NEW WHISTLEBLOWER SURFACES AT CHEMICAL WEAPON DEPOT

[nosmokes]

original-PEER

For Immediate Release: May 10, 2007
Contact: Carol Goldberg [phone]

NEW WHISTLEBLOWER SURFACES AT CHEMICAL WEAPON DEPOT —

Worker Safety, Environmental Violations and Data Falsification at Kentucky Facility

Washington, DC — A top scientist overseeing chemical weapons storage operations at the Bluegrass Army Depot claims he was fired for reporting worker safety, environmental and data integrity violations, according to legal filings released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). The troubled Army facility in Kentucky is already the subject of a federal grand jury looking into these and other lapses at the repository for storing 500 tons of the world’s deadliest chemical warfare agents.

Kim Schafermeyer, an analytical chemist and industrial hygienist, served at Bluegrass until July 2006 when he was abruptly dismissed just prior to the end of his one year probationary period. In his April 6, 2007 affidavit filed in support of his legal complaint, Schafermeyer outlines chronic safety and pollution concerns, including –

* Direct venting of chemical warfare agent expelled from testing equipment directly into laboratory areas occupied by workers and visitors;
* Improper handling of air and waste water samples; and
* Flawed monitoring data protocols, including apparent creation of figures when data gaps occurred.

Schafermeyer also describes supervisors and certifying officials with no identifiable qualifications, the misuse of congressionally appropriated funds (obtained by U.S. Senator Jim Bunning of Kentucky) earmarked for equipment upgrades and threats by base managers in order to stifle reports of any problems.

“The command at Bluegrass appears to be far more concerned with containing the truth about conditions inside the depot than with containing the lethal chemicals it is supposed to be safeguarding,” stated PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch, whose organization is representing depot whistleblowers. “The picture emerging from the sworn statements of depot workers is downright scary.”

In addition to the criminal grand jury convened by the U.S. Justice Department, other depot employees have come forward with information about the inability to monitor conditions inside the “igloos” where VX nerve gas and other agents are stored in their original rockets.

Schafermeyer’s cases is currently awaiting hearing before a U.S. Department of Labor administrative law judge, although it may be sent back to the federal civil service authorities for processing under the Whistleblower Protection Act rather than under federal environmental laws.

“There will be many more revelations in the coming days out of the chemical weapons operation at Bluegrass,” Ruch added, noting that PEER is now taking sworn statements from current and former depot managers. “Incredibly, Blue Grass managers are still telling employees that safety and environmental considerations detract from the facility mission.”

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complete release including links to other sources here

[Trillo]

1. So how does working hard, being honest,

learning your professional specialty of science work out in the end?

Why the liars fire you.

Why won't Congress impeach Cheney?

[stillcool]

2. looks like he has a predecessor..

For Immediate Release: September 2, 2005
Contact: Carol Goldberg [phone]

CHEMICAL WEAPONS MONITOR FILES RETALIATION COMPLAINT — Emergency Response Capability at Chemical Weapons Depot in Doubt

Washington, DC — The worker who revealed that leak detection devices for deadly VX agent at the Bluegrass Army Depot were not working properly has filed a federal whistleblower complaint that he was reassigned from his job for asking questions about plant safety, according to a filing released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). The reassignment compromises an already inadequate emergency response capability in the event of a leak at the chemical weapons storage facility located in Kentucky.

Bluegrass Army Depot stores over 500 tons of chemical warfare agents in 45 storage units called igloos. Donald Van Winkle, who operates air-monitoring units designed to detect leaks of chemical warfare agents, disclosed last week that the monitors to detect VX agent had been configured so as to be ineffective until very recently. Van Winkle’s disclosure has already triggered a Defense Department inspection of the facility later this month.

On August 3, 2005, Bluegrass Army Depot removed Van Winkle’s clearance to work in areas containing chemical agents “based upon allegations of suspect queries to crew members” that Van Winkle made concerning safety conditions. As a consequence, Van Winkle has spent the past month at a desk job in another part of the facility.
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Because Van Winkle has been reassigned to a desk job away from the chemical munitions, the number of qualified emergency responders in case of the release of an agent is reduced. Last week, Bluegrass Depot admitted that a leak of mustard agent had occurred in two different igloos on July 19th.
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One worst-case scenario involves the highly lethal nerve agent, VX. Van Winkle’s disclosure called into question whether VX detectors were inoperative for many months. In the event of a large-scale release of VX nerve agent from the munitions into the igloos, the Army may not have been able to timely detect the release, let alone respond to it.

Van Winkle filed a whistleblower complaint under the Clean Air Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. The complaint triggers an immediate federal investigation and, if the matter is not resolved in 30 days, a full evidentiary hearing before a federal administrative law judge will be scheduled.

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Look at the retaliation complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Labor
Read about problems at the Bluegrass Army Depot
http://www.peer.org/news/news_id.php?row_id=585

and here's some other stuff that seemed interesting...

MADISON COUNTY
Pentagon Extends Deadline For Destruction Of Weapons Stored At Bluegrass Army Depot To 2023

Nov 27, 2006 08:48 AM
Washington (AP) -- The Pentagon has extended its timeline to destroy the nation's aging chemical weapons arsenal until 2023, despite concerns by Congress and watchdog groups. There is fear that the stockpiles raise the risk of an accident or theft by terrorists.

Part of the stockpile is at the Bluegrass Army Ammunition Depot near Richmond in Madison County.

The new schedule is outlined in Pentagon documents obtained by USA TODAY and show the military won't eliminate its stock of deadly nerve gases and skin-blistering agents until eleven years after the 2012 deadline set by the international Chemical Weapons Convention.

The US government had already asked for a five-year extension from an earlier 2007 deadline.

An 11 a.m. news conference is scheduled for Tuesday at the depot near Richmond.

Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved
http://www.wlextv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5712712

February 6th, 2006

BUNNING STATEMENT ON FUNDING FOR BLUEGRASS ARMY DEPOT

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Jim Bunning today offered the following statement regarding funding for the cleanup of chemical weapons at the Bluegrass Army Depot in Richmond, Kentucky.

“The President in the FY07 Budget has taken a giant step forward by appropriating nearly $350 million for chemical weapons cleanup at the Bluegrass Army Depot and a similar facility in Pueblo, Colorado,” said Bunning. “I’ve said all along that the Department of Defense must make this project a top priority. This year’s budget shows that the President and the Department of Defense have taken the proper clean up of chemical weapons seriously.

“Not only do we have a treaty obligation to get these weapons cleaned up by 2012, but also we have a moral obligation to the community to ensure they live in a safe and healthy environment. As a member of the Senate Budget Committee I will work hard to see that this funding remains in the final budget passed by Congress.”

April 20th, 2004

BUNNING STATEMENT ON $2 MILLION FUNDING REQUEST FOR THE BLUE GRASS ARMY DEPOT

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jim Bunning today issued the following statement regarding his request of $2 million from the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee for improved chemical warfare agent monitoring at the Blue Grass Army Depot.

“I secured language in the FY04 Defense Authorization Act last year to have the Army provide improved chemical monitoring devices at Bluegrass Army Depot. But that doesn't mean I'm going to wait around for them to move slowly to meet that requirement. Therefore, I have made funding these monitors my top priority this year from the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.

“Now is the opportune time to go hard and strong on securing these devices as work gets underway at the Depot. We need to work together to help expedite this process to ensure that our community, its workers, and the environment don't suffer, and that safety and common sense prevails.”
http://bunning.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=1118&Month=4&Year=2004

# Who was awarded the contract for the construction of a destruction facility at Bluegrass Army Depot, Richmond, KY?
The basic contract was awarded on June 13, 2003. Bechtel National, Inc. and Parsons Infrastructure and Technology Group, Inc. led a team known as "Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass." Subcontractors to this team included General Atomics, Washington Demilitarization Company, Battelle Memorial Institute, and General Physics.

# Who are the prime contractors and sub-contractors associated with all chemical demilitarization sites around the country? If they are different at each site will you please provide the appropriate information?
Prime contractors are the contractors that hold the design, build, operation and closure portions of the contract. The following is a list of the prime contractors at each site: Aberdeen/Bechtel; Anniston/Washington Group Int'l; Blue Grass/Bechtel-Parsons; Newport/Parsons; Pine Bluff/Washington Group Int'l; Pueblo/Bechtel; Tooele/EG&G Incorporated; and Umatilla/Washington Group Int'l. Subcontractors to the prime contractor vary by site. Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), DuPont and Southwest Research Institute are among those that provide support under the prime contractors.

http://www.cma.army.mil/questions.aspx

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http://www.govliquidation.com/index.html
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[phoebe]

3. wasn't there a news report last week about a leak that just came to light

even though it happened several months ago? May not have been the same facility but obviously someone was trying to get the info. out.