September 11 public health conference agenda, Feb 2002

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document teoos

The EPa has claimed publicly that It does not have the legal authority to do necessary environmental tests and remediation in response to the World Trade Center attacks. This is absurd. How can they make this claim when they

have clearly done residential work throughout toe Country? Why Is New York being treated differently?

I also find iit repugnant that an official at the EPA would deny a public health responsibility when its own mission statement

says that the EPA’s goal is to 'protect human health and to safeguard the natural environment - air, water and land - upon which life depends.

I have also learned that the Federal buildings at 290 Broedway. which houses the EPA. and 26 rederal Plaza, were tested inside and outside for high levels of hazardous materials and, when some were found, the areas were cleaned (Hepa vacuumed) by properly-trained personnel. Some sources have also indicated that even greater dean-up measures were taken.

However, even when the EPA received test results from a study commissioned by the Task Force that indicated serious levels of asbestos and other hazardous materials inside downtown apartments, the EPA, Instead of directing systematic

testing and remediation where contamination was found, instead directed residents to the NYC Department of Health (NYCDOH), Which instructed them to clean asbestos-iaden dust "with wet regs and mops" or "wet brooms' - procedures guaranteed not to remove or prevent asbestos oontemination.

We must esk why is what the EPa eays is good enough for New York residents not good enough for the EPA itself? Either the cleanup measures used at the EPA office were necessary to protect its workers or, the EPA wasted tax-payer dollars

on an unnecessary cleanup. And if such cleenup measures were necessary st the EPA offices, why ere such cleanup

protocols not necessary at many, or all, of downtown's residences and offices?

Today. I have leveled some serious charges at the EPA because I believe I have the moral responsibility to do so. However, I want to make perfectly clear that we still do not know the extent of the presence of hazardous m?*eria!s in some areas downtown. It may or may not be dangerous in.some indoor areas of lower Manhattan - we just don't know. I believe that given that we don't have ail of the facts, we cannot conclude anything. I de know that that we must get the

proper facts and act swiftly and appropriately to get the Job done right.

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