NYC officials release unseen 9/11 documents about air quality following the attacks
Updated on: September 8, 2026 / 11:55 PM EDT / CBS New York
TL;DR
- NYC officials released over 170,000 pages of previously unseen documents concerning air quality at Ground Zero after 9/11.
- The documents indicate that officials knew about toxic air and health risks for months, despite public assurances that the air was safe.
- Health officials found evidence of asbestos at least 10 months after the attacks.
- The released files include documents that show what the city knew about the toxic air and how they acted to limit liability.
- The Harding Memo, which discussed potential lawsuits from toxic exposure, was among the released documents.
- The city has launched a public online portal for these documents and is settling lawsuits related to their release.
- Officials plan to help eligible New Yorkers use these documents to access federal health programs.