Advocates urge NYC Mayor-elect Mamdani to disclose documents regarding toxins at Ground Zero from the 9/11 attacks.

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani faces a critical opportunity to address long-standing calls for transparency regarding the toxic consequences of the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York City. Survivor advocates and members of 9/11 Health Watch emphasized the importance of releasing documents that may shed light on the dangers posed by these toxins, which have been linked to hundreds of deaths and serious health issues. As the Adams administration has delayed the release of these records ten times, advocates are hopeful that Mamdani will initiate the necessary disclosures upon taking office.

Central to these requests is the so-called Harding Memo, authored shortly after the attacks. This memo was sent to Deputy Mayor Bob Harding and contained warnings about the potential for thousands of liability claims stemming from the exposure to toxic materials at Ground Zero. Despite being reported by various media outlets as early as 2007, the memo remains unreleased to the public. Advocates urge Mamdani to direct his future administration’s legal counsel to make this document accessible, alongside other related data involved in its drafting.

Additionally, the mayor-elect is urged to support the ongoing investigation by the city Department of Investigation, which seeks to clarify what was known about the hazards at Ground Zero and when this information was available. The urgency of this inquiry has been underscored by a recent Daily News report revealing that the DOI is considering enlisting external resources to sift through substantial data collected over the years.

Throughout the past two decades, critical documents on this topic have remained obscured under the leadership of four previous mayors, ranging from Rudolph Giuliani to Eric Adams. These delays have drawn strong criticism, particularly as organizations representing survivors and their families pursue Freedom of Information Law requests to access vital health-related documents. While the Department of Environmental Protection has provided some materials, other agencies have failed to respond adequately, forwarding requests to City Hall, where they have encountered numerous setbacks.

The 9/11 Health Watch, represented by attorneys who have filed requests on behalf of various stakeholders, expresses frustration at the lack of progress, urging the incoming administration to prioritize these inquiries, including forthcoming deadlines reported by City Hall. As the number of individuals relying on the WTC Health Program increases—over 140,000 first responders and survivors enrolled, with approximately 81,000 having certified toxic-related conditions—the necessity for accountability and action grows ever clearer.

Critics argue that the ongoing obfuscation of information surrounding the city’s knowledge of health risks from 9/11 toxins is not only an administrative failure but a moral one. The potential implications of the undisclosed records on the safety and well-being of current and future generations are significant, hence the pressing demand for clarity by advocates and families alike. Mamdani’s administration has an opportunity to transform this long-standing narrative of delay into one of responsibility and healing for a city that has endured unimaginable tragedy.