EPA Coverup Of Ground Zero WTC Toxics Alleged

Two key figures have resigned from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the last month. Both officials, the chief investigator for the EPA's Ombudsman Office and the Ombudsman himself, stated in their resignation letters that the EPA has covered up the existence of deadly pollution in the area of the destroyed World Trade Center towers in New York.

While this issue is debated, emergency workers who were sent to the scene and residents of Lower Manhattan are developing serious, and in some cases, life threatening health problems.

We don't even hear much about the area around the World Trade Center towers - or Ground Zero as it was dubbed by the news media - on the TV news or in the newspapers any longer. From the point of view of the corporate controlled mainstream media, the story is old. But for some firefighters and other personnel who worked or are still working at the scene, the trauma of the terrorist attacks has now become very personal as their own health is threatened.

At a New York public hearing in February, Hugh Kaufman, then chief investigator for the EPA's Ombudsman Office, told a group of scientists, residents, and small business owners that he believed the EPA was deliberately not testing the air quality in the World Trade Center area properly and covering up the reasons why.

"I believe EPA did not do that because they knew it would come up not safe and so they are involved in providing knowingly false information to the public about safety," Kaufman said at the hearing.

While the EPA continues to claim that the air around the site is safe, scores of rescue workers, cleanup crews, and residents are reporting respiratory problems. Many believe something in the air from the collapse of the towers is making them sick.

U.S. Congressman Jerrold Nadler, whose district includes the site, said at a public meeting he called at the Federal Courthouse in Lower Manhattan, "It's remarkable. Either they have something to hide or they don't give a damn."

In November, 2001, EPA Administrator Christie Whitman issued an order to dissolve the ombudsman's position, an office created to give the public a forum for complaints about the agency 's actions. The Congressional order that established the office expired last fall, and she decided not to ask for renewal. In light of what we are now learning of the effects of the Bush administration on the EPA, it is no surprise that the public oversight function would be eliminated.

Many workers from FEMA, New York Fire Fighters and Urban Search and Rescue teams wore no protective masks.

The risks have been greatly magnified for many residents, rescue workers, and cleanup crews, because many did not wear any breathing protection sufficient to protect their lungs at ground zero and in the surrounding community. In fact, many day laborers, including large numbers of immigrants who spoke little or no English, were hired to clean up buildings covered with toxic dust.

Not widely reported in the news media is the fact that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) gathered data early on about the pollution levels at the site. The Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS), a scientific instrument designed to view the site in many different wavelengths, was flown on an aircraft by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and NASA over the World Trade Center area on September 16, 18, 22, and 23, 2001.

A two person crew from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected samples of dusts and debris from more than 35 localities within a distance of one kilometer from the World Trade Center site on the evenings of September 17 and 18, 2001. While not by any means a complete study, the data showed elevated levels of asbestos and many other pollutants, including the heavy metals, aluminum, chromium, antimony, molybdenum, and barium.

Government officials have tried to downplay the asbestos threat by claiming that mostly chrysotile asbestos, a form of the mineral considered to be less carcinogenic than other forms, was found. The USGS document describing the results of their tests points out that such a claim, "has not been universally accepted by the scientific community." But it is convenient politically.

What studies done to date will not show are the localized toxic clouds of multiple substances that have been formed as millions of pounds of chemical compounds from the debris combine in unexpected ways. Many rescue and cleanup workers feel they have become ill from these invisible toxic clouds. A reader of my weekly commentaries contacted me about her friend and colleague, a rescue worker from a fire department in another state who was ordered to the World Trade Center right after the disaster. She became progressively sicker soon after this work and has been shuttled from doctor to doctor.

A bone marrow aspiration revealed a huge level of toxic mercury in her system that could only have gotten there from an intense outside exposure. The only place she could have gotten such an exposure was at the World Trade Center.

Increased pressure inside her skull has developed, and she is having severe headaches, nausea, and nosebleeds. Her friend reported to me that, "She has a horrible rash all over her body. She has horrible cramps in her legs and back. Her lung capacity is greatly diminished and she has had major changes in her vision, and was told she is going blind. The government doctor who was sent to treat her told her to take a six month leave of absence and get her life in order because in six months she would no longer be able to perform her duties as a firefighter."

The supervisor of this 12 year veteran rescue worker told her "all of this medical testing is fine, as long as it does not get in the way of you doing your job." With the EPA downplaying any toxic effects, she is getting little sympathy from agencies and insurance companies.

In EPA Ombudsman Robert Martin's Earth Day resignation letter, he accused EPA Administrator Whitman of withholding data about the toxic air at the World Trade Center for personal gain. He discovered that Whitman is married to a man who served for years as an officer of Citigroup and who now manages about $800 million of the firm's investments.

Martin said he later discovered that Citigroup owns Traveler's Insurance, the insurance company of many buildings in World Trade Center area. He feels that because Whitman issued a statement assuring people that everything was fine, Traveler's saved a lot of money by not having to pay claims.

While studies and investigations continue, people suffer from an environmental catastrophe. I challenge a group of attorneys to come forward, find the rescue and cleanup workers who have been poisoned by working at the World Trade Center site, and force the government to accept responsibility for their health care.

We will never end terrorism in the world if we can't eradicate injustice and greed from our own government agencies, political leaders, and industries.

1. See the complete USGS report on NASA's flight over the World Trade Center at: http://greenwood.cr.usgs.gov/pub/open-file-reports /ofr-01-0429/

2. See a collection of links related to health effects from the World Trade Center cleanup by the New York Committee on Occupational Health & Safety at: http://www.qc.edu/CBNS/WTChealthinfo.html

3. Read the full story about the EPA ombudsman's resignation at: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/67576_ombud sman24.shtml

4. Find out who your Congressional representatives are and e-mail them. Demand that they reveal the true nature of the danger at the World Trade Center site and compensate all injured workers, emergency personnel, and residents." If you know your Zip code, you can find them at: http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/ziptoit.html

5. See a fact sheet on pollutants at the World Trade Center site from the NY Committee on Occupational Health & Safety at: http://www.nycosh.org/wtc-catastrophe-factsheet.pd f

6. Visit the website of the New York Environmental Law and Justice Project. They want the area to be declared a Superfund site. See their activities at: http://www.nyenvirolaw.org/WTC/WTC-index.htm

7. See a "USA Today" story about the anxiety over toxic substances at the WTC site at: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2002/02/07/usa t-wtc-acov.htm

8. Visit a collection of news reports on this issue on Immune Web, a website for people who suffer from environmental diseases, at: http://www.immuneweb.org/911/news/

9. Read a critique of the EPA studies by "Worker's World" at: http://www.workers.org/ww/2002/pollute0307.php

{Jackie Alan Giuliano, Ph.D. is a writer and teacher in Seattle and the author of "Healing Our World, A Journey from the Darkness Into the Light," available at: http://www.xlibris.com/HealingOurWorld.html. Please send your thoughts, comments, and visions to him at: jackie@healingourworld.com and visit his website at: http://www.healingourworld.com}

"First, measure what dangers are there..publicize what's measured..people can take precautions,..limiting exposure..breathing masks..being..alert" etc. The pigs who flew the planes into the towers are to blame for the tragedy. We are responsible for our response."

Precisely. Lay it out for the public, offer assistance, and let the people decide what they need to do to survive in said environment if they choose not to leave Manhattan. Therefore, the onus is off the .gov and people get to feel good about themselves for taking control of their lives at a time of total chaos.

6. Visit the website of the New York Environmental Law and Justice Project. They want the area to be declared a Superfund site. See their activities at: http://www.nyenvirolaw.org/WTC/WTC-index.htm

Hmmm. NY Environmental Law and Justice Project -- Groups with names like this are just fronts for lawyers that are circling the site like sharks and waiting for a chance to get fat. And the enviro-nazis are chuming the water for them by throwing out this as bait. If Fat Jerry Nadler kicks the bucket anytime soon, they'll point out that it was because this was his district and he himself was exposed. However, more than likely it was too many fat pills (donuts) and heart-busters from the House kitchen.

I think it's common sense that the air at Ground Zero in the immediate days after 9/11 would be, let's say, different. But if the accounts I read on here are true, the fact that rescue workers choose not to wear their masks shows where blame should also be laid.

And I don't believe the EPA "covered" this up. I read all about the potential air hazards around Ground Zero shortly after 9/11.

You said:
"Do you mean to say that people had NO idea that the air was contaminated in the area of the WTC.......really????????"

Did you mean to say that people in shock don't think about toxic air or inhaling asbestos initially......well, did you really????????

9. Read a critique of the EPA studies by "Worker's World" at: http://www.workers.org/ww/2002/pollute0307.php

Even using these nuts as a source speaks ill of the author's credibility. I don't think that anyone thought for one second that the dusty air in the vicinity of the WTC was healthy. As another poster said, sounds like the lawyers are trying to cash in.

-Eric

I own an asbestos removal firm in NJ. We do most of our work in NYC.
After 9/11 our workers were on site at the WTC trying to help.
We set up portable decontamination systems, handed out hundreds of respirators with filters and thousands of eye wash kits.
It was a futile effort.
Other than providing immediate relief, we knew that the levels of toxicity were unbelievably high!
At the time, we all knew the EPA & NYC DEP were wrong, wrong, wrong. The lead, asbestos, pcb and other toxins were everywhere on everything for a ten block radius.
We knew there would be no way for anyone working there to not be contaminated by something with or without a respirator.
The filters can only do so much. And different filters are required for different substances. With contamination levels that high and fom so many different sources, serious health concerns were and are valid.

I agree.. while Clinton was no prize I'm sure we won't hear from the masses on here about the evils and the legacy of the Bush Administration. I'm sure Bush is no more invovled in this crap anymore than Clinton was invovled in some of the crap from his time. In any case that being said I have a feeling this is going to fall down the lines of the Gulf War Disease where they denied denied denied until their was just too much proof to deny it anymore.

To me it is a no-brainer that the collapse of two flaming 100-story skyscrapers will release toxic gases and particulates into the air over a period of many hours, days, or even weeks. For this reason I criticize both the EPA, which supposedly claimed there was no such hazard, and those who needed the EPA to warn them of the hazard.

Your work being futile in Manhattan is really sad. Thank you for risking your life or even your health by going there to help Manhattan in its darkest hour - and thank you for informing us of the toxicity in Manhattan. In your opinion, is it safe to visit Manhattan for a day trip or once a week? Anyone else know the scoop about how safe it is now? I'd appreciate any feedback.

TIA
JL

"Many workers from FEMA, New York Fire Fighters and Urban Search and Rescue teams wore no protective masks. "

People, go back to a couple weeks after 9-11 and this was all over the news. FEMA and the EPA was begging them to wear proper protective equipment and had thousands and thousands of masks donated.

It's not the fault of the federal Gov't if the proper safety protection wasn't used. I know because I had 18 years as a firefighter (4 in NY) and we always knew not to take our masks off after a fire but we always did. Chemicals float around after any fire for a long time and call it hard headed or whatever they can't say they didn't know !

Now it's fine to visit.Come on, you will love NYC.
We have had enough time, rain, clean up and dissapation. Being in NYC and at the WTC site will do you no harm now.

It was the weeks after 9/11 and during the worst part of the clean up that things were dangerous. All kinds of stuff was all over the place. You would never know it today. Our city is sparkling clean.

I feel really sorry for the folks that live in the area. Asbestos and Lead removal is terribly expensive and the average cost for a complete decontamination of an apartment is around $25- $30,000.00 and that's really lowballing it due to pity.
Most don't have that kind of cash plus, their homes are a wreck.

Before I got into this business, I worked 1 block from the WTC for 18 years and the buildings we work on and agencies and firms we do work for now were all in the immediate area. It just broke my heart to see the damage done. the disruption it caused and the deaths of so many innocent workers.

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