New rules would expand coverage for 9/11 claims

Proposed rules for those who say they were sickened by exposure to toxins at ground zero would cover claims from a wider area around the site in Lower Manhattan.

The new draft regulations for the $2.78 billion victim compensation fund were released Tuesday. The public has 45 days to comment on the proposals.

Last December, Congress approved a measure providing new aid to survivors of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and responders who became ill working in its ruins.

The measure reactivated the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund that operated from 2001 to 2003, expanding the pool of applicants to include first responders and other individuals who experienced latent physical injuries associated with the attacks or with debris removal.