NYC Law Department letter regarding EPA draft report excerpts, July

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

SEP-18-2001 10:54 USEPA-RES?. & PREU. BR. 732 321 4425 P.02/06

EPA Region 2 World Trade Center Emergency Response Acthities to Date · September 18, 2001

Since the.day oftbe Wodd Trade Center disaster, EPA :Emc:ri,'lSDC)' Response personnel ha.ve worked closely with state and local officials as well as other federal agencies to .:nsurc the safety of rescue workers and sum>unding population. EPA has assisted numerous financial firms in gaining access to their buildings and · returning to operation.

The activities include: • Continuous air monitoring: EPA has set up ten continuous air monitorS in and around "ground zero,·· and is testing samples for the presence of asbestos. voes, lead and dioxin. The majority of sample ·results thus far indicate t.'liat asbestos levels m-c below levels of concern. The highest levels came from a monitor located one-half block from ground zero. demonstrating the need for rescuers to wear appropriate protective gear. We are awaiting other resUlts.

• 011tdoor a1r samplillg: Before establishing the continueu.s air monitoring stations, EPA took daily air samples from c number oflocations in lower Manhattan, as well as in western Brooklyn and Liberty State Park in New Jersey. SO air samples were taken, a vast majority again shmving levels of asbestos and other chemicals below EPA's threshold of concern. In faot, in mo.st cases, asbestos was not dctcctecl.

• Indoor air sampling: EPA took 13 samples of indoor air in two federal buildings last week, and again all samples showed asbestos levels that were well below levels of concern. Tnese buildings are likely to be good indieators of asbestos levels in sound buildings in t.'ie area of the disaster. EPA also reviewed data from an environmental company hircq by the New York Stock Exchange to inspccl its building priOt" to the reopening on Monday. Sept. 17. Data from the Stock E.~changc also showed no levels of concern.

• Dust Sampling: .EPA has taken 62 samples of dust in and a.-ound ground zero, including in the financial district. Most of these samples were below EPA's definition o! asbestos containing material (1 % asbestos). Where samples were shown to ba"·e greater than 1o/a asbestos - numbers ranged from 1.1 to 4.5% - EPA has vacuumed up the dust using special trucks and has re-sampled.

• Vacuum Trucks: EPA bas been operating 10 SUPERVAC HEPA vacuum trucks to help the city cleanup the stree1S in the financial district, clean lobbies of federal buildings. and to assist where need~. ··.,·

• Drinking Water Sampling: EPA and the cit'} split samples taken from 13 routine drinking water sampling points in water mains in lower manhatran. Most of the analysis is not yet completed on these samples, but then: were no .detectable levels of asbestos.

• . . Hudson River Sampling: EPA took a S2.n'lple a1 the site of a storm drain near •;ground 2CrO.. during a rain storm to determine the level of contaminants in water running off the site into the Hudson River. Results are expected this week.

• TAG.A Unit: EPA is using its sophistica~d mobile air monitoring unit to take samples of a.ir and test for air toxic&. None of the six. samples taken indicated levels of concern.

• Wastewater Treatment Plant: EPA took several samples from the NewtoV111 Creek Sewage Treatment Plant. which is the recipient of storm water from lowc:r Manhattan. Results are expected later this week.

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