Law Department notice on WTC document preservation, Oct 2001

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document debris removal including removing molten steel 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, wet-down stations, on-site wetting of debris. wetting at the burges, and wash stations for workers on the pile at Ground Zero. Giver the physical inypediments and the intensity of the situation, it took Gme to imploment best work practices fully. As the various federal, state and local agencies became orgénized in their response and sct up communications with debris cleanup contractors, these problems were eliminated, to the mindmum extent possible. With respect to the recommendations, EPA agrees that the regulations for NESHAPS should be reviewed to determine whether additional procedures are necessary to provide to federal, State and focal responders. See. Appendix R- Additionally, the applicability of NESHAPS to disaster situations may need te clarified. [Note 16 CHAPTER $ AIR QUALITY-BRELATED COMMUNICATIONS NOT EFFECTIVE IN GETTING PUBLIC AND WORKERS TO TAKE RECOMMENDED PRECAUTIONS Report Conclusion/Recommendatien: * Conclusion: “The public wanted better information about six quality than they received from government sources. A NYCDOH study. other lessons learned reports, and testimony provided et various hearings suggest that the public did not receive adequate air quality information and that individuals cleaned their residences without using proper procedures and personal protection. in addition, workers at Ground Zero may not have used respirators duc. in part, to inadequate EPA ane other goverment comronnication. EPA wes ene of many governmental and non-goverummental agencies that communicated health risk to the public. The levels of non-adherence to the risk communications of these governmental agencies suggests that all the participating levels of governement need te re- examine their policies, procedures, and practices for ensuring that the mecessary precautions are consistently followed.” * Recommendations: ‘That the EPA. Administrator coordinate with PEMA and other applicable Feders! agencies to clearly establish Federal agency responsibilities, roles and procedures during an emergency response that ensure that; Workers responding to emergencies are adequately protected by the development and stvict enforcement of health and safety plana. Health hazard information is effectively communicated to emergency response crews. 125 Report No. 2003-P-00012 NYC-WTC_000145656