CBS: Documents Feds, City Knew Of Ground Zero Toxins

[Guest guest]

Sep 7, 2006 11:20 am US/Eastern

Documents: Feds, City Knew Of Ground Zero Toxins

Critics: Lower Manhattan Was Reopened Despite Knowledge The Air Was Unsafe

A CBS 2 Exclusive

_Got a World Trade Center Health Problem? Tell Us._

(mailto:wcbstvwebteam@...)

_Marcia Kramer_ (http://wcbstv.com/bios/local_bio_203134125.html)

Reporting

(CBS) NEW YORK Stunning proof has been uncovered that the government

knowingly put New Yorkers in harm's way after 9/11.

CBS 2 News has obtained documents revealing that Lower Manhattan was

reopened a few weeks following the attack even though the air was not safe.

The two devastating memos, written by the U.S. and local governments, show

they knew. They knew the toxic soup created at Ground Zero was a deadly health

hazard. Yet they sent workers into the pit and people back into their homes.

One of the memos, from the New York City health department, dated Oct. 6,

2001, noted: " The mayor's office is under pressure from building owners ... in

the Red Zone to open more of the city. " The memo said the Department of

Environmental Protection was " uncomfortable " with opening the areas but, " The

mayor's office was directing the Office of Emergency Management to open the

target areas next week. "

" Not only did they know it was unsafe, they didn't heed the words of more

experienced people that worked for the city and E.P.A., " said Kupferman,

with the group Environmental Justice Project.

Another part of the memo noted: " The E.P.A. has been very slow to make data

results available and to date has not sufficiently informed the public of air

quality issues arising from this disaster. "

" Unfortunately, it doesn't surprise me, " said health protestor Yuichi

Tamamo. " For the last five years we've been saying air quality here has been

horrible. "

It also doesn't suprise Carmen , who lives in an apartment in the

Baruch Houses that was engulfed in the 9/11 toxic plume. Her health has

deteriorated and she has multiple medicines.

" I feel forgotten, " she said.

Bruce Sprague, an E.P.A. official in the New York and New Jersey region

during 9/11 admited to CBS 2 News the agency was finding alarming air quality

readings at Ground Zero and in the surrounding areas.

Sprague said the E.P.A. had written much more conservative health

assessments, but the memos had to go to Washington. And when the White House

got its

hands on them, they -- according to Sprague -- softened them.

The city health department refused to comment on the memo, but inside

sources told CBS 2 News the memo is real. And its veracity is not questioned by

the

Environmental Justice Project's Kupferman.

He calls it " a smoking gun. "