NYC-WTC_000195741

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

untrained tenants or relief workers have cleaned indoor spaces based on the NYC DOH guidelines or no guidelines at all, those spaces cannot be considered adequately remediated or safe.

According to tenants who do possess private insurance, insurance carriers have haphazardly settled claims with widely varying amounts paid.®® In many cases, the amounts have been woefully inadequate.®’ Claims have been denied for a variety of reasons. One reason, described by a tenant in the Washington Post, describes a horrendous, vicious circle. Mr. George Tabb, a Tribeca resident, reported that his “.. .insurance company won’t pay to clean his apartment of dust and asbestos until his landlord cleans up the building’s ventilation system. Mzmagement|S)^^ed a cleanup last moi^, but not an asbestos abatement.”®*

Even more disturbing is the fact that some insurance companies have denied claims (for rental assistance, air purifiers, and hazardous materials testing and remediatioiri to both tenants and building owners on the sole basis of EPA’s safety assurances.®’ Individual tenants have also reported that relief agencies, including the Red Cross, and ,the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have also denied assistance for rental assistance and proper testing and remediation of gn^ priva*** spaces on the ha.sis nf Ms Whitman’s statement.’*^

FEMA, in its “case-by-case” approach, has provided some assistance to individual residents for “cleaning,” though many individuals have reported having their application denied or have received very few funds.” Moreover, FEMA announced in one of its own bulletins, that residents could be eligible for such funds, but only if the individual is willing to forgo rental assistance:

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“ Statement taken from Constituent Services Staff Members, Office of Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY- 08) and “Official Transcript,” EPA National Ombudsman First Investigative Hearing on World Trade Center Hazardous Waste Contamination,” February 23, 2002. See specifically testimony from downtown residents and business owners. Statement taken from Constituent Services Staff Members, Office of Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY- 08) and “Official Transcript,” EPA National Ombudsman First Investigative Hearing on World Trade Center Hazardous Waste Contamination,” February 23, 2002. See specifically testimony from downtown residents and business owners. “ Haughney, Christine, “In N.Y., Taking a Breath of Fear: Illnesses Bring New Doubts About Toxic Exposure Near Ground Zero,” Washington Post, January 8,2002. “Official Transcript,” EPA National Ombudsman First Investigative Hearing on World Trade Center Hazardous Waste Contamination,” February 23, 2002, For examples see testimony of Ms. Catherine Hughes, resident, p. 317-318; testimony of Mr. Cooper, p. 681-682; testimony of Mr. George Tabb, resident, p. 151-152. ” “Official Transcript,” EPA National Ombudsman First Investigative Hearing on World Trade Center Hazardous Waste Contamination,” February 23,2002. For examples see testimony of Former City Council Woman Kathryn Freed, p. 243-244; and testimony of Ms. Elona Klauppe lsicI (Ilona Kloupte). resident,p. 658-659; and testimony of Dawn Pryor, resident, p. 183-196. ” Statement taken from Constituent Services Staff Members, Office of Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY- 08).

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