Overview
- The city published a searchable portal with more than 170,000 pages Tuesday after settling two lawsuits with 9/11 Health Watch.
- The trove includes the October 2001 Harding memo in which City Hall staff warned of massive liability and discussed ways to limit the city’s exposure.
- Agency reports and tests in the files record asbestos, benzene and other contaminants in Lower Manhattan months after the attacks, with some readings described as hazardous.
- Hotline logs and other records show the city ran an air‑quality hotline through May 2002 and advised residents on cleaning and testing while officials publicly reassured that air was safe.
- Health providers report rising 9/11‑related illnesses — Northwell says new cancer cases rose about 75% from 2023 to 2025 — and advocates say the records may help more people enroll in federal programs, support research, and trigger more claims.