But did those pregame factors add up to enough reason to delay a test run of Air Ryan?
The investigation may also include additional testing of air, water and soil samples from the area.
Mr. Blaine said subsequent tests of air quality in his home have shown a decrease in the contaminants, including trichloroethene and tetrachloroethene.
Tests of air samples taken downwind of the smoldering rubble on Tuesday and Wednesday -- mainly in Brooklyn -- disclosed no harmful levels of asbestos, lead or toxic organic compounds, officials of the federal Environmental Protection Agency said yesterday.
He said the company has paid to conduct its own tests of air quality to ensure that it is safe, and that top executives planned to return as well.
But tests of air and the dust coating parts of Lower Manhattan appeared to support the official view expressed by city, state and federal health and environmental officials: that health problems from pollution would not be one of the legacies of the attacks.
Although parts of a chemical warehouse continued to smolder, Sheriff Ken Jones of Union County said tests of air quality indicated no danger at or near the plant, owned by Teris Inc., which incinerates toxic byproducts from the manufacture of herbicides, pesticides and other potentially hazardous products.
And Dr. Lefkowitz, who serves on the district's health and safety committee, is pressing for further testing of air and dust inside the school as well as analysis of caulk in pillars in front of the building, which would drive the cost even higher.
Then, in November, articles by The Daily Inter Lake in Kalispell, Mont., and The Seattle Post-Intelligencer brought new focus to the mining operations and caught the attention of the E.P.A. Tests of air and soil since then found several areas still contaminated by asbestos.
Tests of air defence missile systems at six sites across London using dummy armaments have begun.
