PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Thomas Hart, President of Operating Engineers Local 94, on Resolution 560
1:31:36
ยท
3 min
Thomas Hart, President of Operating Engineers Local 94, testified in support of Resolution 560, which would require the City Department of Investigations to review documents about environmental hazards following the 9/11 attacks. Hart emphasized the need for transparency regarding what the city knew about these hazards and when they knew it.
- Hart represents over 6,000 members and is involved with 9/11 Health Watch and Citizens for the Extension of the Zojoga Act.
- Local 94 lost 4 members on 9/11 and many are still being diagnosed with cancers related to toxic exposure.
- Despite various attempts to obtain information, including FOIA requests and lawsuits, the truth about the city's knowledge of toxic hazards remains unknown 23 years later.
Thomas Hart
1:31:36
Thank you, Chair Breuerle, for, holding this hearing today and sponsoring your resolution.
1:31:41
My name is Thomas Hart.
1:31:42
I'm the president of the operating engineers of Local 94.
1:31:45
I represent over 6,000 members.
1:31:47
I'm also a member of the board of directors for the 9 11 Health Watch, and president of the Citizens for the Extension of the Zojoga Act.
1:31:54
Both of these organizations organizations are not for profit that have been created by the New York State AFL CIO that advocate for the 911 responders and survivors.
1:32:05
We also monitor the programs that were created to help 911 responders and survivors.
1:32:10
Being a 911 responder myself, I serve as a member of the Federal STAC STAC Committee, which is the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee for the Victims of 911.
1:32:21
At my local, Local 94, we vowed never to forget the horrific tax attacks that were committed on that morning.
1:32:27
Our members are truly the first responders within each and every one of these buildings that they operate within our city.
1:32:35
Our day to day responsibilities include the safety and the operation of these buildings and to maintain the safety of the tenants within the buildings.
1:32:44
On September 11, we lost 4 members that worked at the World Trade Center site.
1:32:48
We have been and still remain at the site in and in all the surrounding buildings that were affected.
1:32:54
The members of Local 94 have been exposed to these toxins, and today, we still have members that are falling ill and be being diagnosed with cancers as a result of the heroic act of a result of the heroic actions, taken on that day and the day since.
1:33:09
I'm here today with our pro bono councils, Andrew Carboe and Matthew McCauley, to speak in support of council member Gail Brewer's, binding resolution res 560, which if passed, would require the City Department of Investigations to obtain and review the documents the City Government has about the environmental hazards of the attack of 911 and determine essentially what the City knew about these hazards and when they knew it.
1:33:36
Despite requests from members of Congress, Carolyn Maloney, and current members, Congressman Jerrold Nadler and Dan Goldman, freedom of information request and from the 911 Health Watch and Article 78 lawsuit to force the city to release documents relating to what the city knew about the dangers to these toxic chemicals in and around ground zeros in these days, weeks months after the attack, and when did they know it.
1:34:01
We still know over 23 year we still now, over 23 years later, do not know the answer.
1:34:06
We know that based on reporting by Anthony DePalma at the New York Times and his article Ground 0's illness cloud, Giuliani's Legate Legacy, May 14, 2007, that while city administration was saying the air was safe to breathe, they were privately they were privately predicting 10,000 liability claims for injuries from these toxic exposures.
1:34:27
Whatever they were saying publicly about the safety of the air, it appears that the city was worried.
1:34:32
Now it may turn out that the cities truthfully, truthfully did not know and realize the dangers possessed by these chemicals that the terrorists unleashed on the New York on New York when the towers were destroyed.
1:34:42
But we now know that based on 1,000 that we have gotten sick, both responders and survivors, and that the science since that the toxic chemicals were a hazard.
1:34:51
We know that the members of Congress trying to get the answers don't work doesn't work.
1:34:55
We know that the foil doesn't work, with the city.
1:34:59
So the only resolution the only resolve this is by city council through its power under this charter audit, Department of Investigations, to look at the issue and report back.
1:35:08
The only way that members of the member the only way my members and other 9 911 responder and survivors are going to know the truth is if city council acts.
1:35:17
Thank you, Chairwoman Breaux.
Gale A. Brewer
1:35:19
Thank you very much.