EPA letter on residential assistance program deadline extension, Sep 2002

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

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UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION 2 290 BROADWAY NEWYORK, NY 10007-1866

SEP 2 7 2002

Christopher Ward, Commissioner New York City Department of Environmental Protection 59-17 Junction Boulevard Corona, NY 11368

Joseph Picciano, Acting Regional Director I Federal Emergency Management Agency Region 2 26 Federal Plaza New York, NY 10276

Dear Commissioner Ward and Mr. Picciano:

As you may be aware, during Administrator Whitman’s testimony before^the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on September 24," 2002 Senator Clinton asked whether we would consider extending the hotline deadline to register eligible New York City residents for cleaning and/or testing under our joint Indoor Air Residential, Assistance program. Administrator Whitman said that she shared the Senator’Lconcerns that the period for registering a residence for cleaning and/or testing should be extended. .During her testimony she committed that EPA would consult with our partner agencies regarding this issue. The current deadline for registering residents of lower Manhattan for cleaning and/or testing is scheduled to close on October 3"*. . ‘ ‘ ' Z I I k

My staff have found that during their visits to potentially impacted buildings they’are frequently asked where and how someone can register. ‘When asked, they refer'inquiries to the i hotline. Their visits serve as yet another method of community outreach beyond the more traditional methods that we have employed to date. I believe that residents oflower Manhattan who have not registered with the hotline may do so upon'seeing testing and/or cleaning being successfully performed in their building. Therefore, I would like to urge both the Federal " Emergency Management Agency and the City of New York Department of Environmental Protection to agree to extend the registration period beyond its current cutoff date of October S'**. Since EPA staff will continue to be out in the community for several months, I believe that the opportunity for the public to request cleaning and/or testing should be extended until December 28, 2002. , . J-. I.

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Internet Address (URL) • http://www.epa.gov Recycled/Recyclable • Printed with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on Recycled Paper (Minimum 50% Postconsumer content)

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