NIST to Hold Public Meeting on WTC Investigation in NYC on February 12

Location: New York Marriott Financial Center Hotel, 85 West Street, New York, NY

Meeting agenda

The Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has scheduled a public meeting for Feb. 12, 2004, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., in New York City, to present an update on the progress and preliminary findings of the Federal Building and Fire Safety Investigation of the World Trade Center Disaster in response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and to solicit comments from the public on:

1. specific technical aspects of the individual projects as reported in our December 2003 progress update and presentations to the National Construction Safety Team Advisory Committee (available on the NIST WTC Investigation Web site: http://wtc.nist.gov);  
2. information that NIST might consider in the time remaining that is within the scope of the eight projects described in the investigation plan (the plan is available at the same Web site); and  
3. areas that NIST should consider, within the scope of its investigation, in order to make recommendations for specific improvements to building and fire practice, standards, and codes, and their timely adoption.

Individuals and representatives of organizations who would like to offer comments may request an opportunity to speak at the public meeting. The total number of speakers and organizations, and the time available for each, will be determined by the number of requests, but the time is likely to be 5 to 10 minutes each.

Speakers will be selected based on the following criteria:

1. relevance of a 150- to 200-word summary of the proposed comments on any or all of the above three topics,  
2. order in which requests are received,  
3. balancing interests and perspectives, and  
4. avoidance of duplication in comments and suggestions.

Persons may register for the meeting by 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2004.

Alternatively, you may submit written statements and supporting material to reach NIST by the same deadline via:

E-mail: wtc@nist.gov

Fax: (301) 975-6122

Mail: WTC Technical Information Repository
Building and Fire Research Laboratory  
NIST Stop
8610  
Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8610.

Those who are selected to speak will be contacted by 12 noon Eastern Time on Feb. 9, 2004, 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 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 by Feb. 19, 2004. All comments received will be forwarded to the appropriate investigator for consideration.

This is an important opportunity for the public to provide valuable input to NIST as we make progress toward completion of the World Trade Center investigation later this fall.

For questions about the February 12 meeting, call (301) 975-6051.

World Trade Center homepage

Construction Safety Investigation homepage