Contract delineated areas review request, March 2002

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Rep. Nadler pointed out that in a speech delivered by EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman in Noven±>er 2001, she acknowledged the EPA’s responsibility for cleanup of buildings contaminated in a terrorist attack. Under the Presidential Decision Directive 62, signed by then-President Clinton in 1998, she said, "the EPA is assigned lead responsibility for cleaning up buildings and other sites contaminated by chemical or biological agents as a result of an act of terrorism." "If Administrator Whitman was so clear on the duties and responsibilities in November 2001, why did she not enforce them two months earlier, and why does the EPA continue to shirk its duties more than six months after the attack," asked Rep. Nadler. Rep. Nadler was elected to Congress in 1992. He represents the Sth Congressional District in New York, which includes parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn, including the area now known as Ground Zero. ### EPA RELEASE FOLLOWS: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Region 2 >New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands >290 Broadway - New York, New York 10007-1866 >www.epa.gov/region2

>EPA - Mary Mears, 212-637-3669 >NYC - Frank McCarton (OEM), 718-422-4888 > >FEDERAL, STATE AND CITY AGENCIES ANNOUNCE ACTIONS FOR LOWER >MANHATTAN AIR QUALITY >FOR RELEASE: Monday, March 25, 2002 > >(#02114) New York, New York - Today the Environmental Protection >Agency (EPA), along with New York City and other federal and state >agencies, announced additional actions to address outdoor and >indoor air quality. As part of the overall effort to continue to >protect air quality, DEP will remove residual debris from rooftops >and facades with EPA’s guidance. OSHA will work in a coordinated >effort with the City and EPA to ensure the safety and health of >the workers performing this cleaning. > >EPA and New York City will expand the program to remove residual >debris from rooftops and facades around the World Trade Center >site. In addition, agencies will work to build on an indoor air >study conducted in November and December. These actions are a >result of the collaborative efforts of the EPA Administrator >Christie Whitman’s Task Force on Indoor Air and New York City >Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s Lower Manhattan Air Quality Task Force. > >’’Actions speak louder than words, and these actions will help >increase confidence about outdoor and indoor air quality," said >Jane Kenny, EPA Regional Administrator. "We have been working >hand-in-hand with the city to resolve the public’s health >concerns." > > "I am extremely pleased that EPA continues to work with the City >to address concerns regarding air quality in Lower Manhattan, ’’ >said incoming DEP Commissioner Christopher Ward. >Tests conducted since September 11th have indicated that there is >no evidence of significant long-term health risks to residents and >office workers from the air quality in Lower Manhattan. Inspectors 2

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