Law Department notice on WTC document preservation, Oct 2001

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document debris removal inctuding removing molten stee! beams from the site. Search, rescue and construction equipment surrounded the site. EPA worked with New York City and State agencies to set up track routes, wetdown stations, on-site wetting of debris. wetting at the barges, and wash stations for workers on the pile at Ground Zero. Given the physical impediments and the intensity of the situation, it took ume to implement best work practices fully. As the various federal, state and local agencies became ongénized in their response and sct up cotumunications with debris cleanup contractors, these problems were eliminated, to the maxinrum extent possible. With respect to the recormmendations, EPA agrees that the regulations for NESHAPS should be reviewed to determine whether additiona) procedures are necessary to provide to federal, State and local responders. See Appendix R Additionally, the applicability of NESHAPS ta disaster situations may need te clarified. Note CHAPTER 5 AIR QUALITY-RELATED COMMUNICATIONS NOT EFFECTIVE IN GETTING PUBLIC AND WORKERS TO TAKE RECOMMENDED PRECAUTIONS Report Conclusion/Recommendatien: Conclusion: “The public wanted better information abont ay quality than they received from government sources. A NYCDOH shidy. other lessons leaned reports, and testimony provided st various hearings suggest that the public did not receive adequaic air quality information and that individuals cleaned their residences without using proper procedures and pesyonal protection. In addition, workers at Ground Zero may not have used respirators duc. in part, to inadequate EPA ans other goverment communication. EPA wes one of many governmental and non-governmental agencies that communicated health risk to the public. The levels of non-adherence to the risk cormmunications of these governmental agencies suggests that all the participating levels of government used to re- examine their policies, procedures, and practices for ensuring that the necessary precautions are consistently followed.” Recommendations: That the EPA. Administrator courdinate with FEMA and other applicable Federal agencies to clearly eemablish Federal agency responsibilities, roles and procedures during an emergency response that ensure that: Workers responding to emergencies are adequately protected by the development and strict enforcement of health and safety plans. Health hazard information is effectively communicated to emergency response crews. 125 Report No. 2003-P-00012 NYC-WTC_000145480