Congressional response to EPA cleanup responsibility, March 2002

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

7 ^|»Gabriel, Edward From: PH Sent: Tuesday? March 26. 2002 3:33 PM To: [email protected] Subject: US Rep Nadler responds to 3/25 EPA Press Release (+ EPA Release)

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE JERROLD NADLER

NEWS RELEASE From New York's Sth Congressional District March 25, 2002 CONTACT: Eric Schmeltzer FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 202-225-5635 U.S. REP. NADLER CRITICIZES EPA'S CONTINUED EVASION OF CLET^NUP RESPONSIBILITY NEW YORK - Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) today rebuked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its continued evasion of its responsibility to act in accordance with laws and policies mandating it to clean up sites contaminated by acts of terrorism and its disregard for the residents of Lower Manhattan. In response to a press release issued today by the agency, Rep. Nadler again called on the EPA to "come clean about its utterly inadequate response and proceed swiftly to clean up both the inside and outside of buildings in Lower Manhattan." The EPA press release announced that New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), with EPA guidance, will remove debris from rooftops and facades. The agencies also announced that they "will work to build on an indoor air study conducted in November and December." When contacted, the EPA did not provide immediate details on how the indoor air study will be expanded. "Once again, the EPA is ignoring indoor areas where people live and work. As for the indoor air study, we have yet to learn the details of what was done in November and December, let alone what will be done today," said Rep. Nadler. "I fail to see why the EPA needs to do a study anyway, when it is clear from the National Contingency Plan and from Presidential Directives that the.EPA has the mandate to coordinate all response efforts taken to remediate hazardous materials, including contamination inside buildings." "I cannot understand why the Administration is letting the plight of the residents of Ground Zero fall on deaf ears," he added.

The National Contingency Plan is authorized by the CERCLA statute (42 use §9604), and provides the framework for EPA's response to the release of hazardous substances, pollutants and contaminants.

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