Return to Transcripts main page

Live From...

Beverly Hills Hazard?; Groundbreaking Ceremony at Pentagon 9/11 Memorial

Aired June 15, 2006 - 13:33   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Live at the Pentagon right now, you're looking at family members of 9/11 victims and their guests. They're on hand for the ceremonial groundbreaking of the Pentagon memorial. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is there. He's getting ready to step up to the podium and make remarks. You may remember, where all these individuals are gathered is the exact site where American Airlines flight 77 hit that building on September 11th.
As soon as Rumsfeld steps up to the podium, we'll take those remarks live.

Oil wells at a high school, young people stricken with cancer, and Erin Brockovich smells a rat. Yes, Erin Brockovich, probably the world's most famous environmental investigator, now on the trail of allegedly toxic pollution in Beverly Hills. Yes, Beverly Hills.

CNN's Anderson Cooper has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At age 21, Lori Moss was hit with devastating news.

LORI MOSS, BEVERLY HILLS HIGH GRADUATE: You're not supposed to get cancer at that age. So, it just is something you hear when you're older. And it just -- it's very frightening.

COOPER: Diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease, Moss was in and out of hospital with chemotherapy and radiation. And, then, in 2001, at the age of 27, she was told she had thyroid cancer.

MOSS: It was just hard to believe, two cancers in my 20s.

COOPER: Moss thought she was simply unlucky, until, in 2001, she met environmental crusader Erin Brockovich at a book signing.

MOSS: She asked how I was. And I said, you know, I had just, you know, came from the hospital.

ERIN BROCKOVICH, INVESTIGATOR: And I said, oh, are you sick?

And she said, well, I have cancer.

And I was really pretty taken back, because she's very young.

Now, is Chris (ph) there? COOPER: Not long after their encounter, Brockovich came across a possible reason for Moss' condition.

BROCKOVICH: I believe it was a 2001 EPA newsletter. It talked about the oil industry and how they had found a clever way to mask their oil operations amid the glamour -- example, Beverly Hills.

COOPER: Their clever way? An oil derrick covered with bright flowers, painted by terminally ill children, and named the Tower of Hope, sitting right on Beverly Hills High School's campus.

BROCKOVICH: And, then, I thought, how could that be? At a public high school, you have basically an onshore oil platform, and nobody knows it's there? That's really kind of what initially set me off, because nobody had a clue. Nobody knew.

COOPER: But this Tower of Hope has 18 operating oil wells underneath the school's athletic field, which provides the city and school district millions of dollars in royalties, pumping out about 450 barrels of oil a day.

BROCKOVICH: Straight in front of you, it looks like a big retaining wall, with some white stripes on it and equipment on the top. That's Sempra. Most people don't know behind that behind that wall is Sempra's power plant.

COOPER: Brockovich set out to investigate, researching and testing the air quality of the school, and hired Columbia Analytical Services, a network of laboratories that specializes in environmental testing.

The company found abnormal amount of toxins in the air emitted from the derrick and the power plant's cooling towers. Brockovich says this puts innocent students, teachers and residents at risk.

BROCKOVICH: These facilities emit chemicals, poisons, cancer- causing agents, benzene, probium-6 (ph), and dioxin. And they sit right on top of a public school. They're more than close. They're on it. They're there.

COOPER: Brockovich claims it was those toxins that resulted in a cancer diagnosis for more than 400 people who either went to the school or lived near it between 1978 and 1996.

They are among roughly 800 plaintiffs in lawsuits filed in 2003 against the city of Beverly Hills, its school district, eight oil companies, and Sempra Energy, a gas and electric utility and production company, all which deny liability.

Sempra Energy, which just sold the office building, heating and cooling plant next to the school declined to comment on the allegations. Beverly Hills City and school officials declined our request for an interview, but did release a statement, saying, "The safety of our children and all of the children in our community is our highest priority. The school district and the city hired an internationally respected environmental testing firm. That firm was unable to find any unusual conditions at the high school. The state's air pollution control agency, the South Coast Air Quality Management District, found nothing unusual. Even the testing performed under the direction of the plaintiffs' lawyers showed the air quality at the high school is typical for Los Angeles."

Despite studies that show no link between pollution from oil wells and the types of cancers the lawsuit focuses on, Brockovich says you can't ignore the numbers.

ERIN BROCKOVICH, INVESTIGATOR, MASRY & VITITOE: I'm just that ordinary person that tells you, common sense is kind of kicking in here for me somewhere. You got an unusual number of kids in my humble little opinion with cancer.

COOPER: But one cancer epidemiologist contacted by CNN says certain types of cancers are increasing in young adults everywhere. Most likely because diagnostic techniques have improved. The controversial case is expected to go to court in October. Brockovich says no matter which experts the court sides with, she hopes people will have the awareness to push for change.

Anderson Cooper, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: We want to take you live to the Pentagon now, where they're having the groundbreaking ceremony at the Pentagon memorial. This is the Memorial Fund president, James Laychak. He lost his brother, David, there at 9/11 at the Pentagon. He is the one that's been a part of raising the money for this special construction of this Memorial Day.

JAMES LAYCHAK, PRES. PENTAGON MEMORIAL FUND: Other directors of the Pentagon Memorial Fund, I can see some of you in the crowd. You're all family members. We've been together on this project since November of 2001. My thanks to you for your friendship, and your dedication, and for everything you do to help support the efforts of the fund.

I want to thank Anheuser-Busch. Mr. Pat Stokes, its CEO, is here today. They provided the lead gift for our fund-raising campaign. They gave us credibility, and their gift encouraged other fine companies, many of whom are here today, to take note of our efforts and offer their support.

General Chin and Ambassador Lee, I thank you and the wonderful people of Taiwan for your extremely generous gift in support of the Pentagon memorial. We are truly grateful.

My thanks to Sunshine Napthan Rosenthal (ph), Kat Potter (ph), Mike, McNamara (ph), Scott Memet (ph), Hank Moore (ph). They have been with the fund since the very beginning, almost three years, contributing all the legal services to the fund, not to mention the countless phone calls and e-mails from me at all hours of the day and night.

I want to thank my partners at Eccentua (ph) that are here, Steve Shane (ph), Stan Gokowsky (ph), Eric Stang (ph). They have probably provided the most significant gift of all, the gift of my time. Through their support, I've been able to spend most of my time on the activities associated with running the Pentagon Memorial Fund.

I want to thank my own family. My father is here, my brother Mike (ph) and his wife Kelly (ph), my sister Molly (ph). And in particular, my sister-in-law Laurie (ph), Dave's wife. She's been an inspiration to me. The way she has handled the last four-and-a-half years with such grace and dignity, the strength and stability she's provided for her children has been amazing.

I want to thank my wonderful wife Lynn (ph). She is the only one who truly knows how difficult I can be to live with and how this task we are undertaking at times can become so all-consuming. I thank you for your love and your support and your ability to see right to the heart of the matter and give me such wise advice and counsel. You're always there for me, and I love you very much. Thank you.

As we dedicate this ground, I want us to remember this very special day, these moments. Savor the sights and the sounds. Remember those around us and in everyone we meet here today. Today is a day to cherish what we have accomplished so far. Today marks a positive outcome from a tragic day. None of us will ever forget the horrible feeling we all felt on 9/11, the pain in our guts that just seemed to last for days and weeks.

But today let's remember what was special about all those we lost. For me, I will remember the way my brother Dave laughed, his silly sense of humor, playing sports with him as a kid and as an adult. How he would not be able to talk for weeks, but suddenly call each other on the phone and pick up right where we left off. And the big bear hugs we used to give each other as we got older whenever we used to say good-bye.

So when you see a family member and their friends here today, they are the ones wearing the ribbon with the special pin, the image of the American flag draped over the side of the Pentagon. Ask them what they remember most about who they lost here on 9/11. That's what will become the essence of this place, this hallowed ground, when the memorial is complete. As you walk among the trees and the benches inscribed with the names of those who died, this place will be a place for remembering our loved ones, reflecting about what was special about each and every one of them and renewing our sense of hope for the future.

Today is also about commitment. Everyone here today has made a commitment to create someone -- something positive out of that very tragic day. They have made a commitment to turn Keith (ph) and Julie's (ph) inspiring vision into reality. The people here today wearing the red pins in the shape of the Pentagon have all made a significant contribution to this effort. When you meet them, when you talk with them, make sure you thank them for their contributions to the success of this project. Our job is not done. We have a long way to go in terms of finishing the fundraising and ensuring the completion of a construction we are starting today. But by participating in this event, all of us are making a commitment to finish the job that we are starting.

The image in my mind that continues to motivate me is this -- it is early evening on the day we dedicate the Pentagon memorial. I am sitting on one of the perimeter benches in the far northeast corner. My family and friends are all there, and we are watching people walking through the trees, reading the names on the benches. They are in groups. Some are alone. They are laughing. They are crying. They are talking to their children about what happened here. They are experiencing something very special that we helped to create. That vision is getting ever more clearer in my mind.

We will be successful. We will raise the money we need to complete the memorial. And we will complete this great memorial. We owe it to our loved ones. We owe it to everyone that witnessed what happened there that terrible day. We owe it to men and women that are fighting overseas to keep us safe.

I look forward to seeing all of you over the next -- in the next -- a little over two years from now, when we dedicate the Pentagon memorial and fulfill the commitment that we are making here today. My heartfelt thanks to all of you for everything that you have done to help make today possible.

(APPLAUSE)

LAYCHAK: It gives me great pleasure to introduce a man that I remember when I was watching some of the TV scenes early on, on 9/11, who was actually out here carrying -- and helping out, carrying people on the stretcher. A friend to all the families.

I'd like to introduce the secretary of defense, Donald Rumsfeld.

(APPLAUSE)

DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Thank you very much. Jim, Rosemary, thank you for being here.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Pete Pace, thank you for all you do.

Chaplain Black.

I should just let people know that the friends and family members of those that died here are in these two sections.

In that section, I can see at least a number of the members of the United States Congress. They're in a very busy part of their session, and we very much appreciate your being here.

I see the president pro tempore of the Senate, Ted Stevens, thank you, sir. And Dan Inouye next to him, Senator Inouye of Hawaii. Chairman John Warner, and his close associated, Carl Levin, senator from Michigan. Senator George Allen, thank you for being here.

I see the mayor. I see behind you, Congressman Davis and Moran and Eleanor Norton Holmes and Congressman Young, Chairman Young, Kay Granger.

Sitting behind them, the service secretaries, Mike Wynne and Fran Harvey, former Secretary Frank Carlucci, and members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

We appreciate all of your being here. Thank you so much.

Over here, I see the members of the Cabinet. Secretary Rice and -- I don't know, there must be half, two-thirds of the Cabinet here.

Thank you, all, for being here. We appreciate it a great deal.

In the center section with the family, we also see Mary Jo Myers. Dick Myers was Pete Pace's predecessor, of course, and is retired.

Thank you for being here.

And Paul Wolfowitz, the -- I forget what it is, president of the World Bank or director of the World Bank or -- in any event, he's a former deputy, was here during that period.

Thank you for being here, Paul.

It means a great deal to us that all of you are here. And thank you so very much.

And a special welcome to the families of those who were killed here on September 11th and to the survivors of September 11th, and there are a great many here. And I would include the press, because the press was in the building at the time the plane hit, as well.

And to those of you who are first responders, the firemen and ambulance people who came and provided aid, immediate aid to our colleagues, you honor us with your presence.

Our nation's capital city is rich with monuments to the men and women of our heritage. Among the most famous, of course, across the Potomac are the monuments to Washington and Jefferson and Lincoln, men who valued freedom, who helped to define it, to defend it and to give it new birth.

It will not be long before a new monument stands on this side of the Potomac, the monument to the 184 who died so close to this spot. They had different lives and different dreams. And they shared a tragic destiny.

Many of you here have been instrumental in helping to make this memorial possible -- partners in the memorial fund that Jim and Rosemary head up, members of Congress, citizens, donors -- and we thank you for your dedication and your generosity.

And thanks to Julie Beckman (ph) and Keith Caseman (ph). Are they here? Where are they? I haven't seen them yet. There you are. Stand up. These are the designers of this memorial. Let's...

(APPLAUSE)

Nice to see you both. Thank you for being here.

(APPLAUSE)

When completed, this memorial's individual benches will remind visitors that every one of these lives was special, with hopes cut short and with loved ones left behind.

Among them was a girl named Zoe Falkenburg (ph). She was traveling on the flight with her parents and her 3-year-old sister. She'd been a soccer player, on the swim team, and took part in her grade school production of "The King and I." She was eight.

We remember her, of course, and we remember all who hallow this ground. The passengers of American Airlines flight 77, and the men and women, military and civilian, who worked here and quietly and capably served our country.

Today, we claim this ground for them, for their families, and for the brave service men and women who have volunteered to go out to meet our nation's enemies and to keep our country safe.

If I may, I want to say a word to the family members here who lost loved ones on September 11th.

At some point in the future most of you will return to this sacred ground. You might walk between what will be newly planted trees out behind me, pass by the benches, each with a name etched in the granite.

No doubt, you'll search for the name of the person who once helped give your life meaning and who, perhaps, always will.

And as you reflect, you'll be flooded with memories, of your loss, to be sure, but also split second images of love, of laughter, and of joyous times.

This memorial was meant for you, to offer some comfort.

We have talked over the years, and now you can know that we will never forget.

So I thank you for coming, and may God be with you and with your families.

And to other Americans who might one day come to this memorial many years from now I want to say this. Some day there may come a time when you might encounter a stranger here, maybe a child born after September 11th, looking around wondering what this memorial's all about.

Well, tell them that this is where men and women became targets and were killed because they were free Americans. Tell them that there have always been those who fear and oppose our country's values, our cause. And tell them that history is the epic story of those enemies defeated and freedom's triumph.

Then, as those young visitors grow older, they'll understand that those we honor here did not die in vain, that their countrymen's grief was turned towards the cause of our nation's defense, and that our enemies were no match for the brave Americans who are uncompromising in their mission, unapologetic for their purpose, and unyielding in their quest for freedom and for peace.

May God bless you and may God continue to bless our wonderful country.

(APPLAUSE)

PHILLIPS: We're now waiting for the official Pentagon memorial marker unveiling, and we'll take that -- wanted to listen in for a moment to see if, indeed, it was going to happen right now. As soon as that happens -- well, actually, they're going to work their way over to the marker, so we'll get the first visual of what this is going to look like.

These are just preliminary plans for what is going to be at this site, the site where that American Airlines plane went into the building on September 11. The architects of this special memorial are here at this unveiling. Let's go ahead and let's listen in.

RUMSFELD: It reads as follows: "The Pentagon memorial. We claim this ground in remembrance of the events of September 11, 2001, to honor the 184 people whose lives were lost, their families and all those who sacrifice, that we may live in freedom. We will never forget."

PHILLIPS: And soon we'll see 184 stainless steel benches with reflecting pools to honor each one of those victims killed in that attack. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld side by side with Memorial Fund president James Laychak. His brother David was killed on 9/11. Other dignitaries now, members of Congress. Now let's go ahead and listen in to the benediction by Barry Black.

REAR ADM. BARRY BLACK (RET.), SENATE CHAPLAIN: May the symphony of unfinished lives challenge and inspire us. Challenge us Lord, when our dreams come true because we have dreamed too little. Challenge us when we arrive safely, simply because we have sailed too close to the shore.

Inspire us with these noble eyes, to dare more boldly and to live with courage investing our lives in something greater than ourselves. Bless us and keep us. Make your face to shine upon us, and be gracious unto us.

Lift the light of your countenance upon us, and give us your peace. Now and always, we pray in your holy name. Amen.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ladies and gentlemen, please rise and join us in singing "God Bless America." PHILLIPS: Forever remember the 184 9/11 victims with the brand- new memorial that hopefully will be finished by 2008. We're going to take you to break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com