DEP form document, Oct 2001

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Pros: Safe to breathe near WTC By FRANK LOMBARDI OAtiy NEWS S»PF WRITER - A battery of government experts t^tifred yesterday that environmental condi­ tions around the destroyed -■ Wld Trade Center pose no loM-term health risks. 0{ The still-smoldering fires at the site continue to emit . plumes of smoke and dust :,that can irritate the eyes, ’‘ nose and throat Bri they won’t cause long-term ^ health effects, they said. si'i The officials, appearing 3 at a City Council hearing on sfiie environmental impact of the Sept 11 attack, said , : the air qualify is safe based On federal standards Tor as- .bestos, fine particulates. lead, benzene, PCBs and pother dangenus chemicals and substances. “The vast majority of our tests find levels of ttise con­ taminants pose no signifi­ cant long-term health risks to residents, business em- ployees and visitors beyond Ground Zero,” testified Kathleen Callahan, (tepufy regional director of the U.S. Emriromnent&l Protection while some readings at file WTC site sometimes ex­ ceeded federal regulations, they were “snapshots of the levels of certain chemicals associated with burning,” and changed with me weather and other condi­ tions, Callahan said. { She added that the start- dardsoftheEPAandtheOc- and “are set many times below the level at whidi you would ex­ pect health impacts.” f’^iinhnn alTO Said that woricers at the site are ade­ quately protected if they wear respirators. ' Assurances also came from Dr. Jessica Leighton, assistant city health com­ missioner for environmen­ > tal risk assessmentPressed fay Council Speaker Peter Wlldne (D-Queens), who asked if “people are safe at the present level,” Lei^ton said: “As far as the sdence has shown us ri^ now, that is absolutely correct” The assurances failed to satisfy several environmen­ tal advocates, including Joel I&ipferman, executive director of the New York En­ vironmental Law & Justice Project He was dismissive of dty and state environ­ mental agencies and ac­ cused them of withholding r some test results.

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