Memo on asbestos scope for unoccupied buildings, July 2002

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Revised draft 7/16/02

New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (HMMHDOMMH) I Assessment and Communication of Technical Environmental Issues

Purpose: To provide health communication and technical assistance for lower Manhattan residents and workers related to post 9/11/01 events. The results of this work are to be integrated with communication and outreach efforts of USEPA, the Deputy Mayor’s Office for Economic Development, and NYCDEP.

Objective 1: Provide a characterization of -lower Manhattan indoor and outdoor I environmental exposures and potential biological effects for various contaminants (e.g., lead, mercury, asbestos). This will entail compiling existing environmental and biologic I sample results from multiple sources; gathering information on urban background levels for comparison; reviewing and discussing standards and guidelines for each contaminant; reviewing literature on health effects; and providing interpretation of results.

The work of US EPA will focus on estimating environmental exposures, including the reduction in exposure that can be accomplished by interior cleaning. D-J-44H-D0KMH will 1 focus on potential human health impacts from these environmental exposures. The efforts of US EPA and DHAtH-DOHMH are complementary but distinct. I Objective 2: Develop and disseminate health communication messages and materials related to lower Manhattan environmental and biological sampling results and present such information in forums with the community. Note: The development of messages and materials based on the technical information obtained in objective 1 above requires both technical and graphic design expertise as well as printing costs.

The work of the Deputy Mayor’s Office for Economic Development focuses on an overall strategy to communicate the suitability of lower Manhattan for economic (re- )development. -^--4^00HMH will contribute to the overall communication strategy by nn-v d rs? ih'" tncrn'^-a| support to the Mayor's Office through the preparation of:^ statements regarding environmental risks to human health and risk reduction efforts to protect human health. The efforts of the Mayor’s Office for Economic Development and DOH MH are complementary but distinct.

Objective 3: Provide information to the medical community related to health risks for lower Manhattan residents and workers.

Costs: $400,000 for a consulting firm with: expertise in environmental sampling and interpretation; epidemiologic skills to review, analyze, summarize and interpret environmental and biologic sampling results; graphic design skills to develop graphs, maps and tables and information sheets.

Budget Detail: Communications 60,000 1 60,000 Expert Public Relations / 50,000 1 50,000 Writer Graph£cJ\rtisX_ 40,000 1 40,000 Clerical 40,000 1 40,000 Sr. Scientist 90,000 1 90,000

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