From: | Aimee Houghton <aimeeh@igc.org> |
Date: | Mon, 01 Apr 1996 19:39:40 -0800 (PST) |
Reply: | cpeo-military |
Subject: | TOOELE CW INCINERATION TRIAL CONTINUES |
From: Aimee Houghton <aimeeh@igc.org> Subject: TOOELE CW INCINERATION TRIAL CONTINUES CHEMICAL WEAPONS WORKING GROUP P.O. Box 467, Berea, Kentucky 40403 Phone: (606) 986-7565 Fax: (606) 986-2695 e-mail: kefwilli@acs.eku.edu for further information: Craig Williams (606) 986-7565 Bob Schaeffer (617) 489-0461 for immediate release: Sunday, March 31, 1996 FORMER SAFETY MANAGER CALLS CHEMICAL WEAPONS INCINERATOR "A TICKING TIME BOMB" AS NEW SAFETY OFFICER TESTIFIES HE DID NOT KNOW OF ENVIRONMENTAL DUTIES; TOOELE WHISTLEBLOWER TRIAL RECESSES UNTIL LATER THIS SPRING. Steve Jones, the former safety manager at the U.S. Army's Tooele, Utah, chemical weapons incinerator called the facility a "ticking time bomb" after his replacement admitted in court that he was unaware that his position had any environmental responsibilities. Jones, who testified he was fired for refusing to overlook severe environmental, safety, and health dangers at the plant, is suing his former employee, EG&G Defense Materials, Inc., seeking restoration to his job and compensation for lost wages. The trial which began Monday, March 25 in Salt Lake City was recessed until sometime later this Spring due to the judge's schedule. In Fridays court session, the current safety manager, Sam Guello, admitted that he was not aware that he had any environmental duties even though such tasks are specified in EG&G's internal documents. A report released last week by the National Research Council noted that the Safety Manager "is responsible for assuring implementation of all environmental procedures, including the maintenance and updating of all environmental procedures; notifying regulatory agencies and management personnel of EG&G of major reportable deficiencies and completing all paperwork required by the company, state, and federal rules, and; informing EG&G management of compliance status and trends." Jones' lawyer, Mr. Richard Condit of the Government Accountability Project, a whistleblower protection organization, showed Guello documents outlining the safety managers duties and asked why he was not aware of these responsibilities. "I don't know," Guello's responded. There was a long silence in the court room. Mr Jones testified that his own internal "audit" and a report done by an Army subcontractor, the MITRE Corporation, identified more than 3,000 hazards at the Tooele facility in the summer of 1994. Of these, 150 were classified as "imminent and catastrophic." According to formerly secret documents made public over the strong objections of EG&G's lawyers, many of these dangers had still not been addressed as of late October, 1995. Ongoing problems included the absence of an emergency response plan, no analysis of the impact of a major accident, flawed ventilation systems which could circulate agent throughout the plant, and improper identification of other hazards. Henry Silvestri, EG&G's former general manager who admits he fired Jones in September, 1994 testified that he was surprised by the large number of environmental and safety deficiencies Jones identified, but never requested Jones' full report. Silvestri also admitted that he had repeatedly told Jones to "keep the customer happy," meaning the top Army officials at Tooele, even noting, "If that means kissing their ass on the front steps at noon, let me know and I'll hold your hat." The Army's Program Manager for Chemical Demilitarization, which has oversight for Tooele and the entire incineration program, refused to testify and would not participate in the trial. When asked to provide witnesses, the Army's Tooele project manager, Mr. Tim Thomas, told Jones' attorney, "We consider the matter closed." Despite the revelations made by Jones, the new EG&G documents made public showing continuing problems, and Guello's testimony, the Army still is seeking a permit to begin burning "live" agent at the Tooele facility as early as mid-April. Tooele is slated to be the first of eight incinerators built on the U.S. mainland to destroy the nation's chemical weapons stockpile. A prototype facility on Johnston Island in the Pacific had several explosions and was fined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for releasing chemical agents into the atmosphere. --30-- | |
Prev by Date: SAFETY OF CW INCINERATION IN QUESTION Next by Date: Re: RAB Bylaws | |
Prev by Thread: SAFETY OF CW INCINERATION IN QUESTION Next by Thread: DOD RAB DIRECTORY ON THE WEB |