Environmental assessment section on physical resources, 2001

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

3.0 EXISTING ENVIRONMENT AND POTENTIAL IMPACTS

3.1 PHYSICAL RESOURCES

This chapter describes the existing conditions for each resource category, including applicable statutes. Resources are described in terms commensurate with potential project impacts. For this reason, some resources are addressed in greater detail than others. This section describes the existing environment in terms of physical, biological, and socio-economic resources and the anticipated direct impacts of the proposed action alternatives. Direct impacts are those that can be attributed to construction of the proposed action alternatives identified in Section 2.0. Impacts associated with the operation of the proposed action alternatives are not anticipated to be significant compared to pre-disaster conditions and are not addressed by this PEA. Only construction-related impacts are addressed below and are anticipated to be similar in nature and scope for each project alternative.

On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, multiple terrorist attacks occurred in the United States. Two hijacked airplanes crashed into the World Trade Center (WTC) in New York City. In the aftermath, the North and South towers of the World Trade Center collapsed, causing massive loss of life and generating approximately 1.6 million cubic yards of debris.

In the aftermath of the attack. Buildings 1,2, and 7 of the WTC collapsed. Buildings 4,5 and 6 of the WTC partially collapsed, as well as Building 3 (i.e., the Marriott World Trade Center Hotel). Other buildings surrounding the WTC Complex, including the #1 Liberty Plaza, the American Express Building, the U.S. Customs House, East River Savings Bank, the NJ Kallikow Financial Center, South Bridge, St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 90 West Wall Street, and Bankers Trust, sustained piajor damage, as did residential, commercial, and public properties in the vicinity. Figure 3-1 identifies building status as at the end of September 2001 and the area of impact to assist with the identification of proposed projects and alternatives. Table 3-1

WTC Disaster Building Status September 2001 Identification s FDNY Sector ^sfe/^SCohditidn^i^sfeK awaowssasR 1 WTC North Tower West Destroyed 2 WTC South Tower Liberty/Church Destroyed 3 WTC Marriott Hotel Liberty Partial Collapse WTC SE Plaza Bldg. 4 (a.k.a. Commodities Church Partial Collapse Exchange) 5 WTC NE Plaza Bldg. Vesey Partial Collapse

3-1

NYC-WTC_000141695