United States Environmental Protection Agency September 11 attacks pollution controversy
| Company type | Government agency |
|---|---|
| Industry | Environmental protection |
| Founded | December 2, 1970 |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. , United States |
Key people | Christine Todd Whitman (former Administrator) |
| Website | www |
The controversy surrounding the United States Environmental Protection Agency and pollution following the September 11 attacks originated from a 2003 investigation conducted by the EPA Office of the Inspector General. This inquiry uncovered that the White House exerted pressure on the EPA to omit cautionary details regarding air quality conditions near Ground Zero after the September 11 attacks.
Main findings
The investigation revealed that an EPA announcement issued on September 18, which declared the air "safe," was made without adequate supporting data. The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) played a role in encouraging the EPA to provide public reassurance, and as early as September 12, the EPA Administrator required that all public statements receive approval from the National Security Council.
Significant revisions from initial drafts to final EPA communications downplayed potential hazards: initial advice for professional cleaning around Ground Zero was replaced with recommendations to comply with New York City officials; warnings concerning vulnerable groups were omitted; and asbestos risk descriptions were considerably softened.[1] Although sampling indicated asbestos concentrations two to three times above EPA safety thresholds, CEQ modifications characterized these levels as merely "slightly above" the limit.[2]
Administration backlash
The report generated significant criticism, particularly from residents near Ground Zero in New York. Approximately one year after 9/11, about 7,000 rescue personnel experienced respiratory ailments linked to exposure to dust and debris. Both governmental and private sector cleanup operations were criticized for insufficient protective measures.[3]
Senators Hillary Clinton and Joseph I. Lieberman formally raised concerns with President George W. Bush regarding alleged interference by the White House in EPA communication strategies.[4]
Whitman interview
In a 60 Minutes discussion with Katie Couric, former EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman criticized New York City officials for failing to mandate respirator use among rescue workers, pointing out that the EPA lacked statutory authority to enforce such requirements. Whitman defended her tenure, asserting that the agency did not provide misleading information about air quality near Ground Zero:
The last thing in the world that I would ever do would be to put people at risk... We never lied.
She specified that her assurances applied only to lower Manhattan and did not extend directly to the Ground Zero area. Despite this, first responders were informed that air quality did not pose a health threat. By 2006, Mount Sinai Hospital documented respiratory illnesses among World Trade Center responders attributable to toxic exposures. Following the establishment of the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) in 2011 to monitor affected individuals, more than 37,000 participants have been diagnosed with respiratory conditions and cancers. Fatalities within this group have exceeded 1,100.
Jenkins interview
EPA senior scientist Cate Jenkins claimed that two reports from New York University understated the alkalinity and associated dangers of the dust. These assertions were challenged by NYU researchers, who deemed Jenkins' statements scientifically unfounded. During an interview with CBS News, Jenkins charged EPA officials with being aware of the hazardous air conditions yet deliberately withholding this information:
House hearing
In September 2006, the House Committee on Homeland Security convened a two-day session to examine illnesses connected to air quality following 9/11. Both the EPA under Whitman and the authorities in New York City were scrutinized for their management of environmental health threats.
See also
External links
- ↑ Laurie Garrett (2003-08-23). "EPA Misled Public on 9/11 Pollution". Newsday.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs named:0 - ↑ Francesca Lyman (Sep 11, 2003). "Anger builds over EPA's 9/11 report". NBC News.
- ↑ "Senators and Past Administrator Speak Out on EPA Response to 9/11". OMB Watch. 2003-09-08.