By Steve Strunsky NJ Advance Media
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Port Authority will not have to pay 9/11-related environmental cleanup costs for an apartment building near the World Trade Center after the U.S. Supreme Court today refused to hear an appeal by the developer of the building, which was contaminated with asbestos from the twin towers’ collapse, Reuters reported.
The developer, Cedar & Washington Associates, sued the Port Authority and others under in 2008 under a law dealing with environmental and health risks linked to industrial pollution, seeking the cost of cleaning up asbestos, fiberglass and other particles during a renovation of the 12-story building in lower Manhattan.
Other defendants included United and American Airlines, whose hijacked planes were crashed into the towers, plus World Trade Center lease holder Larry Silverstein.
In May, a federal appeals court in New York ruled against Cedar & Washington, concluding that the attacks were an act of war and therefore the defendants were exempt from liability under the 1980 pollution law. Cedar & Washington asked the Supreme Court to overturn the appellate court decision, but in refusing to hear the case today, the high court let the decision stand.
