New York City has published another batch of records related to the September 11 attacks, bringing the total available through its new public database to approximately 210,000 pages. The latest release sheds further light on how city officials discussed the dangers of World Trade Center dust, cleanup efforts and the potential legal consequences of declaring buildings unsafe.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the second release Wednesday. The records include internal communications involving city agencies and their attorneys, material that would ordinarily be protected by attorney-client privilege but that the city agreed to disclose as part of its transparency effort.

The public portal, launched on September 8, was established following a settlement resolving a multiyear legal battle over access to the documents. The first release contained roughly 170,000 pages, with the latest addition bringing the total to 210,000.

Among the newly available records are discussions showing that, more than a year after the attacks, concerns remained about dust contamination in Lower Manhattan. In December 2002, CUNY, the Board of Elections and other downtown occupants sought federal assistance with decontamination. The EPA had offered to fund certain cleanup work if the city certified that buildings were contaminated.

However, correspondence indicates that the city’s Law Department advised the Department of Environmental Protection against becoming involved. Attorney Lawrence Khan warned that formally identifying buildings as contaminated could expose the city to lawsuits, particularly given earlier public assurances that conditions were safe.

Other records highlight confusion surrounding federal cleanup guidance. Emails from April 2002 discussed EPA recommendations for professional cleaning of indoor spaces with more than minimal dust. A 2003 inspector general report later stated that the EPA had consistently recommended professional cleaning beginning just days after the attacks.

Minutes from a March 2002 interagency meeting also documented questions from health and environmental officials about how to reconcile earlier assurances of safety with growing calls for additional testing and cleanup.

The documents are significant because exposure to dust and other contaminants from the World Trade Center site has been linked to serious long-term health problems among first responders, workers and residents. The newly released communications provide a closer look at what government officials were discussing as decisions about public health and cleanup were being made.

Andy Carboy, the attorney who represented 9/11 Health Watch Inc. in its lengthy effort to obtain the records, described the release as an unprecedented opportunity to examine government deliberations. The organization’s executive director, Benjamin Chevat, argued that the documents suggest officials at multiple levels of government did not adequately change their approach despite recognizing potential hazards.

Mamdani said the releases are part of a continuing commitment to provide answers to New Yorkers affected by the attacks, emphasizing that the process is intended to go beyond a one-time disclosure.

The records are available through the city’s September 11 public records portal, allowing researchers, survivors, families and the public to examine the documents directly.