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There's nothing like testifying in front of Congress as the Daily News puts you on the front cover and asks you to "come clean" about the post-WTC collapse toxic air in an editorial. Today, Christie Todd Whitman appeared before a Democratic-controlled Congress; the Daily News editorial demanded that former EPA head explain why she and the EPA led New Yorkers to believe the air downtown was safe.
During her testimony, Whitman spent the time denouncing evidence that EPA misled the public, saying, "There are people to blame. They are the terrorists that attacked the United States, not the men and women of all levels of government." And recently, she's been saying that she urged emergency responders to wear masks at Ground Zero - something that then Mayor Rudy Giuliani didn't do.
We recommend reading Daily News columnist Juan Gonzalez's list of ten questions Whitman must answer; here's one:
Question number 3:Check out this EPA press release from September 18, 2001. Here's Representative Jerrold Nadler's opening statement for today's hearing on the EPA response ("It is my fervent hope that after some of the truth begins to come to light through these hearings."). And the Daily News won a Pulitzer this year for its 2006 editorial writing on behalf of sick Ground Zero workers; you can read those editorials here.
On Sept. 13, 2001, you told a New York television station: "Everything we're getting back from the sampling that we're doing is below background levels. There is not a reason for the general public to be concerned."But the earliest tests your agency did in lower Manhattan between Sept. 11-13 showed nearly 25% of dust samples had asbestos levels greater than the government's 1% action standard for dust.
EPA didn't begin regular outdoor air monitoring until Sept. 14. The only air tests your agency could have had for Sept. 12 and 13, before your TV statement, were from New York City's Department of Environmental Protection. Of 10 air samples the city took during those days, initial testing showed seven with dangerous asbestos levels - above the .01 fibers per cubic centimeter standard.
Given those early test results by the EPA and the city, how could you possibly tell the public on Sept. 13 that "everything" was "below background levels?"
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maybe she's hoping that this will all blow over when everyone who remembers what she said that week dies of mesothelioma?
seriously, though. the epa has to address this honestly. this is really sad.
she was very defensive to the point of arguing about semantics, that's truly the defense of last resort.
I saw the whole hearing but any questions about pressure to open up Wall Street?
I feel for all the people down there but then they chose that job and had all the safety equipment afforded them. better equipment than civilians. I remember we were just handed the regular 3M "Comfort" masks. Not respirators.
Mesothelioma is a form of lung cancer, they usually don't live long.
I've stated this in the pass . If Christie T. Whitman hadn't taken the job as Director of the E.P.A. none of this would be an issue with her . She wanted the prestige of the position and was willing to take any and all that came with it .
Jen...the opening sentence of this item has to be the worst ever written: "the World Trade Center collapsed in an editorial"?
what I want to know is why this is coming up NOW?
#4 - heard and amended.
schmod - this is coming up now because this is the first opportunity the Democratic-controlled Congress has been able to convene a committee to ask these questions.
This is coming up now because the Democrats realize Congress has a lower approval rating than Bush. In almost six months back in control of Congress they haven't passed a single piece of important legislation. This is politics all the way. They are hoping to make Bush look bad/worse and put off any real work until after the 2008 election when they hope they will have the White House and Congress. It's hard to take them seriously when they won't tackle immigration, taxes, the budget (except defunding Cheney's office), global warming, etc. Remeber how important it was to act on global warming? Apparently the planet can wait until 2009.
This is coming up now because those with lung disease could be dead soon.
I think everyone (average joe) knew the air was bad downtown, and skeptical when the various authorities gave the A-ok. The part that I didn't understand was that there were three overlaying programs taking samples independantly of each other, the city, the state, and the Feds, and all declared the air safe. I guess I was just hoping that there were too many people involved for there to be a code of silence on health.
The main reason why this is coming up is that the Dems have power, and Giuliani is the front-running GOP candidate. This, and ducking responsibilies on the Baker/Hamilton commission, are his achilles heal. Well, that and everything else.
This is coming up now because those with lung disease could be dead soon.
If you believe that you are incredibly naive. This is a political move to stall the rest of the 2007 legislative year. Then the Democrats in Congress will do nothing in 2008 because they will say they are waiting for a new President. If you really beleive anything is going to come of these hearings other than hurting Giuliani then you really know nothing.
And I will add that it's funny how the air in Manhattan was Giuliani's problem but the response to Katrina was Bush's fault. The local leaders in New Orleans and the Louisiana Governor did everything right.
giuliani's lungs don't look so good.
if you think putting a paper over your nose would protect you, you are incredibly naive.
If you really believe his lungs are 100 percent doing anything they you really know nothing.
I will add that you really know nothing. except how's your lungs doing and your kid with autism.
not going so good?
I like how she brought out the classic "We weren't going to let the terrorists win" showstopper yesterday.
The "don't blame me or the terrorists have won" statement of the early 2000's never gets old - just like Limp Bizkit.
This is coming up now, because the Republican-led congress refused to look at this issue. With the Dems leading Congress, expect to hear/read more about this.
This is coming up now, because the Republican-led congress refused to look at this issue. With the Dems leading Congress, expect to hear/read more about this.
That might be true but it is really inexcusable of the Democrats to keep waiting on eveything. If this was such a big problem they should have done something about it, even if they didn't control Congress? We're supposed to believe that they had zero power? Then what record exactly are Clinton, Obama, and Edwards running on? Are you seriously willing to accept that Clinton couldn't do anything for New York?
First it was "We don't control Congress". If you watched Diane Feinstein over the weekend she was whining about how hard it is to get anything done without a filibuster proof Senate (60+ votes). What excuse are they going to have next?