Res. No. 1122 Title Resolution calling upon the federal government to install air filtration and purification equipment in all schools located below 14th Street in the borough of Manhattan. Body By Council Members Lopez, Comrie, Gerson, Jackson, Perkins, Seabrook, Stewart and Quinn Whereas, On September 11, 2001, a horrific terrorist attack upon the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan resulted in tremendous loss of life and destroyed the Twin Towers along with other large office buildings in lower Manhattan; and Whereas, That destruction released vast quantities of smoke, dust and particulate matter into the atmosphere of lower Manhattan, some of which material was toxic and carcinogenic; and Whereas, During the months that followed September 11, 2001, as fires continued to burn at the World Trade Center site and as cleanup work continued, additional toxic smoke, dust and particulate matter was released into the atmosphere of lower Manhattan; and Whereas, On August 21, 2003, Inspector General Nikki Tinsley of the Environmental Protection Agency released a report stating that the federal government had mislead New York City about the air quality in lower Manhattan in the weeks and months following September 11, 2001; and Whereas, During the reconstruction of the World Trade Center complex, which will take many years, construction equipment will create elevated levels of diesel and other pollutants in lower Manhattan; and Whereas, Approximately 40 schools serving many thousands of students are located in lower Manhattan below 14th Street, six of which are within several city blocks of the World Trade Center site; and Whereas, The students who attend these schools have already been subjected to high levels of potentially toxic and carcinogenic materials as a result of the destruction of the World Trade Center complex and will be subject to elevated levels of diesel and other pollutants during the reconstruction of the World Trade Center complex; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the federal government to install air filtration and purification equipment in all schools located below 14th Street in the borough of Manhattan. MHG LS# 3164 October 21, 2003 |1013|