Law Department notice on WTC document preservation, Oct 2001

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document in summary, EPA’s initial role in support of New York city and State officials in no way created additional heakh risk to workers at residents. In fact, EPA and other federal, state and city agencies responded to the best of their abilities to reduce potential risk as quickly aad as reasonably as possible. EPA generally agrees with the recommendations concerning coordination with the Department of Hometand Security and other federal See Appendix R agencies, and that the topic of roles and responsibilities for all fevels of government 44 regarding potential contamination of indeor spaces should be further explored. The Agency further agrees that consideration should be given to possible identification of sampling methods, benchmarks, circumstances where poverument-assisted cleanups are eppropriate, funding support and comunnnications. CHAPTER 4 ASBESTOS EMISSION CONTROL WORK PRACTICES INCONSISTENT Report Conclusion/Recommendation: « Conclusion: “Altthengh many steps were taken to reduce asbestos emissions Som the WTC site, problems were encountered in filly implementing the applicable NESHAP requirements for emergency situations, such 3s ensuring that trucks transporting debris were adequately wetted down before leaving the WTC site. Further, the placement of WTC debris, untoading and transfer operation near schools and residences compounded the potential impact of not implementing normally required NESHAP requirementa. Given the fikelihesd that macy buildings across the country may contain asbestos, EPA arid State and tocal agencies need to establish improved monitoring and oversight procedures for ensuring appropriste NESHAP work practices are followed in responding to situations that cause widespread damage.” * Recotameudation: The EPA Administrator censure that EPA Regional and Headquarters personne? are aware of the “Guidelines for Catastrophic Emergency Situations Involving Asbestos,” inchiding its application in me event of future terrorist attacks or other disasters. EPA develop specific monitoring, seporting and oversight procechues for charms that foderal, State, snd local responders follow the appropriate asbestos NESHAP wotk practices, inchrding initiating enforcement actians whan EPA observes viotations of NESHAP work practices. EPA Response: in the immediate aftermath of WTC collapse and fires, “ensuring” compliant work practices was extremety difficult. This was not for lack of knowledge about what should be done, but rather a3 a matter of practically implementing these practices under extreme conditions of duress. Search and rescue operations were going on in the presence of igoe A ppe ndixR | 124 Report No. 2003-P-00012 NYC-WTC_000145479