EPA response on environmental conditions and federal role, February 2002

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

FEB-13-2002 07:17 DEP 719 595 3481 P.05/05

Of course, fee environmental issues of concern to (hose who live, work, and visit Lower Manhattan ace not limited to outdoor air quality issues. People are also justly concerned about indoor environmental quality. The enormous amount ofparticulates released by the collapse of the World TTadc Center towers penneated many ofthe'siorounding buildings, including aparonents, ofSces, and other indoor spaces throughout fee area surrounding Ground Zero. As you may recall,, in fee days immediately feUewing Septeral jt 11* fee City of New York assumed responsibility for indoor env^nmenzal quality. Cleariy, fee magnitude of fee challenge feced by fee City in addressing indoor cnv{ro»-men.tal concerns is staggering. Nevertheless, fee City Department of H^th, its Department of Environmental Protection, and its OfBce of Emergency Management have taken numerous steps to address potential indoor environmental problems. I understand those efforts were described to you In detail at your hearing yesterday by Commissioner Frieden and Miele. Despite (be City's best effozts to address i&door eaviinnmcntal issues, ft is ^parent that many concetns and challeages roam I am committed to providing additional assistance to the City and its residents and stand ready to do so. In addidoa, as you suggested yesterday, J will be working '^th our local, state, and federal partners to establish a Task Force on Indoor Air in Lower Manhattan, so that we can move as quickly as possible to address the remaining concerns we all share.. X should point out, however, tiiat work has already begun to evaluate indoor air quality in Lower Manhartan. Last November and December, at the request of the City, the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) conducted sampling of air and particulates in 30 buildings in Lower Manhattan. The EPAhas assisted ATSDR in this effort by providing resources to analyze those'samples. This provides a good base for foxtha study. In addition, flxe SZ7 billion in Community Developmmt Block Grant fends appropriated p- I by the Congress « Senator Clinton's request to assist New York City is available for. among I I other things; addhessing the remaining indoor enviroamentol concerns b Lower Manhattan. I । Those fen^ could be used to address the unmet indoor emdronmestal needs of resideots and / j i V building owners in Lower Manhattan. /

AQ of this being said, however, I believe Congress and die Administration need to revisit die issue of authority and resporsibility for indoor environmental conditions in ths wake of a terrorist attack It may be tiiat the current practice, vesting in local or stere governments primary responsibility for indoor environmental conditions is not appiopriate in the wake of an event Eke September 11*1 would welcome (he chance to work with you and your colleagues to explore tills issue further. Bui until such determinations are made for future eventualities, we will continue to offer our full support to (he City ofNew York and stand ready torespond to any further requests ±ey may niake for our assistance in dealing with indoor environmental Issues.

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