[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 22 (Tuesday, February 3, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5133-5134]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-2110]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology


Public Meeting To Present Progress and Preliminary Findings of 
the NIST Federal 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 
for February 12, 2004, to present an update on the progress and 
preliminary findings of the Federal Building and Fire Safety 
Investigation of the World Trade Center Disaster 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 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 
February 19, 2004. All comments received will be forwarded to the 
appropriate investigator for consideration.

DATES: The meeting will be held on Thursday, February 12, 2004, from 10 
a.m. to 5 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the New York Marriott Financial 
Center Hotel, 85 West Street, New York, New York, (212) 385-4900.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephen Cauffman at (301) 975-6051 or 
by e-mail at [email protected]. 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; electronically by e-mail to [email protected]; or by fax to (301) 975-
6122.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NIST is conducting a Federal building and 
fire

[[Page 5134]]

safety investigation of the World Trade Center disaster. NIST is 
investigating the building construction, the materials used, and the 
technical conditions that combined to cause the World Trade Center 
disaster following the airplane impacts. The primary objectives of the 
NIST-led technical investigation of the WTC disaster are to:
    (1) Determine why and how WTC 1 and 2 collapsed following the 
initial impacts of the aircraft, and why and how WTC 7 collapsed;
    (2) Determine why the injuries and fatalities were so high or low 
depending on location, including all technical aspects of fire 
protection, occupant behavior, evacuation, and emergency response;
    (3) Determine what procedures and practices were used in the 
design, construction, operation, and maintenance of WTC 1, 2, and 7; 
and
    (4) Identify, as specifically as possible, areas in building and 
fire codes, standards, and practices that are still in use and warrant 
revision.
    The investigation is part of a broader NIST response plan to the 
WTC disaster, which includes research and development and information 
dissemination and technical assistance.
    To request an opportunity to speak, NIST must receive the following 
information via e-mail ([email protected]) or fax ((301)-975-6122) no later 
than 5 p.m. on February 5, 2004:

 Name and contact information (including fax, phone, 
and/or e-mail) of individual who would be speaking.
 Name and complete address of organization(s) that 
speaker represents.
 A 150- to 200-word summary of key points to be made 
by the speaker relating to:
 (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.

    Those who are selected to speak will be contacted by 12 noon on 
February 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 will be selected based on the following criteria:
    (1) Relevance of the 150- to 200-word summary 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.
    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; electronically by 
e-mail to [email protected]; or by fax to (301) 975-6122. All comments 
received will be forwarded to the appropriate investigator for 
consideration.
    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: January 27, 2004.
Arden L. Bement, Jr.,
Director.
[FR Doc. 04-2110 Filed 2-2-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-13-P