EPA internal memorandum addressing allegations that NYC and EPA concealed environmental data following 9/11, with evidence not previously evaluated in an August 2003 EPA Inspector…
NYC-WTC_000153780–000153811Folder label: “WORLD TRADE CENTER - JOHN LADUCA FILES”
OCR status: ok · source: pdftotext
NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document
within the city are not being exposed to contaminants such as asbestos, radiation, mercury and other metals, pesticides, PCBs and bacteria. "EPA has been very aggressive in monitoring for potential environmental problems in the aftermath of the World Trade Center attack, and I am very pleased by what we've discovered. New Yorkers and New Jersians need not be concerned about environmental issues as they return to their homes and workplaces," Whitman said. "Air quality monitoring data in residential areas has been consistently reassuring. ... Only seven samples taken at or near ground zero have had marginally higher levels of asbestos that exceed EPA's level of concern ... Ambient air monitoring in the Financial District, where this week people have returned to work, show mostly no detectable levels of asbestos, or in a few isolated instances, levels of asbestos that are below EPA=s levels of concern. ... Available results continue to show that rescue workers at the disaster site are not being exposed to hazardous materials. ... [EPA press release, 9/21/01] 9/22 Sept 22,4PM - Sept 23,4AM)... 5 samples (all perimeter samples)... no samples exceeded the TEM (AHERA) standard. [9/25/01 "Air/Bulk/Wipe/Water Sampling Situation Report] 9/23 Sept 23,4AM - Sept 23,4PM)... 1 sample above the TEM overload - FULTON & CHURCH ST., east perimeter (AHERA) standard (Location ... corner of Albany and West)... of Ground Zero [9/25/01 "Air/Bulk/Wipe/Water Sampling Situation Report overload - TRINITY PL. & THAMES ST., 1 block S of Ground Zero perimeter 9/24 Sept 23, 2PM - Sept 24,2AM)... 1 sample above the TEM 78.74 s/mm2 - WEST ST & ALBANY, 2 blocks S of (AHERA) standard (Location ... Albany and South End) Ground Zero perimeter [9/25/01 "Air/Bulk/Wipe/Water Sampling Situation Report] 131.23 s/mm2 - RECTOR PLACE BY THE PARK, 2 blocks S of Ground Zero perimeter
Documentation that EPA had timely access to and knowledge of the NYC data
There is ample documentation to demonstrate that EPA had the NYC data as it was being generated. Results of asbestos air monitoring tests were available within hours of the individual tests being completed.
EPA has stated that they were coordinating their asbestos air testing with NYC in their 9/14/01 "Daily Summary"’^ and then again in their 9/18/01 press release issued by Headquarters.'^ However, subsequent "Daily Summaries only described EPA and NYC joint sampling efforts for dioxins, water, and other environmental media, and were totally silent about any coordination with NYC on air asbestos testing.
The following are EPA's statements about their interaction with NYC on testing:
EPA will also be coordinating additional weekend air monitoring with New York City and New York State. [9/14/01 "Daily Summary]
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NYC-WTC_000153790
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NYC-WTC_000161674
Document excerpt listing counsel and staff members assigned to a paper on infrastructure related to World Trade Center recovery.
24 shared non-person entities · 1 shared topics · similarity 0.983
machine-extracted · confidence unavailable · Check page ↗NYC-WTC_000149432
DEP asbestos project notification form and inspection report dated December 12, 2002.
18 shared non-person entities · similarity 0.971
machine-extracted · confidence unavailable · Check page ↗NYC-WTC_000125845
Draft fact sheet from DOH and DEP addressing tenant concerns regarding asbestos fibers at 105 Duane Street.
18 shared non-person entities · 1 shared topics · similarity 0.965
machine-extracted · confidence unavailable · Check page ↗NYC-WTC_000149936
Joint OSHA and Bechtel crane inspection report analyzing safety conditions at the World Trade Center site.
10 shared non-person entities · similarity 0.962
machine-extracted · confidence unavailable · Check page ↗NYC-WTC_000149798
Generic form or header page from the Department of Environmental Protection regarding general World Trade Center notices and requests.
19 shared non-person entities · similarity 0.962
machine-extracted · confidence unavailable · Check page ↗NYC-WTC_000148192
Notice instructing staff to preserve original World Trade Center documents for potential legal actions against the City.
21 shared non-person entities · similarity 0.961
machine-extracted · confidence unavailable · Check page ↗NYC-WTC_000106330
Letter reporting asbestos testing results for air and dust at Borough of Manhattan Community College in February 2002.
14 shared non-person entities · 1 shared topics · similarity 0.961
machine-extracted · confidence unavailable · Check page ↗NYC-WTC_000140235
Memorandum comparing asbestos data in Manhattan to other sites and arguing for cleanup under the Superfund statute.
16 shared non-person entities · 1 shared topics · similarity 0.961
machine-extracted · confidence unavailable · Check page ↗NYC-WTC_000148115
Frequently asked questions and updates regarding disaster assistance, road reopenings, and victim support funds issued in October 2001.
18 shared non-person entities · 1 shared topics · similarity 0.961
machine-extracted · confidence unavailable · Check page ↗NYC-WTC_000150163
Internal memo draft addressed to the Commissioner regarding environmental compliance actions and correspondence drafts dated October 15, 2001.
12 shared non-person entities · 1 shared topics · similarity 0.960
machine-extracted · confidence unavailable · Check page ↗NYC-WTC_000149537
Instructions and sections for collecting sample location data from a specific building interior.
18 shared non-person entities · similarity 0.960
machine-extracted · confidence unavailable · Check page ↗11 shared non-person entities · similarity 0.960
machine-extracted · confidence unavailable · Check page ↗Similar subjects in other documents. Similarity does not establish the same event, measurement or conclusion.
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NYC-WTC_000005240
Fragmented document header from the GCMS series dated between February and March 2002.
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NYC-WTC_000052778
Fragmented page from a Department of Environmental Protection laboratory record dated February 2002.
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NYC-WTC_000079949
Laboratory sequence log detailing the processing order and parameters for multiple environmental samples analyzed in late September 2001.
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Raw laboratory sequence file listing pesticide compounds and calibration standards processed in late 2001.
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NYC-WTC_000125845
Draft fact sheet from DOH and DEP addressing tenant concerns regarding asbestos fibers at 105 Duane Street.
Cited alongside this record in an Ask answer