DEP letter to FEMA outlining fund priorities for WTC recovery,

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

May 23.2002

Brad Gair Federal Emergency Management Agency 26 Federal Plaza, Room 31-100 New York, NY 10278

Dear Brad:

As per your request, this letter outlines the City’s priorities for the use of FEMA funds. The City - as a direct result of September 11“'- has already incurred severe financial losses, and anticipates mounting future needs required to meet new obligations and new responsibilities. Our priority is to meet our immediate needs, while allowing ample resources for the long-term rebuilding needs of Lower Manhattan.

Background

When New York City was attacked on September 11*^ the physical damage was devastating and the human toll was immeasurable. The attack leveled sixteen acres of Lower Manhattan - the third-largest business district in the country, and a city unto itself - and destroyed miles of electrical, communications and transportation infrastructure.

New York City’s economy suffered a direct and immediate effect, which will not subside for several years. City tax revenues declined precipitously as a direct result of September 11‘\ placing the provision of essential services, like police protection, in jeopardy, at the very time when concern about the future is still very great.

As we move from response to rebuilding. New York faces even greater challenges. It is not possible for New York to simply rebuild Lower Manhattan. The citizens of New York, America and the world rightly demand that we build a suitable memorial to the people who gave their lives and to the values that were attacked on September 11”’. As a result. Lower Manhattan will one day have to accommodate millions more visitors than it has ever welcomed before. It will also serve a new role: as a symbol of America’s resilience. Therefore, to meet the obligations imposed by September 11”', we must make Lower Manhattan greater than it was before.

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