EPA Not Ready For Terrorism

A study commissioned by EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman to determine the "lessons learned" from the 9/11 terrorist attacks has concluded the agency is "not fully prepared" to handle a serious nuclear, biological, chemical, or radiological assault.

James Nash

July 16, 2002

EPA is one of several federal agencies charged by law with determining site safety for recovery workers in addition to health threats to the public living near a contaminated area in the event of a nuclear, biological, chemical attack.

The report found EPA lacked the authority and resources to address potential environmental hazards in a future attack and that despite questions about the safety of the air, it took the agency as long as two weeks to get air quality samples to first responders at Ground Zero.