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ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH IN RESPONSE TO 9/11 AND HOMELAND SECURITY
Citation:
Vette, A F., S Gavett, S G. Perry, D K. Heist, A. H. Huber, M N. Lorber, P. J. Lioy, P. Georgopoulos, S T. Rao, W B. Petersen, B. Hicks, J. S. Irwin, AND G J. Foley. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH IN RESPONSE TO 9/11 AND HOMELAND SECURITY. EM: AIR AND WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION'S MAGAZINE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGERS (February):14-22, (2004).
Impact/Purpose:
The main objectives of this research are to measure ambient concentrations of PM and related air toxics in lower Manhattan as they pertain to transport of PM and air toxics emitted in the vicinity of the WTC recovery site.
Description:
The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 resulted in a disaster unlike any other on U.S. soil. The collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC) towers and the underground fires that burned for months required the efforts of numerous Federal, State and local agencies as well as universities to provide a better understanding of the impacts of the disaster on the environment and the public's health. The extensive monitoring efforts undertaken by these entities were vital to estimate impacts on public health in the aftermath of the disaster. This paper describes how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Research and Development (EPA-ORD) responded to the WTC disaster with monitoring, modeling and risk assessment.
It is imperative that our nation is prepared to respond to disasters resulting from terrorist attacks and minimize the impact on the public's health. Future attacks may involve the use of agricultural and industrial chemicals, biological warfare and even a "dirty" bomb. These scenarios and others may ultimately entail contaminating the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat - in other words, our environment. To this end, scientists at the U.S. EPA-ORD initiated a research program devoted to Homeland Security issues that began in the aftermath of 9/11.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through its Office of Research and Development produced this research in collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) through an interagency agreement. This manuscript has been peer reviewed and approved by EPA for publication. This manuscript does not necessarily reflect the views of NOAA or the views and policies of the EPA. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.