DEP memo on Lower Manhattan cleanup transition, June 2002

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Tuesday 19 of Feb 2002, Mayor Off ice ->718 595 4544 Page 3 of 4

Lower Man/rattan Env/ronmer7ta/ Coord/nator Proposaf DRAFT 2/J 8/02 - Do not drcu/ate particular, this campaign must address residents’ ongoing concerns regarding indoor air quality. This campaign could be done in partnership with a major advertising or public relations firm, provided that such a firm could offer its services to this important cause on a pro bono basis. I

♦ Disseminate ongoing research conducted by relevant City agencies into the environmental safety of Lower Manhattan, with a particular focus on air quality. The Coordinator must also be fully aware of ongoing research conducted by other government entities (e.g., FEMA, Regional EPA. OSHA) and private researchers. The Coordinator must be able to clearly articulate and defend City conclusions should they differ from other conclusions, and be able to reconcile these results with City results if necessary.

The Environmental Coordinator wilt be supported in his/her efforts by an Inter-Agency Task Force, consisting of representatives of all City agencies involved in this effort, including but not limited to; OEM, DOH, DEP, DDC, OMEC, DOB, City Legislative Affairs, and the Law Department.

In its capacity as an internal liaison to the Environmental Coordinator, the Inter-Agency Task Force will:

• Coordinate lower Manhattan environmental and health activities among relevant agencies, and develop standards and protocol for ensuring environmental safety. In particular, the Task Force must develop standards and protocol for indoor air quality that must be met by building owners in the affected area. In ■ addition, the Task Force must determine agencies' enforcement authority regarding testing and cleaning dust. Once enforcement authority has been determined, enforcement efforts must be documented in a consistent—- ----- manner.. « i n . s •. f ”

Establish a public hotline for all Lower Manhattan environmental and health matters. This hotline'wHl • feature agencies' environmental testing results (such as daily DEP asbestos update. EPA. ATSDR, NIOSH data) \ as well as preliminary interpretations of those results. Five people from DEP and five from DOH could serve as staff, and additional computer/database staff would be necessary as well. A website will be established as well to manage and disseminate information, and if possible will be coordinated with other governmental websites with V/rA ' information on the status of Lower Manhattan (e g., Lower Manhattan Construction Coordinator. LMDC).

Maximum expected volume is approximately 100 calls per day, based on calls made to DEP’s hotline, DEP- HELP, on air quality issues in Lower Manhattan. The hotline will respond to hotline calls regarding specific environmental problems by referring them to the appropriate agency for review, and then following up on the referrals within a specified time period. The hotline will be modeled on the hotline established in response to the

Serve as a clearinghousAor environmental monitoring data and cleaning/abatement information collected by all relevant parties. The Task Force should serve as a clearinghouse for both environmental monitoring data and cleaning and abatement information. This would then be shared with the public through the Environmental Coordinator in a form that is timely and accessible.

There is much work to be done in this area, and it must to done quickly. For example, the Task Force must electronically compile DEP sampling results. DEP currently has information on over 100.000 air quality samples taken by contractors in private buildings. Once it is electronically accessible entered, it could be used by hotline operators to provide up-to-date information to callers regarding buildings in Lower Manhattan that have been tested.

Inform ^e Mayor, the Deputy Mayors, and the Environmental Coordinator of critical issues and regarding tiie environmental safety of tiie area. The issues concerning Lower Manhattan's \ environmental safety change constantly^ consequently, all relevant decision-makers must be kept informed of j new developments on a regular basis.

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