contain WTC-debris will be cleaned. NYC will work with building owners to oetermine reasons that these buildings have not been cleaned yet. If building owners are not able to expeditiously clean their property, NYC will proceed. It is estimated that there are 5-10 of these buildings.

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