NYC-WTC_000196112

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Summary of Fffilings (Through Octobers^ 2001}

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), working closely with other federal, state, and local agencies, have been sampling the air, dust, water, river sediments and drinking water and analyzing them for the presence of pollutants such as asbestos, radiation, mercury and other metals, pesticides, PCBs, or bacteria that might create health hazards. Both agencies have taken hundreds of samples to monitor environmental conditions since September 11, and have found no evidence of any significant public health hazard to residents, visitors or workers beyond the immediate World Trade Center area (Ground Zero). In response to public requests for more detailed information, EPA and OSHA are making the results of environmental and occupational sampling available on their sites on the World Wide Web (www.epa.qov and www.osha.gov). and will post additional data as it becomes available. "EPA's website now has more detailed information on environmental monitoring information in New York City that should be very reassuring to residents, tourists and workers, and we will continue to update that site with information as it becomes available" said EPA Administrator Christine Whitman. "Our data show that contaminant levels are low or nonexistent, and are generally confined to the Trade Center site. There is no need for concern among the general public, but residents and business owners should follow recommended procedures for cleaning up homes and businesses if dust has entered."

On the whole, despite questions about potential contaminants from the Trade Center site, EPA and OSHA data indicates there is no cause for general public concern. Residents and workers returning to buildings where dust from the Trade Center has entered the building should follow proper procedures, which was done at 250 Broadway, in cleaning buildings, but the general public should feel very reassured about the extensive environmental monitoring data that has been collected and analyzed.

5

CITY_21MC100_011098565

NYC-WTC_000196118