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

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

“In collaboration with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, ATSDR [Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry] has established a registry to identify and track over the long term the health of tens of thousands of workers and community members who were the most directly exposed to smoke, dust, and debris from the WTC disaster. The World Trade Center Health Registry was launched on September 5, 2003, with an extensive public outreach campaign. Persons who choose to be included in the registry will be interviewed periodically over a period of 20 years or more concerning their physical and mental health, so that their health may be followed over time. Stringent safeguards are in place to protect the confidentiality of all information collected.

“In the nearly two months since it was launched, more than 10,000 people have been interviewed for the registry. ATSDR and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene estimate that the registry will include 100,000 to 200,000 people, including rescue and recovery workers, office workers, residents and school children, making it the largest health registry of its kind. The registry will be maintained over time by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. FEMA provided startup funds to ATSDR for the development and launching of the registry.”

At today’s hearing the committee will solicit updated testimony on all health issues related to

9/11.

Invited to testify, on Air Quality and health issues related to 9/11, are Jane M. Kenny, Regional

Administrator, United States Environmental Protection Agency; Paul E. Zammit, Divisional

Resource Director, United States Environmental Protection Agency; Nikki L. Tinsley, Inspector

General, United States Environmental Protection Agency; Hugh Kaufman, Senior Policy

Analyst, United States Environmental Protection Agency; Paul Gilman, PH.D., Science Advisor,

United States Environmental Protection Agency; Christopher O. Ward, Commissioner, New

York City Department of Environmental Protection; Thomas R. Frieden M.D., Commissioner,

New York City Department of Public Health ; John T. Odermatt, Commissioner, New York City

Office of Emergency Management; Richard Mendelson, Area Director, Occupational Safety and

Health Administration / United States Department of Labor; Thomas Kunkel, Regional Director

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