Did White House Release Misleading Information On 9-11 Air? White House Altered EPA Reports?

NBC Report ^ | 09-03-02

[Brian S]

NBC Report: White House Altered EPA Reports On Safety Of Air Quality

POSTED: 9:19 p.m. EDT September 3, 2003 UPDATED: 11:19 p.m. EDT September 3, 2003

Just a week after Sept. 11, 2001, the agency responsible for the environmental health of Americans-- the Environmental Protection Agency -- declared the air and water safe in New York.

But now, in her first interview, the EPA's top watchdog says the agency didn't have the facts when it said it was safe to move back to the offices and homes near ground zero -- and she's pointing the finger all the way to the White House.

In the wake of 9/11, there were serious concerns about whether the air around ground zero was filled with toxins that were unsafe for workers and residents.

But by Sept. 18, 2001, many New Yorkers were back in their apartments and on the job. Partly because of a press release that day from the EPA reassuring New Yorkers that "their air is safe to breathe."

In an exclusive interview, Inspector General Nikki Tinsley - the EPA's top watchdog -- told NBC News that the agency simply did not have sufficient data to justify such a reassurance.

In fact, a new report by Tinsley's office says at the time, more than 25 percent of dust samples collected before Sept. 18, 2001, showed unsafe levels of asbestos. But the EPA had no test results at all on PCBs, dioxins, or particulates in the air that can cause respiratory problems.

"The EPA did not give the people of New York complete information," Tinsley said. "It had put together press releases that were more informative than those that it ultimately released."

So what happened?

Tinsley's report charged that in crucial days after 9/11, the White House changed EPA press releases to "add reassuring statements and delete cautionary ones."

On Sept. 13, 2001, the EPA draft release that was never released to the public said that EPA "testing terrorized sites for environmental hazards." The White House changed that to EPA "reassures public about environmental hazards."

On Sept 16, 2001, the EPA draft said that "recent samples of dust ... on Water Street show higher levels of asbestos." The White House version read: "new samples confirm ... ambient air quality meets OSHA government standards," and "is not a cause for public concern."

The White House omitted from the report this warning: "That air samples raise concerns for cleanup workers and office workers near Water Street."

So why were all of these changes made? Tinsley believes it was for security public relations.

"We were told that a desire to reopen Wall Street and national security concerns were the reasons for changing the press releases," Tinsley said.

When all the tests on PCBs and particulates did come in, they did not raise any red flags. But that does not satisfy Kathryn Freed, who lives near Ground zero and now has been diagnosed with bronchitis possibly caused by chemicals from 9/11. She never left her apartment, and feels misled.

"I did influence people to stay," Freed said. "I mean, it kind of made me feel better, I'm not sure I really believed it but there was part of me that said 'well, it's OK and I've just got to do what I've got to do' and there won't be health problems."

While Tinlsey suggests the White House misled the public about the air quality around Ground zero, she stops short of accusing anyone of actually lying, or knowingly providing false information. And Tinsley says the EPA handled most things during 9/11 very well.

In her first broadcast interview on this topic, former EPA Administrator Christie Whitman denies misleading anyone.

"The White House never directed the Environmental Protection Agency to withhold facts or to lie to the people of the city of New York."

James Connaughton, the head of the White House environmental policy group that changed the 9/11 press releases, agrees.

"We used the best information to us available at the time," Connaughton said.

[Alter Kaker]

Nonsense. Clinton and his band of placators caused it by not responding, ignoring and not taking any chances on the dozens of terrorist incidents that occurred on HIS WATCH.

Do you blame Neville Chamberlain for Shoa? Of course not. Chamberlain was fool who could have stopped major war, but Hitler and Germans were real monster. Do not forget that.

[At _War_With_Liberals]

"Clinton killed 3,000 on 9/11 with his lies."

I have long maintained that Clinton is a sociopath and has no moral problem with killing people and never has any remorse. Like Hitlery, he has no feeling at all, and assumes no one else feels anything..

That's why he can attempt to rape women, and wonder why they would 'feel' anything negative about it. Combine this with megalomania and you have a near madman. If he had absolute power, like a dictatorship, the atrocities would be numerous.

As long as the Clintons are breathing, we are in grave danger.

[At _War_With_Liberals]

I base this theory, which I had as the events unfolded, before all this evidence proving he consciously and deliberately protected BL from US power.

I have used circumstances, analysis of his psychological makeup, his actions, his reactions, and deductive reasoning to come to many conclusions that have turned out to be proven true later.

This is not one of those instances.

But, I do not need to quote a reporter from an article by the biased media in order to infer truths about Clinton.

[At _War_With_Liberals]

"First off, the air in NEW YORK is NEVER safe to BREATHE"

Disagree. In NY, it is always safe to breathe.

Only a lawyer or an environmentalist would push the idea that it is never safe to breathe in NY. It's simply not true.

[DKM]

"Nikki Tinsley is a Clinton nominee .........."

Did some checking on this last nite. All kinds of glowing praises for her in nomination speeches from the Senate's website, mostly from the left side of the aisle.....but today.....all of them pulled.

[lawdude]

Of course the WH issued false air quality reports. The whole idea was to kill every damn New Yawker. Shit, everyone knows that.

That'll teach them damn new yawkers to elect hillarie!

[PhilDragoo]

My copy of Richard Miniter, Losing bin Laden: How Bill Clinton's Failures Unleashed Global Terror, has shipped.

Hitlery!, D.U. Thompson, NastyBittyCouric, et al wish to (two years after) cry "Kopf! Kopf!"

Let us use the leftist approach of tracing root causes.

Air quality questionable at Ground Zero?

Who caused Ground Zero?

Osama bin Laden.

Who was criminally negligent in failing on numerous occasions to capture Bin Laden?

The firm of Clinton & Clinton.

If there's suing to be done, then, "Soohee! Hitlery!"

I am sick and tired of being called responsible for 9-11 just because my husband and I were criminally negligent in failing to capture bin Laden!
We should stand up and say we have a right to be criminally negligent and we will do so when my husband pulls up his pants!

[Tymesup]

I'm not qualified to tell you what to do about bad air. My point was that at the time somebody in the administration said the air was safe to breathe, it wasn't.
If they didn't know, that's what they should have said. If they knew it wasn't safe, that's what they should have said.

[BOBTHENAILER]

I am sick and tired of being called responsible for 9-11 just because my husband and I were criminally negligent in failing to capture bin Laden! We should stand up and say we have a right to be criminally negligent and we will do so when my husband pulls up his pants!

Great work on the root causes.

[UCANSEE2]

Disagree. In NY, it is always safe to breathe. Only a lawyer or an environmentalist would push the idea that it is never safe to breathe in NY. It's simply not true.

Thanks for your response. I hope you realize and acknowledge I was exxagerating to make a point.

Here is what I would like someone to 'shove up the arse' of the lying/criminal-supporting/anything for a buck media.

How many people died from breathing , in New York, when this report of SAFE AIR was released?

[At _War_With_Liberals]

"Disagree. In NY, it is always safe to breathe. Only a lawyer or an environmentalist would push the idea that it is never safe to breathe in NY. It's simply not true.

Thanks for your response. I hope you realize and acknowledge I was exxagerating to make a point. "



Got it now!