WTC site damage assessment map, Sept 21, 2001

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Environmental Impacts

As the main occupation of children over the age of five is attending school, and by virtue of school locations near the World Trade Center site, children attending school in the area will benefit fi-om controls of air-borne particulate matter, noise, and traffic related to the reconstruction efforts. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has developed a program to address the special vulnerability of children and the impacts associated with the traumatic events. Crisis counseling and recovery assistance is incorporated into this program to respond to the disaster-relief needs of children. FEMA has provided funding to Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) and has developed publications that will provide the continuing effort to disseminate knowledge gained fi-om past crisis counseling programs. Two such publications are; Psychological Issues for Children and Families in Disasters and Psychological Issues for Children ar.d Adolescents in Disasters (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 1995 and 2000, respectively). Playgrounds and sand boxes affected by the WTC disaster have been cleaned—all sand was removed fi-om each sand box and replaced as a preventative measure to ensure safety to children.

3.7 SAFETY

3.7.1 Executive Order 12699 Seismic Safety

Seismic hazards pose a serious threat throughout much of the United States. An earthquake in New York City would be considered a low-probability, yet high consequence event. The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) was developed to address this threat and require Federal preparedness and mitigation efforts. On January 5, 1990, the President signed Executive Order 12699, Seismic Safety of Federal and Federally-Assisted or Regulated New Building Construction. Executive Order 12699 specifically states that the order pertains to assistance actions involving new constniction or total building replacement. The Interagency Committee on Seismic Safety (ICSSC), through consensus procedures, is responsible to FEMA for recommending seismic design and construction standards and practices. The ICSSC recommended that compliance with NEHRP provisions be achieved through compliance with the International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO), 1997, Unijcrm Building Code, and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), 1996, Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures (ASCE 7-95).

Environmental Impacts

All construction of new buildings that is eligible under the FEMA public assistance program must use appropriate seismic design and construction standards and practices. All post construction activities will conform to seismic safety regulations and standards in accordance with City building codes and FEMA 368—NEHRP Recommended Provisions for Seismic Regulations for New Buildings and Other Structures, 2000 Edition. Appropriate geotechnical studies and engineering designs will be used to design earthquake resistant facilities to mitigate liquefaction and other seismic hazards to

3-53

NYC-WTC_000141638