New York Times article on EPA cleanup plan criticism, 2002

NYC 9/14 Public Porta! Document couple Mee Jointly, thes rgerzcac be bai sy igidet subjected to the rate. Additionally, city employees ent, can’t deduct that income tax from their federal t turns, “It’s like doublé taxation, although they call it a waiver instead of a tax,” said Robert Zink, the political director of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association. ment, “a an re- more in take- not return a call seeking “SOUTE Widen ecstatic’ “i Sri ‘ ; ome pay annually, some union offi- cials estimate, depending on the level of any new tax. A spokesman for the city Finance Department did comment. This is not the first time the waiver system has an Sener peers the sub: Se tn rev hit with the cookin ens, rte? Germans SARA ve ee eu SER oe. mt income said. “We have a coalition of about 24 unions involved in this and we think we have a shot at making it hap- pen,” Gorman said. ~ Congressman Calls EPA Cleanup Plan a Charade By Margaret Ramirez STAFF WRITER . Attacking an apartment cleanup plan in lower Manhattan as a “cha- rade,” Congressman Jerrold Nadler said yesterday the federal government _-is avoiding stringent testing and clean- up measures and using inadequate methods to rid homes of World Trade Center dust. To prove his point, Nadler spoke inside the still dust-filled two-bedroom condo- minium apartment of Ilona Kloupte. Nadler said despite the visible ash and soot on the windowsills and heat- ing system, an Environmental Protec- tion Agency representative designated the apartment for a minimal “scope A” cleanup. In guidelines set by EPA officials | for the massive apartment cleanup plan, scope A cleanup consists of HEPA vacuuming and wet wiping of floors, walls, ceilings, and ledges, In NYC-WTC_00014297; ere ere the second type of clean-up, scope B, in ad- dition to Scope A clean- ing, areas containing bulk dust are sealed off and exhaust fans equipped with HEPA fil- ters are used so that no dust escapes. “This is a public agen- cy responsible for pre, tecting public health,” Nadler said. “By not ag- gressively testing and cleaning these apart- ments, they are putting the health of thousands of New York- ers at risk.” After the Twin Towers collapsed, Kloupte, like hundreds of other resi- dents, said she contacted city, state and federal officials for help cleaning her apartment. Instead, she said she was given a bucket and a mop. fiona Kioupte For three days, she scooped dust out of her apartment. Weeks after, she developed a severe rash on her hands and face that doctors diag- nosed as an allergic reac- tion ‘to chromium. Her doctor ordered her to leave the apartment and she has been living in a shelter since then. “The EPA came to the apartment and said this was household dust,” Kloupte said. She said she lost her job because of post-traumatic stress disorder. “My life has been destroyed. I lost my job. I lost my health. I lost my ~ home,” Kloupte said. Mary Mears, a spokeswoman for the EPA, said the agency continues to stand behind the lower Manhattan apartment cleanup plan and believes that it meets the needs of residents to reduce the low risk of left-over dust. In addition, Mears said the EPA was aware of Kloupte’s situation and of- fered to clean her apartment but Kloupte refused. Since the Sept. 11 at- tacks, the EPA has been harshly criti- cized by lower Manhattan residents and politicians for its response. Initial- ly, the EPA said they were not respon- sible for apartment cleanup. In May, agency officials reversed themselves and announced a massive apartment cleanup plan. Last month, EPA officials released preliminary results of testing and cleanup, saying that the vast majority of apartments had no asbestos contami- nation. Yesterday, Nadler blasted those re- sults, saying the EPA is testing only for asbestos and no other toxins or other heavy metals. ZO0Z ‘12 HIGINSAON ‘AVOSHNHL “AVOSMIN AY we Poet ae ge eet ~& ae neat | . eh ee ee te oe at near 1S cn tS ‘ Paes ome ae oe 7 abe meet eet eh weet ene A cite ET we ep tee Aan cet? ta Menara plete © Ate AE