NYT Article on WTC Memorial Design Finalists, 2003

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document Measure in N.J. Legislature to put ashes at Ground Zero memorial expected to be approved this year By TERENCE J. KIVLAN and DAVID ANDREATTA STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE A New Jersey measure re- quiring the recovery of World Trade Center victims’ ashes from the Fresh Kills landfill for placement at a future Ground Zero memorial is jpoised to clear that state’s Legislature later this year, according to the bill’s chief sponsor. “It will be unanimously ap- proved,” predicted’ Demo- cratic Assemblyman Neil . Cohen of Union, N.J., in an in- terview from Trenton yester- day. The vote will take place when New Jersey lawmakers reconvene after the Novem- ber elections for a lame-duck session, Cohen said. The leg- | islation was introduced m September 2002. Specifically, the bill re- quires the Port Authority to remove the ashes of Sept. 11 victims from the landfill and transport them in special con- tainers to Ground Zero for use as the centerpiece of the future memorial. The measure has wide- spread support in New Jersey. NYC-WTC_000142935 It has been endorsed by Gov. Jim McGreevey. Over 90 New Jersey munic- ipalities have passed resolu- tions urging its passage. The plan'is the brainchild of World Trade Center Fami- lies for Proper Burial, a Scotch Plains, N.J.-based group of relatives of Sept. 11 victims. . “Fresh Kills landfill is a dirty, smelly, unrespectful place,” Diane ‘Horning, a spokesman for the group, said yesterday. — Mrs. Horning, who lost her son Matthew at the Trade Center, cited estimates that it could take three decades for the landfill to be reclaimed sufficiently to create 4 memo- rial there ; . “I am 56 years old,” she said. “I am not sure I want to wait 30 years to visit my son’s grave.” The proposal hasn’t madé much headway on the: New’ York side of the harbor. Because.of the cost and lo- istics of such an operation, ayor Michael Bloomberg has repeatedly expressed res- ervations about transporting — perhaps tons of debris from the landfill to Lower Manhat- tan. Yesterday, mayoral spokes-: . man Ed Skyler said Bloom- berg had not changed his ;, tor of the World Trade Center Outreach Cornmittee of St: Clare’s R.C. Church, Great “It’s just too vague,” he said . th yesterday. No one has explained how the ashes would be separated from the other World Trade Center debris at the landfill or exactly how much material would be removed, McKeon said. “If there is a feasible way to views, but was willing to re+ ‘do it ... maybe it has a chance,” visit the issue. City Hall sources said; Bloomberg would be inter-' estéd in an alternative plan to inter a small amount of the: Fresh Kills ash at Ground Zero as.a symboli¢ gesture. _ Many relatives of Staten Is- land’s 200 Trade Center Vic- tims are also skeptical of the New Jersey proposal, accord- ing to Dennis McKeon, direc- jseid McKeon. “But right how Lawmakers want to move WIC victims’ ashes from landfill nobody has any solid: num- bers.” New York state lawmakers, who would have to approve e plan, have raised similar uestions. “How would it be one?” asked Assemblyman John Lavelle (D-North Shore) yesterday. “I don’t understand it.” Terence Kivian is the Advance’s Wash- ington correspondent and David An- dreatta covers City Hall for the Advance. They may be reached at terence.kiv- [email protected] and andreatta@siad- vance.cam. " STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2003