New York: Toxic Air? Bush Didn't Care

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Environmental Group: Bush Administration Failed Public Health After 9-11
(New York-AP, August 18, 2004) —
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/news/apress_081804_airquality.html

The Bush administration showed "reckless disregard" for public health after the World Trade Center collapse by failing to warn people of the health risks of breathing toxic smoke and dust at ground zero, an environmental group said Wednesday.

Hundreds of people were sickened because of mistakes made by the government during the recovery and cleanup effort following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack, the Sierra Club said in a report on the environmental and health impacts of the collapse.

"The federal government should have a duty to protect the public from the aftermath of an attack such as this," said Suzanne Mattei, the report's author. "What happened instead is that the harm was prolonged."
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The Bush administration ignored studies about the toxins emitted by the demolition and incineration of large structures such as the trade center, the report said, and should have issued a warning immediately after the attacks about the hazards of inhaling the air there.

Related:

Worries and Reassurances About Air Quality Near Ground Zero -- 10/26/01
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/news/WABC_102601_airquality.html

Residents Say City Not Doing Enough To Assure Them About Health Concerns Near Ground Zero -- 11/8/01
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/news/WABC_110801_enviroimpact.html

'WTC Cough' May Lead To Hundreds More FDNY Retirements -- 9/10/02
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/news/WABC_091002_wtccough.html

[gratuitous]

1. Heck, I knew about this sitting in Portland

As soon as I found out that the towers contained large amounts of asbestos in the days after September 11, I knew for a fact that the air over the site was going to be a toxic brew of chemicals, asbestos fibers, and other crap that people shouldn't be breathing. I understood people's desire to get in there as quickly as they could to help out, and maybe save any survivors buried by the collapse, but I knew that they were going to be signing up for lingering death. Some in the next few months, others who won't develop symptoms for decades.

The question remains, though: Why didn't the governing authorities insist on adequate protection for the heroes digging through the rubble? And worse, why did the City, the State and the Federal governmental people keep issuing notices that all was well in the atmosphere, there was no danger, and precautions either weren't necessary or weren't a priority?

You and me, the taxpayers, will be paying for this blunder for decades. Or, we'll have a whole lot of people dying lingering, painful deaths while the Republicans try to make out that the situation couldn't have been helped, or that it's the sufferers' own fault, or they're a bunch of malingerers just looking for a government handout. I hope somebody barfs blood on Giuliani's or Bush's shoes.

[Killarney]

2. Many pregnant women

had miscarriages or gave birth to premature and/or low birthweight babies because of the toxic air.

It sickens me that the administration knew this and knew the risks and not only didn't warn people, but reassured them with lies.

Babies died because of this. Babies!

This is the lowest of the low. This administration makes me sick.