WTC asbestos FEMA reimbursement draft letter, Stuyvesant, February 2003

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

February 5, 2003 Kathleen Grimm, Deputy Chancellor New York City Department of Education The Tweed Courthouse New York, NY 10007

Dear Deputy Chancellor Grimm,

As per your request, I am writing in support of FEMA reimbursement for carpet removal at Stuyvesant High School and other public schools that were impacted by the destruction of the World Trade Center. In a previous letter (see attachment) addressing the issue of asbestos contamination at Stuyvesant High School, EPA concluded that the asbestos air testing at Stuyvesant met the clearance criteria set forth in the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) for re-entry into schools. EPA also commented on the strengths and limitations of the carpet ultrasonification test (EPA-600/J- 93/167). To reiterate, the carpet ultrasonifcation test provides a good indicator of total asbestos content in the carpet but cannot be reliably tied to airborne asbestos level and, thus, risk. Positive ultrasonification results indicate a potential, albeit of unknown magnitude, for asbestos exposure. It was also noted that properly conducted carpet removal (in a manner consistent with DOE’s “Carpet Removal Protocol” for Stuyvesant High School) would “eliminate any potential future risk associated with re-entrainment of asbestos fibers in carpet.” Accordingly, carpet removal is a reasonable and prudent action to take at schools impacted by the collapse of the World Trade Center to eliminate potential reservoirs of asbestos.

Sincerely,

KC

NYC-WTC_000160447