US Senate letter regarding WTC environmental protection measures, August 2002

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

“HEPA equipment was brought in five days later on either September 24 or 25, 2001,“ but that areas that were not claancd with HE?A fiitK vacuum trucks “were not 'redone' undl (he second or third week in October 2001

Eurthetiaore, the EFA employ'ee inter-dewed far the report indicates (hat "it was 'around the first week ia October 2001when his managers learned frotn somecne (name unknown) in E?A Region 2's Press Office that HE?A filter vucuuni trucks had not been uhh2ed during the first 5v& days of ±e TNTC cleanup.” The rejtort goes on to indicate that msnagsmeri.t in Htgicn 2 ordettd ths cleanup work to be xedoae in the sreas that were not cleaned with ITE?A filter vacuum trucks. As Indicated above, however, this work w-as not completed until mid-October '2001.

In light of the OIG’s report and its finding regarding the vacuum trucks "used to clean streets a^d sidewaixs aictmd the Worid Trade Center in ths da>^ following the September 11 attack, I would appreciate a response to tbs follcwing questions co later than Angus* 26,2002;

* V^Tiy were ccembers of the public and Xew York’s congTeisicaai delegation not notified about this incident?

* Was a record of this inctdsnt included in the '■'Lessor.^ Learned” report issued by EPA in Pebruary 2092 ? If not, why not?

» Whst if any, irtcreased cxposucss to asbestos resulted from, the lack of KEPA filters m Sie vacuum trucks used to clean streets and sidea-alks in LcjW'cr ManEartan in ±€ days following September 11, 2001?

• What, if any, othsr such instances is SPA swam ef with respect (o ±c response to *1 events of Septcaabsr 11, .2001, an ikni is being done to identify, report, and cddrc.< such occunrerxes?

* What pn?cedurtt5 are in plarc or be put in place by the Agency to casure that £'Jcb lapses do not occur in the future?

Once again* I want to ±Rnk you for everything you and odiers at your Agency have done to halp in the retevey and rebuilding effort in Lower Manhattan. This is lil<e nothing any of us has ever experienced before, and hopefully will ever have to experience “Ain.

Thank you for your anectoa Ic this important maner, I loot to Tece;\~b-; your response, ajtd to cenfinuing to work with you on this and ctiisr macers.

Sincerely yours. •

(2-0 <iLa^ Hillary Rodham Clinton

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