DEP memo on ULSD legislation press release, March 2002

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

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Avaltroni, Robert From: Onek Matthew [[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, January 28, 2003 10:33 AM To: [email protected] Cc: Onek Matthew Subject: FEMA Letter for carpet removal at Ground Zero schools

Per our conversation several weeks ago, I am attaching the Department of Health’s letter re carpet removal at Ground Zero schools to be used for FEMA reimbursement. FEMA has requested a similar letter from you - we agreed that I would send you DOH’s letter as a guide. Also, as you may remember, DEP already sent the Department of Education a letter in October 2002 stating that you had consulted with us on sampling and clean-up efforts and followed DOH’s recommendation of carpet removal. Your letter for FEMA purposes simply needs to restate that you consulted with us and recommended the carpet removal as part of our continued clean-up letters. IF you have any questions, please call me at 374-0214. I will follow-up with you later today. FEMA would like us to submit our materials in the next few days. Thanks again for your continued help.

Matt Onek

DRAFT January 24, 2003

Deputy Chancellor Kathleen Grimm New York City Department of Education The Tweed Courthouse New York, NY 10007

Dear Deputy Chancellor Grimm:

This letter was prepared at your request [per FEMA reimbursement regulations. The letter] addresses the issue of carpeting removal at public schools in Lower Manhattan that were affected by the collapse of the World Trade Center, that is, PS/IS 89, PS 150, PS 234, Stuyvesant High School, the High School of Economics and Finance and the High School of Leadership and Public Service.

There have been concerns raised about possible contamination of carpeting at these schools resulting from the collapse of the World Trade Center. The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has worked collaboratively with the Department of Education, and its independent environmental consulting firm, on environmental sampling and clean-up efforts at these schools. The Department of Health strongly recommended that the Department of Education remove floor carpeting as part of their continued clean-up efforts.

The Department of Health reviewed the "Carpet Removal Protocol" as provided by the Department of Education. The Department of Health concluded that removal performed in accordance with these protocols would be sufficiently protective of the health of students, teachers, and staff within the schools such that the removal process itself would not create a risk to health. I

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