19 April 2002
Source: http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/releases/n02-02.htm

Earlier notice: http://cryptome.org/nist040802.txt

NIST to Postpone April 22 Meeting in New York on World Trade Center Investigation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 15, 2002
Contacts: Michael Newman
(301) 975-3025

NIST 2002-02

The Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is postponing a public meeting scheduled for April 22, 2002, in New York City to gather the public's input on the agency's proposed building and fire safety investigation of the World Trade Center (WTC) towers following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The New York City meeting will be rescheduled after two critical documents are available to potential presenters at the meeting: (1) the upcoming report on the Building Performance Assessment Team (BPAT) study of the disaster conducted by the coalition led by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); and (2) the proposed NIST investigation plan, which will be based in part on the BPAT report. The NIST plan will be made available in print and on the NIST Web site after the BPAT report is released.

This postponement will allow the public a greater opportunity to make informed comment on the scope of NIST's proposed plan to investigate the WTC disaster.

Submissions already received by NIST will be given full consideration when the meeting is rescheduled; those submissions can be amended to reflect the additional information that will be made available to the public.

As a non-regulatory agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce's Technology Administration, NIST develops and promotes measurements, standards and technology to enhance productivity, facilitate trade, and improve the quality of life.