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(page updated August 15, 2005)
"Safety First" Demolition and Rebuilding
[see as well the media coverage related to these events]
In addition to destroying the two World Trade Center towers, the attack of September 11, 2001 left several buildings badly damaged and contaminated. Plans to decontaminate and demolish these buildings have been slow to reach the public.
This page contains descriptions of the entities that have developed to rebuild NYC, and the governmental and non-governmental agencies and organizations that participate in the process, as well as public testimony delivered to such organizations.
The Lower Manhattan Development Council, which was created to help plan and coordinate the rebuilding and revitalization of Lower Manhattan, defined as everything south of Houston Street. The LMDC is a joint State-City corporation governed by a 16-member Board of Directors, half appointed by the Governor of New York and half by the Mayor of New York.
The LMDC now owns 130 Liberty Street (formerly owned by the Deutsche Bank, and frequently referred to as the Deutsche Bank Building). LMDC's web site, http://www.renewnyc.com contains many items which you may wish to peruse. In particular,
Here's where to subscribe to the mailing list for LMDC's e-updates:
http://www.renewnyc.com/Newsletter/default.asp
- "In EPA's judgement, the December 10, 2004 specifications or "protocols" for the work, while adequate in some areas, need to be materially strengthened in several principal respects, as set forth in the enclosed comments."
- From the EPA Letter and Comments (http://www.epa.gov/wtc/demolish_deconstruct/lmcd_jan2005.pdf)
In their July 26, 2005 comments on the second revision, EPA repeats :
"As EPA has stated in its discussions with LMDC and its consultants, an acceptable ambient air monitoring plan is needed before the commencement of any activities at 130 Liberty Street."
Such a plan is still missing. Yet the scaffolding is scheduled for immediate installation, according to current news reports, and by a company with a poor safety record, Safeway Environmental. See the July and August 2005 News Stories. And of the 186 points listed in these comments, at least a score are missing.
has posted on its web site 3 important documents concerning the environmental and occupational health aspects of the planned demolition of 130 Liberty Street.
Two of the documents were prepared for the building's original owner
The third document and current plan, prepared for
the building's current owner, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation
does not
refer to the existence of the earlier documents, is in most aspects less protective of
environmental and occupational safety and health than the earlier ones.
In the last months of 2004, a series of letters were written to the EPA requesting it to fulfill its obligations as the lead agency overseeing the decontamination and demolition of 130 Liberty Street, formerly the Deutsche Bank building:
On December 13, 2004 Kevin Rampe of the Lower Manhattan Development Council wrote to EPA Administrator Michael Leavitt
- On October 20, 2004 EPA Region 2 Administrator Jane Kenny
- replied to Congressman Nadler's August 18th letter.
- On August 18, 2004 Congressman Nadler wrote to EPA
- Administrator Michael Leavitt.
On May 12, 2005, the LMDC issued the Revised Phase I Deconstruction Plan
In response to the press coverage of the environmental, health and safety and community groups to the presentations made by officials at the Lower Manhattan Development Corporations's January 24, 2005 Public Information Session, the LMDC has been sending out numerous e-updates, with answers to questions asked at the Session. You can subscribe here.
The latest testimony begins here, and continues below.
The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation's (LMDC) April 27th, 2005 Public Information Session on the Draft Allocation Framework for Remaining Funds was well attended, with at least 60 people signing up to present comments. It was released with the Report, “Guiding the Process: The Public Dialogue and Lower Manhattan Revitalization Initiatives”, which claims to demonstrate how the public discourse shaped the funding process thus far. Unfortunately not all of them were given time to speak, as promised. Some of the testimony is available here, some on other websites.
The City
Council Lower Manhattan Redevelopment Committee held
a hearing on the demolition planning on February 17, 2005. Again members of the
community and experts testified.
Steward,
U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission
On July 19, 2004 New York Environmental Law and Justice Project (NYELJP) sent its letter of intent to sue LMDC, Deutsche Bank, etc. for mishandling of toxic waste.
On April 15, 2004, LMDCreleased the Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement (FGEIS) for the World Trade Center Memorial and Redevelopment Plan. Click here to see Chapter 27, - 150 pages of LMDC's Response to Comments Submitted for the DEIS. Appendices are full of comment from hearings, community groups, public officials, mail and e-mails
On February 18, the LMDC held hearings on the Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (DGEIS) for the World Trade Center Memorial and Redevelopment Plan. Some of the testimony prestented at that meeting is available to us, and we would like to share it with you:
- Patricia Dillon, Chairperson, Environment Committee, Independence Plaza Tenants Association
- Diane Dreyfus, M.S. Architechture, Urban and Regional Planning
- Caroline Martin, Family Association of Tribeca East, "Actual Comments" and "Written Comments"
- Jenna Orkin, 9/11 Environmental Action, Concerned Stuyvesant Community.
See also:
The Rebuilding of Lower Manhattan: As Plans Progress, Lower Manhattan Residents Evaluate:
http://appserv.pace.edu/emplibrary/pace_poll_031604.pdf
Coalition
Applauds City Council Focus on Creating Jobs in the Rebuilding Process, Press Release, April 22, 2004