Final Ruling Against 9/11 Remains Transfer

Judge Alvin Hellerstein recently decided against the lawsuit raised by 9/11 families. The plaintiffs (WTC Families for a Proper Burial) want the city to move World Trade Center debris from the Fresh Kills landfill in Staten Island to a burial site. The judge said, “Not every wrong can be addressed through the judicial process. The grave harm suffered by the plaintiffs in this case is undeniable. But the jurisdiction of a court is limited.” Sad as it is to think that any human remains may have been overlooked during the exhaustive sifting process, the family’s request may be impractical now for financial and logistical reasons. However, couldn’t New York City make arrangements to set aside a proper burial area in the vicinity of Fresh Kills? The landfill won’t be a landfill forever.