Res. No. 43 Title Resolution calling upon the Mayor to establish a new agency by executive order, or else designate an existing agency or division thereof, to coordinate the World Trade Center clean-up efforts in order to ensure that Lower Manhattan, and all surrounding areas affected by the toxic dust and debris caused by the September 11th tragedy, are made environmentally safe. Body By Council Members Gerson, Gennaro, Avella, Comrie, DeBlasio, Jackson, Jennings, Katz, Koppell, Lopez, McMahon, Perkins, Quinn, Reyna, Yassky and Brewer Whereas, The September 11th disaster caused dust and debris containing asbestos fiber and other toxic substances to be spread throughout the Lower Manhattan area, including the inside of residential and business buildings where such substances became lodged in air ventilation and air conditioning systems in addition to having accumulated in a variety of nooks and crannies of residential and business units; and Whereas, Such dust and debris has spread from the initial attack and collapse and subsequent debris removal activities; and Whereas, Industrial hygiene and medical experts have reached a consensus on the imperative of properly and thoroughly eliminating such fiber from those buildings, including the air ventilation and air conditioning systems, because failure to attain proper removal would result in the harmful inhalation of asbestos fibers and other hazardous substances by all persons in these buildings, including children, seniors, and other persons at special risk; and Whereas, Despite the life and death importance of this clean-up effort, the removal of the dust and debris has been left to property owners or residents without government oversight and certification; and Whereas, Many residents have reported substantial negligence in the clean-up and removal operations, including work done by uncertified crews, failure to clean ventilation systems, and failure to clean abandoned property or apartments from which toxic dust continues to blow; and Whereas, Many residents also report an inability to access High-Efficiency Particulate Air ("HEPA") vacuum cleaners and filters which are necessary to properly clean the areas that property owners and managers have, for whatever reason, refused or declined to clean, and to prevent new dust from re-circulating in their apartments; and Whereas, Every elected official representing the downtown area, in addition to Council Member Gerson, has called upon the Mayor to establish or designate one City agency to coordinate the clean-up operation and provide up-to-date information; such officials include Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Senator Martin Connor, Congressman Jerry Nadler, State Senator Tom Duane, Assembly Member Deborah Glick, Council Member Margarita Lopez, and Manhattan Borough President Fields; and Whereas, The health of area residents, workers and visitors, as well as the successful economic revitalization of downtown, require the thorough clean-up of the area; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Council calls upon the Mayor to establish a new agency by executive order, or else designate an existing agency or division thereof, to coordinate the World Trade Center clean-up efforts in order to ensure that Lower Manhattan, and all surrounding areas affected by the toxic dust and debris caused by the September 11th tragedy, are made environmentally safe.