TOOELE CW INCINERATION TRIAL CONTINUES

[Aimee Houghton <aimeeh@igc.org>]

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.
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