DEP letter on joint environmental sampling in Lower Manhattan, Oct

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Appendix O Page 1 of 2

New York City DEP Building Owner instructions

Department of Environmental Protection Executive Offices 59-17 Junction Boulevard-19th floor Corona. New York 11368-5107 www.ityc.gov/dq> Joe] A. Miele Sr., P.E., Commissioner ^etiriork:^ (718) 595-6565 Tax «: (718) 595-.) 525 E-mail: [email protected]

October 25.2001 Dear Residents of Lower Manhattan:

Since September 11*, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). NYC Department of Environmental Protection (U£P), HYC Department of Health (DOH), and the Occupationa/ Safety and Health Administration (OSH.\}, have been taking samples of the air, dust, water, river sediments and drinking water and analyzing them for the presence of pollutants. The samples are evaluated against a variety of benchmarks, standards and guidelines established to protect public health under various conditions. These agencies consider the amount of time a person is exposed to a particular pollutant and where—a school, workplace or home—m creating these criteria.

The following is a description of some of the benchmarks, standards and guidelines these agencies are using to evaluate environmental conditions m the-aftermath of the World Trade Center disaster

jljcbextos in Ute Air / in Ooe/i Spaces

EPA (s requiring the strictest protective standard under AHERA, the .'Vsbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act, for asbestos in outdoor and indoor areas. (This standard is used to determine whether children may reenter a school building after asbestos has been removed or abated.) To be as protective as possible, EPA, together with NYCDEP and all the other health and environmental agencies, are requiring school reentry standards in tests around the World Trade Center site. NYCDEP, USEPA, and NYC Department of Sanitation worked to perform cleanups of all dust in exterior areas with HEPA vacuums and wetwashing. NYCDEP and EPA have both conducted tests in exterior spaces and all exterior areas of Lower Manhattan that were closed passed theicstrlct protective standards before being opened again to the public.

Axbcxtos in Dust in Suiltiintfs

if a substance contains more than 1% asbestos, it is considered to be an *’asbosio.s-conlaining nuiicrial.'* There are Federal, State, and C‘;ty regulations in place to ensure the proper handling and disposal of asbe-'Uih-eimuiininj material. If a substance contains 1% or luss asbestos, these regulatiuns «lii nut apply.___ _____

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