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Informational Items that have been moved from the Main Page

• Minutes of the 2002 Annual Meeting
• Results of Asbestos Testing, January, 2002
• Questions from Lower Manhattan Tenants Coalition (LMTC) for Clinton-Lieberman
• Conversations between the Board and the Lefrak Organization
• Red Cross Assistance during EPA Cleanup
• "Points of Entry: Flight
• Indelible Memories: September 11 Memorial Tattoos
• Listening to the City
• Insurance Issues Complaint Line
• SenatorHillary Clinton on Air Quality
• Assemblyman Silver and DOT
• Environmental Summit

• Results of asbestos testing from the City of New York Department of Health, as submitted to Gateway Plaza Management on 23 January 2002 (and received by the GPTA on 8 February) are posted here.  This document has seven pages; please click the following page number to view each page: 1   2   3   4   5   6   7
  From the webmaster: I apologize for the scanned quality of some of the DOH pages, any more resolution and they would overload dial-up connections.  Hardcopy of this document is available at the Gateway Management office.

Questions from Lower Manhattan Tenants Coalition (LMTC) for Clinton-Lieberman hearings on Air Quality

Hon. Hillary Clinton
United States Senate
Washington, DC

Dear Senator Clinton:

Our sincere thanks for to you and Senator Lieberman, as well as Chairman Jeffords and the committee, for holding the February 11th hearing on the environmental impacts of the World Trade Center disaster.

We appreciate your concern for the health of the workers at Ground Zero; they are our heroes, too. But we need to ask: what are your plans to help the residents of lower Manhattan, many of whom are ill, and many of whom cannot live in their homes right now because their buildings have not been sufficiently tested and/or cleaned? What can you do to assure that residential buildings will get the aggressive testing and the thorough haz-mat cleaning that are required so that we can again live safely in our homes?

When you state that you want to "establish a central oversight board to continue indoor air sampling," what type of air sampling are you referring to? This is a crucial question, since regular, non-aggressive sampling is not accurate enough. The most stringent testing procedures need to be put in place, including wipe tests and other protocols, since the dust has now settled and invaded porous surfaces in our buildings and apartments. (This is explained by Cate Jenkins of the EPA's Hazardous Waste Identification Division, in several memoranda posted at www.envirolaw.org.)

Following are some specific questions that we need you to follow up on. We would appreciate your responses to these concerns as soon as possible.

* Why can't washing of the roadways around ground zero and along the routes to the barges be done more often (as it was until the last few weeks)? Greywater (recycled water) could be used if drought is the excuse.
* Who is responsible for the cleaning of the sidewalks, especially those around our schools, which are laden with dust & debris?
* Why are some of the trucks transporting the debris uncovered and not fully wetted down? The EPA or some other responsible agency should regularly monitor the operation, and the cleanup firms should be forced to fully wet and cover up the trucks?
* Why are the barges not covered after being loaded? Especially on windy days, clouds of toxic dust blow into the schools and our homes.
* Will the barge operation at Pier 25 be shut down when the cleanup is completed? Will any new barge operation, in the post-cleanup/construction phase, be located in a less residential area, such as the pier near Canal Street? If not, why not?
* Will the Senate sub-committee help enforce guidelines during the rebuilding process, to reduce as much as possible the noise, dust, diesel exhaust and other forms of pollution that now afflict our neighborhoods and affect our health?
* What agency do you propose be put in charge of environmental testing and cleanup? Would you urge that the EPA be responsible for indoor apartment/building testing and cleanup, in addition to its current outdoor responsibilities?
* What, specifically, will the designated responsible agency do to oversee, or accomplish, thorough, aggressive testing and cleanup of apartment and building interiors, as well as building exteriors (roofs, terraces, facades, etc.)
* If contaminants are found in apartments and residential buildings, how can landlords be forced to perform appropriately stringent cleanup?
* If landlords cannot be made to clean apartments and other interiors of their buildings, can the EPA be mandated to do that cleanup - as the agency has done in Libby, Montana and other polluted sites?
* What is the estimated budget and the expected time frame for completion of cleanup.
* There are many building roofs and terraces in and around ground zero that have never been cleaned since 9/11. Can the EPA - or another agency - be mandated to do external building cleanup ASAP to prevent re-contamination of the Downtown area?
* If no government agency will take responsibility, how can building owners be made to do exterior cleaning?
* If neither the government nor the building owners can be mandated to clean the roofs and other exteriors of downtown buildings, what course of action do you advise for the residents, whose homes are in constant danger of re-contamination by these toxins?
* Will you seek funding for tenant groups and individual residents to hire professional environmental cleaning firms themselves?
* Are some of the air quality data gathered in the first two weeks after 9/11 still being withheld, and if so why?
* Will the committee press for all documentation on the decision to re-open downtown residences, and release it to the public?
* Will the double standard used by the EPA in the extensive environmental cleaning of their own offices versus their laissez-faire approach for the rest of lower Manhattan be fully investigated and reported on?
* Can the sub-committee fund and initiate studies on the effects of multiple contaminants and the most effective cleanup methods, to ensure that the best possible guidelines can be followed?
* Will the committee press for a health study now, to see immediate effects, and for follow-up studies regularly thereafter (on a 6-month or yearly schedule)?
* Will the committee introduce legislation providing for free medical care for WTC disaster-related illnesses, now and in the future, for those being exposed to poisons in our environment that are being "swept under the rug" by our government?
* Are there current or potential funding issues causing corners to be cut in the WTC cleanup?
* What is the plan for decontaminating Fresh Kills after current disaster-related activity ends?

Thank you so much for your concern and attention to these very serious matters. Needless to say, we look forward to hearing from you at the earliest possible time.

This area contains synopses of conversations between the Board and the Lefrak Organization.

The following email was received from the Lefrak Organization on Tuesday, 26February 2002:

Subject: Re: Gateway Air Vent Cleaning

We removed all blower units from the roofs and cleaned them. We also cleaned all grills in the other buildings. We did not find any condition warranting the type of cleaning done in the 600. The proof is in the testing. We have done hundreds of tests in apartments hallways etc. We have never had one test above the regulatory limit which is used in the schools after a cleanup. We have not received one legitimate test. We have seen only microvac tests indicating the microscopic presence of material. The ventilating systems are to exhaust air. If you can provide me with a list of apartments who have air coming in I will have them checked immediately. On very windy days it is possible that the fans could be overpowered by a gust of wind. But each complaint must be evaluated.

 

Note that he is asking for a list of apartments where the air blows IN from the vents, so if that is the case in your apartment, please send an email with your name and apartment number (and building) to info@gpta.org.

The following email was sent to the Lefrak Organization on Monday, 4 February 2002:

Gentlemen:

A notice was posted last week for the new key/secured back gate behind the 400 building. Thank you.

However, enclosed is a follow up on several of the items from the agreement that still need to be implemented.

1.  We are still waiting for a single written document that includes all the points agreed upon from both the 10/24 letter and the 12/13 letter.

2. There has been no publication of implementation of the new phone system with the new phone line for repairs and Glen as well as the updated/improved system of repairs.  Also, we have been hearing complaints regarding the new
system; it seems that appointments are still not able to be kept in a timely manner (AM service promised and they show up in the afternoon).

3. You have posted the most recent testing of air monitoring.  Most noticeably from those reports is that the 600 building has not been included in the air monitoring.  Has the 600 building and individual apartments within 600 building been tested since re-occupancy?  If so where are the results?  If not, why?

4. The management office still seems to be confused on parts of the agreement. Some tenants from the 600 building were told that their right to break the lease deadline is March 31st when the agreement was clear that all tenants
had an equal amount of time.  Therefore, the 600 building deadline is May 31st in deference to the 2 months delay in opening the building. (not including those tenants still unable to re-occupy in the front of the building)

5. Is there a projected month/week for the new wall paper to be installed in the 600 building?  When is the projected completion for all the new carpets? What type of consideration is being given to the mural in the lobby of the 600 building?  Would you consider polling the residents for their opinions?

6. We have received your fire evacuation memos in the mail.  As noted in your documentation, you have no set evacuation procedures listed nor do you have a way to communicate with tenants. Once again, we are requesting that your organization form some type of communication system and emergency plan for cases such as 9/11 where the Fire Department could not respond and people were left in their apartments without any notification even after the building was evacuated.  This is even more important now that we do not have a fire station near by.  The response time, as quoted from the Fire Battalion Chief, is significantly longer than before.  Moreover, Charlie indicated that he would check to see if the current intercom system used by the doormen can be upgraded to make a general announcements of any kind.  Has this been done?

7. Once again, we have had reports of multiple elevator outages at the same time. What is being done to improve service?

Thank you for your attention to these matters.  If any other issues arise we will contact you again.

Red Cross Assistance during EPA Cleanup

The American Red Cross September 11 Recovery Program will assist individuals who lived south of Canal Street in Manhattan on September 11, 2001 and who, as a direct result of the terrorist attacks of that day were displaced from their home, experienced damage to their home, or experienced disruption in access to their home.

Eligibility:

Persons whose homes are being cleaned under the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Lower Manhattan Indoor Air Cleaning Program are eligible to receive related ARC services if:

1. They have a letter of referral from the Environmental Protection Agency - AND -

2. Either: A. Their home is receiving a Scope B cleaning -OR-

B. Their home is receiving a Scope A cleaning and a member of the family has a medically documented respiratory condition.

Relocation Assistance:

The American Red Cross will provide eligible clients hotel accommodation for a maximum of three nights while their apartments are cleaned. If eligible clients have made their own hotel arrangements, the Red Cross will reimburse up to a maximum of $250 per room per night, based on double occupancy, for a maximum of three nights.

To Set Up An Appointment With The American Red Cross:

Once you have received a letter from EPA certifying your home is scheduled for cleaning (Scope A or Scope B), please call the American Red Cross Client Assistance Contact Center toll-free at (877) 746-4987.

Points of Entry: Flight

The third installation of the yearlong exhibition in the four storefront windows of 97 Orchard Street, presented by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. The series explores the significance of immigrant communities in New York City, their experiences since 9/11, the issues surrounding new immigration policies, and global realities.
This installation by Alia Hasan-Khan will be on view March 2 through May 18, 2003.

Indelible Memories: September 11 Memorial Tattoos

Photographed by Vinnie Amesse. Exhibit in the Historical Museum at Historic Richmond Town, 441 Clarke Avenue, Staten Island. Exhibit will be open to the public from January 26 through July 6, 2003. www.historicrichmondtown.org

 “Listening to the City" Online

If you couldn’t attend the Listening to the City event on July 20th, you still have the opportunity to have your say and be heard. There will be a two-week dialogue online, beginning the 29th of July. It is important that area residents and concerned citizens register and express their opinions. We encourage you to utilize this opportunity to contribute to the future of Lower Manhattan and New York City. You can register at www.listeningtothecity.org

Insurance Issues Complaint Line

To file a complaint with the NYS insurance Department, they recommend using the ONLINE form at http://www.ins.state.ny.us/complhow.htm. You can also use the hotline at 800-342-3736. You will get an acknowledgement and a person will contact you.

If you have filed a complaint and aren't making satisfactory progress you can contact :

Salvatore Castiglione
Assistant Deputy Superintendant and Bureau Chief, Consumer Services & Licensing Bureaus
Phone: 518-474-4555 Fax: (518) 486-1503
Email: scastigl@ins.state.ny.us

You may read a Summary of the Environmental Summit that was held on April 20th by clicking here.

Read the memorandum from Senator Clinton's office regarding the hearing on World Trade Center air quality and the EPA's proposed Task Force on Indoor Air in Lower Manhattan.  Please refer to the Meeting Minutes section for the questions posed at the Hearings by the LMTC and GPTA.
Click here for the report.

EMS's letter is available here.

ENVIRONMENTAL TEST REPORTS: REPORTS FROM THE AIR MONITORING TESTS FROM WITHIN GATEWAY PLAZA (taken November 30 - current) ARE LOCATED IN THE GATEWAY MANAGEMENT OFFICE.

Click HERE to read the EPA's test results, provided to us by the New York Environmental Law and Justice Project through the Freedom of Information Act.