EPA press release on WTC cleaning hotline launch, June 2002

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

^U.S. Environmental Protection Agency * Region 2 New Jersey, New York. Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands 290 Broadway - New York. New York 10007-1866 r P __ JL _ _______ www.epa.sov/reelon2

Contact: Maiy Mears 212-637-3669

EPA LAUNCHES LOWER MANHATTAN CLEANING HOTLINE

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(#02053) New York, New York - Starting today, lower Manhattan residents can request cleaning and/or testing oftheir homes from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by logging on to the Agency’s World Trade Center Web page at www.epa.gov/wtc or by calling the EPA hotline at 1-877-796-5471. The launch ofthe hotline and Web site marks the startup ofthe comprehensive multi-agency program that was announced in May to ensure that apartments impacted by the collapse ofthe World Trade Center have been properly cleaned. EPA and its federal, state and city partners are collaborating in this unprecedented effort to provide assurances that people are not being exposed to pollutants related to the World Trade Center collapse at levels that might pose long tenn health risks.

The cleaning and testing services will be available to lower Manhattan residents who live south of Canal, Allen and Pike Streets. The hotline will be staffed to take cleaning and testing requests between 10 a,m. and 8 p.m., Monday through Friday and between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday for about three months starting June 3"“.

When residents call to register for either cleaning or testing, they will be asked basic questions including how many room’ in their home, how dusty it was following 9/11, how it was cleaned, and iftests were done. Onoe registered, residents will be given a oonfinnation number and a privacy code. They can use this number and code to track - on either the Web or throu^ the hotline - the status oftheir cleanup and/or testing and to check test results once the cleanup and testing are completed. £PA will make every effort coordinate cleanup requests ifthey come from the same building and the Agency encourages tenant associations to work to coordinate residents' requests.

The hotline will have English, Spanish and Chinese-speaking representatives. Operators will be equipped to answer basic questions on the cleanup program and EPA monitoring activities. £PA will meet on an on-going basis with residents and tenant organizations, community and other interested groups to discuss the program. EPA is advertizing the hotline using a combination of direct mailings, flyers and posters, and media outreach

“I encourage residents of lower Manhattan to take advantage of our cleaning and testing program,”

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