EPA Response to September 11

Lower Manhattan Test and Clean Program

The Final Report for the
Lower Manhattan Test and Clean Program is now available.

The US Environmental Protection Agency played a key role in the nation’s response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan. To protect public safety and health, EPA coordinated with multiple levels and branches of government to respond comprehensively to the initial emergency situation and the resulting environmental disaster. EPA led or participated in essential response activities including:

the monitoring of air, water and dust for potential environmental hazards;
the vacuuming of debris and dust from streets and other outdoor spaces in Lower Manhattan;
the manual disposal of hazardous waste from the WTC site;
the creation of an online database to report monitoring results to the public and press;
setting up wash stations and providing protective equipment for recovery workers;
and the development of cleaning and testing programs for indoor residences in Lower Manhattan.

Because many of EPA’s day-to-day activities at ground zero are complete, much of the information and data available to the public is now outdated or archived. The amount of this information is vast, but EPA has attempted to provide as much as possible through this Web site. Please follow the links below to locate the information you require. For any further inquiries, please contact us.

Outdoor Monitoring: Explains and provides data that was gathered from more than 30 fixed air monitors in and around Manhattan. Also provides information from air, dust, water, and river sediment samples collected by EPA following the collapse of the WTC towers.

Indoor Programs: Provides information about the indoor residential dust cleanup program completed in 2004 as well as the ongoing demolition and destruction of affected buildings in Lower Manhattan

Library: A catalogue of documents relating to EPA’s response to 9/11. Also includes extensive audio and text documentation of the Expert Technical Review Panel and its meetings.

Newsroom: Press releases relating to EPA’s work in Lower Manhattan as well as an image gallery and an archive of other press materials.

Contacts: A list of important contacts for questions or concerns about EPA’s response to 9/11.