New York City’s Department of Investigation (DOI) has engaged outside legal counsel to examine what successive mayoral administrations knew about the presence of toxic dust at Ground Zero following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and whether appropriate actions were taken in response.
The DOI announced it is contracting Epstein Becker & Green, a law firm specializing in environmental and workplace safety issues, to assist in the inquiry. The investigation will review the administrations of Rudy Giuliani, Michael Bloomberg, Bill de Blasio, and Eric Adams, spanning the period from the attacks through subsequent years of site cleanup and redevelopment.
Rudy Giuliani was mayor during the attacks and the critical months immediately afterward. Bloomberg led the city throughout much of the reconstruction phase, while de Blasio and Adams held office in more recent years, potentially overseeing relevant records and policies concerning the environmental conditions at the World Trade Center site.
According to the DOI, the scope of work includes determining the extent of knowledge held by these administrations regarding hazardous environmental substances generated by the collapse and cleanup of the Twin Towers. The agency also intends to prepare a report on its findings for submission to the New York City Council.
The inquiry comes amid long-standing concerns from environmental and health advocates who have argued that city officials downplayed the risks posed by airborne toxins present at Ground Zero in the aftermath of the attacks. These activists maintain that the public was not adequately warned about potential health hazards linked to exposure, which has been associated with a range of respiratory illnesses and other medical conditions in first responders and residents.
The investigation aims to provide an official assessment of what city leadership knew, how that information was handled, and whether appropriate protective measures were implemented. The findings may carry implications for government accountability and public health policy related to the events in the years following September 11.
No timeline for completion of the investigation has been announced. The DOI’s decision to involve external legal experts underscores the complexity and sensitivity of reviewing nearly a quarter-century of municipal records and actions related to the Ground Zero site.