What the Aftermath of 9/11 Taught Me
The author reflects on the government's failure to provide accurate information regarding air quality in Lower Manhattan following the 9/11 attacks. The piece emphasizes the necessity for transparency and accountability in government communication during public health crises.
Why it matters
It serves as a historical critique of government transparency and the long-term health consequences of environmental disasters.
Government should be about producing results for people.
Illustration by Akshita Chandra / The Atlantic* September 10, 2026, 6 AM ET Share Save “B ut is it clean?” asked Elizabeth Berger, a 41-year-old mother of two. It was five months after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and Berger was testifying at a Senate field hearing on air quality in Lower Manhattan. Just blocks away, at Ground Zero, responders were still sifting through what they called “the pile”—eight stories of twisted steel and debris, spread over 16 smoldering acres—searching for bodies, bone fragments, even scraps of clothing. Outside, the air carried the acrid smell of burnt metal.
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