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Federal, State, and City Agencies Announce Actions for Lower Manhattan Air Quality

Release Date: 03/25/2002
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(#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 from the City and EPA have surveyed area rooftops and facades identifying buildings where residual debris remains. As removal of debris from the World Trade Center site nears completion, City, State and Federal agencies are committed to continuing to protect and improve the downtown environment. City, state and federal health and environmental agencies are working collaboratively to continue to assess the cleaning that was conducted and determine testing criteria. Building on earlier tests, EPA will conduct field work to assess cleanup techniques and provide information for ongoing cleaning. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, with support from the New York City Department of Health and EPA, is planning to expand the indoor air study conducted in December 2001. As these projects are developed, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will fund components that are eligible under its programs. As the agency responsible for coordinating federal assistance in support of the city’s long term recovery efforts, FEMA is working closely with all concerned agencies. Both the EPA and New York City Task Forces will work cooperatively to continue to protect air quality. The Lower Manhattan Air Quality Hotline (212-221-8635) will continue to be the principal point of information dissemination to businesses, residents and visitors regarding air quality and environmental issues in and around the World Trade Center site. The City’s Task Force will also coordinate additional community outreach and local initiatives as part of the broader effort to build public confidence in the downtown environment. For more information, call the City’s Lower Manhattan Air Quality Hotline at 212-221-8635 between 11:00 am and 7:00 pm Monday through Friday. In addition, information can be found on: EPA’s Web site OSHA’s Web site NYC DOH’s Web site NYCDEP’s Web site