On September 8, 2026, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the release of over 170,000 pages of previously undisclosed documents related to the city’s response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. These records, now accessible through a public portal, reveal that city officials were aware of hazardous air quality around Ground Zero while publicly assuring residents of its safety.
The released documents include air quality reports, contamination data, and internal communications that shed light on the city’s knowledge of environmental hazards following the attacks. Notably, the Harding Memo, addressed to then-Deputy Mayor Robert Harding, outlines strategies the city considered to mitigate legal liability concerning toxic exposure and safety equipment. ([upi.com](https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2026/09/08/new-york-mayor-mamdani-sept-11-records-release/4841788894170/?utm_source=openai))
Mayor Mamdani emphasized the significance of this disclosure, stating, “People got sick because the leaders they trusted lied and told them they were safe to breathe in toxic air.” ([the-independent.com](https://www.the-independent.com/bulletin/news/september-11-files-zohran-mamdani-toxic-fumes-b3046700.html?utm_source=openai))
The document release is part of a settlement with 9/11 Health Watch, an advocacy group that had pursued legal action to compel the city to make these records public. Ben Chevat, the group’s executive director, criticized previous administrations for concealing the truth, noting that officials continued to assure the public that the air was “safe and acceptable” despite evidence to the contrary. ([scmp.com](https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3366829/new-york-leaders-lied-about-toxic-air-after-9/11-mayor-zohran-mamdani-says?utm_source=openai))
Comedian and activist Jon Stewart, who has long advocated for 9/11 first responders, attended the press conference and remarked, “There was poison in the air, and on the ground, and in the window sills, and in your air conditioners, and covering your pets and your clothes, and it stayed there for months. Everyone knew. Now it’s very clear that the city knew as well.” ([the-independent.com](https://www.the-independent.com/bulletin/news/september-11-files-zohran-mamdani-toxic-fumes-b3046700.html?utm_source=openai))
The city has allocated over $34 million to establish and maintain the public records portal, aiming to provide transparency and support for those affected by the attacks. The portal is accessible at nyc.gov/sept11docs. ([nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/09/25-years-later–mamdani-administration-opens-city-s-9-11-records?utm_source=openai))
This disclosure comes as the nation approaches the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, a period during which more than 9,400 individuals have died from illnesses linked to their exposure to the area in the years since. ([scmp.com](https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3366829/new-york-leaders-lied-about-toxic-air-after-9/11-mayor-zohran-mamdani-says?utm_source=openai))
The release of these documents is expected to facilitate access to federal health and compensation programs for survivors and first responders, providing them with the information necessary to support their claims. ([nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/09/25-years-later–mamdani-administration-opens-city-s-9-11-records?utm_source=openai))
As the city confronts this chapter of its history, the Mamdani administration’s actions underscore a commitment to transparency and accountability, aiming to address the long-standing concerns of those affected by the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.