Call for Release of Ground Zero Toxin Documents
A 9/11 survivor battling her second bout of cancer is demanding New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani release all city documents related to Ground Zero toxins, following a recently published memo showing officials knew about health risks but still assured residents it was safe to return to Lower Manhattan.
Ann Marie Principe, 66, who once ran a modeling agency near the World Trade Center site, said more than 1,200 people have signed a Change.org petition titled "Demand Mayor Mamdani Release 9/11 Documents." She is calling for the public disclosure of all records related to health and the environment following the 2001 attack.
Memo Reveals the Truth
The memo, revealed last month, showed that the city was aware of toxin risks just weeks after the tragedy but still declared the area safe. Previously, the city tried to deny requests for document release and once claimed no documents existed; last year, a City Department of Investigation inquiry led by Councilwoman Gale Brewer uncovered 68 boxes of 9/11 health-related documents.
Over 7,000 Deaths After Exposure
Approximately 3,000 people died on 9/11; an additional 7,000 have died in subsequent years from cancers and illnesses potentially linked to toxin exposure, according to lawyers representing victims. Principe believes the upcoming 25th anniversary is an appropriate opportunity for transparency and to promote healing.
Proposal for a Ground Zero Task Force
The petition proposes the establishment of a Ground Zero Task Force comprising victim family members, survivors, downtown residents, volunteers, small business owners, and lawmakers. Principe acknowledges that releasing the records could open up litigation over negligence, but states that if handled correctly from the start, the city would not be in its current predicament.
The mayor's office did not immediately comment.
