Sep 11, 2006 7:07 am US/Eastern
CBS 2 Exclusive: Giuliani Strikes Back At Whitman
by Marcia Kramer
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani. (AP)
AP
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Hundreds of first responders were subject to air quality which CBS 2 has learned was very dangerous.
CBS
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Former EPA head Christie Whitman and former mayor Rudy Giuliani are locked in a war of words over air quality issues at ground zero.
Former mayor Rudy Giuliani spoke out Sunday for the first time and played the blame game about the air quality at ground zero.
CBS 2 obtained documents which allege the government reopened lower Manhattan even though the air was not safe.
Former Environmental Protection Agency director Christie Whitman blamed the city. Giuliani on Sunday said not so fast. The true blame rests with her.
It's now war. In an exclusive interview with CBS 2, Giuliani slammed Whitman for making people believe the air at ground zero was safe.
"The reports we had on air quality from the EPA was the air quality was healthy or at least it wasn't dangerous," Giuliani told CBS 2's Dave Carlin.
Whitman fired the first salvo, telling 60 Minutes the Giuliani Administration was responsible for people not knowing the true nature of the air quality at ground zero.
When asked by Katie Couric who had ultimate authority over the site, Whitman was quick to point a finger.
"Really it was the city who was the primary responder," Whitman said.
However, Giuliani maintained Sunday that he was honest and open about air quality issues.
"I put out all the reports that existed," Giuliani said. "Of course the reports that I put out were the same thing that Christie Whitman was saying publicly."
One report the city apparently didn't put out was an explosive memo from the EPA to the city Health Department dated Oct. 5, 2001. It didn't mince words, stating of ground zero: "this site...poses threats to workers related to potential exposure to hazardous substances."
Three weeks after the EPA memo, Giuliani's environmental commissioner, Joel Miele, was still saying the air was safe.
"For the residents and people who are working in the open area that has been created downtown there is no realistic danger to the health," Miele said.
Responding to Giuliani's comments, EPA regional commissioner Jane Kenny said her agency told the Giuliani Administration every day at daily briefings the air at ground zero was bad.
"EPA made a distinction between working on the pile, which was toxic soup, and the air in lower Manhattan, where all the readings showed no long term health issues," Kenny said.
Kenny also said as the fifth anniversary of 9/11approaches she finds the blame game hurtful.
"Everyone responded with their hearts and souls," she said, "and we shouldn't be in the position of blaming and second guessing."
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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