New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Tuesday the release of thousands of documents related to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that he said show city authorities knew the air around Ground Zero was toxic and took steps to limit their liability.
“These are documents that show what the city knew about the toxic air around Ground Zero, when it knew it, and how it acted to limit its liability,” Mamdani said at a news conference, days before the 25th anniversary of the attacks. He was joined by survivors and victims’ family members.
Mamdani said the first release includes more than 170,000 pages of municipal records. Among other findings, he said the documents show that asbestos was found in virtually every location examined.
The mayor said this is only the first batch of records and that additional documents will be released over the coming months through a website created specifically for the material.
His first budget also includes $34 million for a public portal providing information about the city’s response to the attacks. Mamdani said the initiative is intended to address the long-standing lack of access to records related to the city’s handling of the disaster.
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Specialized personnel will assist people reviewing the documents, particularly those seeking information about assistance funds available to 9/11 victims.
Mamdani said the only information withheld from the release will be personally identifying information and security assessments of buildings in Lower Manhattan that could still pose security risks if made public. He said no other material would be censored.
