Panel agenda for Air Quality After 9/11 conference, March 2004

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

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“Federal officials acknowledged yesterday that formation of the panel was also intended to clear the air about the E.P.A. and the way it had performed since the days right after the attacks, when officials broadly stated that the air downtown was safe to breathe.”

“Dr. Paul Gilman, assistant administrator for research and development at the E.P.A., is the panel's chairman. He said his office was developing a plan for a sample of up to 840 of the 4,200 apartments already cleaned or tested.

“Some will be selected by location, he said, and others by whether they have central ventilation and air-conditioning systems. Residents will not be able to ask that their apartments be rechecked because of the random nature of the sample.

“Dr. Gilman said that he hoped to present a preliminary retesting plan at the panel's first meeting at 10 a.m. on March 31 and that he wanted to have results available by June.”

On March 10, 2004 a lawsuit, seeking class-action status, was filed against EPA in Manhattan

federal court by 12 people who live, work or go to school near the World Trade Center site. The

suit charges EPA with ignoring its own rules and procedures and failing to ensure that the area

was safe before encouraging people to return. It does not seek money damages but asks that the

government pay for long-term health monitoring of people affected by 9/11 and the thorough

cleaning of affected apartments and businesses.

At today’s hearing the committees will solicit testimony regarding EPA’s new initiative

including testimony from area residents who feel that a more comprehensive retesting program is

called for.

in. Illnesses and disabilities associated with 9/11.

The collapse of the World Trade Enter exposed thousands of New Yorkers, and others, who

lived, worked or went to school in Lower Manhattan, and some areas of Brooklyn, to a wide

range of irritants and toxic agents. As previously indicated these components included organic

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