WTC air monitoring personnel list, September 19, 2001

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Gilsenan, Michael From: Chapin, Diana (ex) [NYCDEP/QUEENS/DIANAC3] Sent: Friday, September 14, 2001 7:36 PM To: Gilsenan, Michael; Avaltroni, Robert: Kelpin, Gerry Subject: FW: Technical Assistance and Support following WTC event

lyi —Original Message— From: Lipsky, David Sent: Thursday. September 13,2001 7:20 PM . To: Chapin, Diana (ex); Sturcken, Charles (ex) Subject: Technical Assistance and Support following WTC event

Diana and Charlie.

I am writing to you to offer my technical assistance for addressing toxic substances and chemical risk issues that may arise following the tragic events at the WTC. I've noted that there are concerns regarding air pollution and the potential for dioxins to have been produced by the fire (as well as other issues). You may not be aware that I have 24 years of experience in the design, implementation and evaluation of multi-media environmental studies (particularly in the area of Superfund and including air toxics), and that I have substantive experience in risk assessment. For example, under contract to NYC Dept, of Sanitation I developed the first multi-media assessment of the dioxin related risks from municipal waste combustion.

I have also worked closely with EPA Region II staff, particularly Edison staff (one of whom Dr. Rick Spear provided a letter of recommendation for my job with DEP) and am pretty familiar with EPA's capability for providing rapid site evaluations and support using remote or mobile monitoring systems. Please note that I have been a strong proponent of developing detailed QA/QC plans when assessing data of the sort likely to be generated as a result of the terrorist incident. In fact, 1 was trained in this area by my association with EPA Region II QA staff. As a result of my experience, 1 have been able to critically review sampling plans and QA plans prepared by others including the USDA and EPA (we found substantial problems with their Pathogen lab). Given all of the various parties that are involved with the investigation, I believe that it is crucial that DEP participate actively in the design of any study of collateral damage (vis a vis toxics) and in any risk assessment work. One of the points that I have raised with EPA and the USDA and others is that ownership of the problem is an important aspect of any scientific investigation. DEP needs to define the risk management objectives for any study regarding the dispersal of toxic chemicals in order to develop a targeted and adequate sampling plan. These objectives may be different than those set forth by CDC or EPA. For example, EPA may simply want to ask the question of whether they can find dioxins in the dust; whereas, DEP may want to examine in more detail whether such dioxins are causally related to the fire at the WTC, and also whether such dioxins have entered homes at unacceptable concentrations. The level of effort for such investigations may be quite different. Also, DEP may want to design a program to quickly screen and define different areas of exposure (i.e. high, medium, low level concers). This might be done quickly and rapidly using rapid assessment techniques and even low tech methods. Again, for example, we might want to quickly measure dust concentrations on street surfaces through a quick and dirty method and use qualitative analytical methods rather than conducting detailed and time consuming analyses of samples. There are other things to look at including risk reduction such as developing adequate decontamination procedures. Any person participating in meetings with EPA, CDC needs to know the literature regarding dioxins, PCBs, asbestos etc, which 1 do.

I have been a member of the Society of Risk Analysis for many years, and a member of the Air and Waste Management Association for some 16 years. I am also a peer reviewer and member of the Science Review Panel for the National Library of Medicine's Hazardous Substance Database. If there is anything I can do to help the Department, I would be glad to assist.

Sincerely,

Dr. David Lipsky, Q.E.P. Acting Chief Division of Water Quality Control

1

NYC-WTC_000164371