FEMA responses to EPA proposal memo, May 2002

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

EPA/NYCIndoor Air Approach - Request toFEMA July 8,2002 (10:19pm)

1. Direct Assistance to Residents and Residential Buildings Owners

a) Cleaning followed by air asbestos testing.. b) Testing for airbome asbestos within residences or building areas. c) (Should testing results identify an airbome asbestos problem, arrangements can be made rapidly to have professional clean up done.) d) Providing HEPA vacuums to residences who request to perform their own cleaning on an ongoing basis. Projected Cost: Needs to be determined. Status ofRequestfor FEMA mission assignment: At Washington headquarters for FEMA review. (Looking at alternative funding methodologies.)

2. Targeted Sampling to Det ine if There are Occupied 1vocations Require Additional Cleaning

Objective: To determine whether there are levels of airbome asbestos in excess of benchmarked level in a geographic sample of indoor environments in Lower Manhattan. Program: EPA will collect airbome asbestos samples within a variety of residential buildings in different geographic areas of Lower Manhattan, south of Canal Street. Projected Cost: $3000 per location sampled. Estimate 25- 50 locations. Status ofRequestfor FEAAA mission assignment: Brad believes that we do not want to go with this until we see how many complaints come in. On hold.

3. Pilot Building Cleaning Effort to Confirm Cleaning Techniques

Objective: Evaluate the effectiveness of clean up techniques which have been recommended for apartment clean up, that is, wet wiping, wet moping and use of HEPA filtered vacuums, in preventing inhalation exposure to asbestos and other fibrous materials, as well as other potential indicator compounds. Program: EPA will clean one unoccupied building to confirm and test the techniques. Projected Cost: $5 million. Status ofRequestfor FEMA mission assignment: Interagency agreement being drafted and returned to Brad in next few days from Washington. Appears to be a go.

4. Cleaning of Debris-Laden Unoccupied. Uncleaned Buildings

Program: NYC will clean the remaining unoccupied (residential and commercial), imcleaned buildings near the WTC site that contain WTC-debris. NYC will work with building

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