5 June 2002
Source: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/fr-cont.html
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[Federal Register: June 5, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 108)]
[Notices]
[Page 38643-38644]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05jn02-33]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Public Meeting To Gather Comments and Suggestions Related to the
Scope of the Pending NIST Building and Fire Safety Investigation of the
World Trade Center Disaster
AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
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SUMMARY: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) of
the United States Department of Commerce has scheduled a public meeting
to be held on June 24, 2002, to gather comments and suggestions related
to the scope of its pending building and fire safety investigation of
the World Trade Center disaster. A draft of the proposed NIST
investigation plan with details on its scope will be made available
June 10, 2002 on the Web site http://wtc.nist.gov. A review of the
recently completed report ``World Trade Center Building Performance
Study: Data Collection, Preliminary Observations, and Recommendations''
sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and led by
the American Society of Civil Engineers may be useful in formulating
comments and suggestions. This report (FEMA 403, May 2002) may be found
at http://www.fema.gov/library/wtcstudy.htm. Individuals and
representatives of organizations who would like to offer comments and
suggestions related to the scope of the pending NIST investigation are
invited to request a place on the agenda. The total number of speakers
and organizations, and the time
[[Page 38644]]
available for each, will be determined by the number of requests, but
the time is likely to be 5 to 10 minutes each. Speakers who wish to
expand upon their oral statements, those who had wished to speak but
could not be accommodated on the agenda, and those who are unable to
attend in person are invited to submit written statements and
supporting material to the WTC Technical Information Repository
preferably before June 30, 2002. This meeting is being re-scheduled
from April 22, 2002.
DATES: The meeting will be held on June 24, 2002, from 8:00 AM to 4:00
PM.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Marriott New York East Side
Hotel, 525 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017. Telephone number is:
(212) 755-4000.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephen Cauffman, (301) 975-6051 or by
e-mail at stephen.cauffman@nist.gov. Written statements and supporting
material should be submitted to the WTC Technical Information
Repository, Building and Fire Research Laboratory, National Institute
of Standards and Technology, MS 8610, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8610 or
electronically by e-mail to WTC@NIST.gov or by Fax to (301) 975-6122.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: President Bush has proposed to Congress that
NIST investigate the building construction, the materials used, and the
technical conditions that combined to cause the World Trade Center
disaster following the airplane impacts. The scope of the NIST
investigation will address the following primary objectives, which are
to:
Determine the probable technical causes of the collapse of
the World Trade Center buildings (the Twin Towers and WTC 7);
Determine the factors that led to the injuries and
fatalities, including all technical aspects of fire protection,
response, evacuation, and occupant behavior and emergency response;
Determine the procedures and practices that were used in
the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the World Trade
Center buildings; and
Identify building and fire codes, standards, and practices
that warrant revision.
The investigation is to be part of a broader NIST response plan to
the WTC disaster, which also is to include research and development and
information dissemination and technical assistance.
To request an opportunity to speak, NIST must receive the following
information via e-mail (WTC@NIST.gov) or FAX ((301)-975-6122) no later
than 5:00 PM on June 17, 2002:
Name and contact information (including FAX, phone and/or
e-mail) of individual who will be speaking.
Name and complete address of organization(s) speaker
represents.
A 150-200 word summary of key points to be made by the
speaker relating to the scope of the pending NIST investigation.
Those who are selected to speak will be contacted by 12 noon on
June 19, 2002, using the FAX, phone or e-mail address provided, and
informed of the decision and the maximum amount of time allotted to
each speaker. Speakers will be selected based on the following
criteria: (1) Relevance of the 150-200 word summary to the primary
objectives of the NIST investigation listed previously, (2) order in
which requests are received, (3) balancing interests and perspectives,
and (4) avoidance of duplication in comments and suggestions.
Speakers who wish to expand upon their oral statements, those who
wish to speak but cannot be accommodated on the agenda, and those who
are unable to attend in person are invited to submit written statements
and supporting material to the WTC Technical Information Repository,
Building and Fire Research Laboratory, National Institute of Standards
and Technology, MS 8610, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8610 or electronically
by e-mail to WTC@NIST.gov or by Fax to (301) 975-6122.
Statements made at the meeting and/or submitted to NIST may be
recorded and transcribed and made available to the public at a later
date. The meeting will be Web cast and linked to the NIST home page,
http://www.nist.gov/. Details will be available on that Web site before
the meeting.
Dated: May 31, 2002.
Arden L. Bement, Jr.,
Director.
[FR Doc. 02-14082 Filed 6-4-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-13-P