NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document
D B, F T
Excerpts from Chapter 3 of the Draft Report
Initial Actions Taken by New York City and EPA
In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, EPA undertook several activities to address
various issues related to indoor air. However, according to EPA documentation. New
York City officials stated on September 30, 2001, thaUhe City would not be requeSTing ‘
assistance from EPA regarding residential sampling or reoccupation issues, or roof debris fQ , //
cleanup. According to EPA Region 2 officials, since the City dcclincd EPA’s offer of Z/
assistance on cleaning issues, EPA did not want to force itself into a lead agency role.
Further, EPA Region 2 officials told us that a more assertive stance from EPA would
have caused a level of confrontation that might have been counterproductive to the
overall effort.
New York City’s Initial Response to Indoor Contamination
\ New York City officials held building owners responsible for clcaning up their own
buildings. including intcriors and exteriors. In general. landlords of rental units were
"responsible for cleaning apartment walls, ceilings, and floors; common areas, such as
hallways and lobbies; and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
Renters were responsible for cleaning their personal belongings. In the case of resident-
owned condominiums, residents were responsible for cleaning their units, while building
owners were responsible for cleaning common areas and HVAC systems.
NYC-WTC_000153488
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