Fire danger: Low
Energy Secretary announces plans to compensate
thousands of workers
Saying that the U.S. government is now on their side, Department of Energy Secretary Bill Richardson on Wednesday announced plans for compensating thousands of workers exposed to radiation or other hazardous materials while working in the nation's nuclear weapons program.
The Clinton-Gore Administration plan still requires approval by Congress. It will offer payments of $100,000 to workers with certain kinds of cancers. However, at a news conference announcing the plan, DOE Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety and Health David Michaels said the figure was a minimum for workers exposed to beryllium. He also said that families of workers who already have incurred medical costs because of beryllium disease and cancers will be reimbursed.
Richardson said DOE estimates the annual cost of the compensation program its first years at about $120 million, decreasing to about $70 million annually the next three years.
"The burden of proof is on the government, not the workers," said Richardson. "Justice for our nuclear weapons workers is finally happening. The government is on their side not against them," he said.
"It's time to do right by these proud workers," Richardson said, in describing DOE's ramped-up efforts to help former workers receive compensation. He said DOE will open a Workers Advocacy Office May 1 where current and former workers can file claims for compensation. The office will work with existing workers compensation offices at the federal and state levels. Claims that show merit won't be contested, he said.
Richardson made his comments during a news conference at DOE headquarters in Washington, D.C. Several members of Congress representing districts around the country where DOE facilities are located also attended the news conference.
Richardson said DOE will continue building bipartisan support in Congress for passage of the program. "It is critically important that we pass this legislation this year because these workers should not wait any longer," he said.
New Mexico Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M. recalled attending four hours of hearings in New Mexico last month where some current and former Laboratory and DOE workers, or members of their families, spoke about ailments they believe were contracted from repeated exposure to chemicals, beryllium and radiation.
Beryllium is a highly toxic metal used in nuclear weapons production.
"This is a heart-wrenching situation," Udall said. "We don't want these families saddled with these medical bills." He added that he planned to introduce comprehensive workers compensation legislation in the House on Wednesday.
Richardson's announcement coincided with the release of a report by the National Economic Council looking into workplace exposures and illness.
"The NEC report is an important compilation of historic health impact studies among workers at DOE sites, including Los Alamos. The report provides the basis for the proposed compensation program Secretary Richardson announced Wednesday," said Environment, Safety and Health (ESH) Division Director Dennis Erickson.
"Los Alamos will support fact-finding for this national effort. Los Alamos also will continue to provide employees with full access to their medical and exposure records. And we remain committed to making the safety and protection of our workers our highest priority," Erickson said.
After reviewing the NEC report, members of ESH Division will hold meetings for Lab employees to summarize the report and its impacts and to hear related questions and concerns of employees. At those meetings ESH representatives also will provide publicly releaseable information on past and current health studies on Los Alamos workers. A schedule and locations for those meetings will be announced shortly.
More information about the National Economic Council health study and the compensation plan can be found at http://www.eh.doe.gov/benefits/nec/nec.html online. (Adobe Acrobat Reader required)
Additional information is available online about
--Steve Sandoval
Neutron Science Center cleanup operations suspended
In order to address worker health concerns that arose this week, officials at the Laboratory have suspended operations in two areas at the Laboratory's Manuel Lujan Jr. Neutron Scattering Center. Laboratory managers announced the "stop work" to employees at the Lujan Center today and Tuesday.
Under Laboratory policy, workers can stop work if they have a concern about the safety of their activities. The "stop work" was precipitated by worker concerns that known mercury contamination in two areas known as Experimental Rooms 1 and 2 was being spread to other areas. Workers were in the process of cleaning and decontaminating ER-1 and ER-2 so neutron physics experiments at the facility could resume this year. The cleanup began in October 1999.
"We have no indication that mercury contamination at the facility presents a risk to employees or the environment," said Geoff Greene, deputy division director of the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE). "But because concerns have been raised, it is prudent to suspend operations in ER-1 and ER-2 until we can address safety issues and provide complete information to our workers. We want workers at the Lujan Center to be actively involved in the evaluation and resolution of the situation. Most of all, we want workers at the Lujan Center to be safe and to feel safe."
The Lujan Center is part of LANSCE, a facility that uses a high-energy linear proton accelerator to generate neutrons for a number of scientific and defense applications. The facility is open to scientists who come to Los Alamos to use neutrons to gain insight into material properties and nuclear physics; the facility has played a role in helping scientists better understand the nature of the universe as well as helping industry design better consumer products.
At the Lujan Center, mercury is used in "shutters" to stop neutron beams. On a few occasions in the past, mercury has spilled onto the floor in experimental areas. When this has occurred, the material is cleaned up with special vacuum machines by workers wearing appropriate protective clothing and gear.
Mercury is a dense, heavy, toxic material. Mercury can be found in some household thermometers and dental fillings. Mercury has a high surface tension and tends to pool easily. When disturbed, the material can separate into extremely tiny beads that scatter and can become trapped in cracks or pores in floor material. These tiny, trapped beads can be missed by the vacuum and remain in the facility in minute quantities.
Mercury evaporates easily and can become a breathable vapor, which can cause health problems. However, not all spilled mercury becomes vapor since the beads eventually develop a chemical coating or get covered with dust, greatly reducing the rate at which they vaporize.
Mercury detectors in ER-1 and ER-2 have indicated vapor levels well below exposure limits established by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration in areas where employees would normally work and breathe.
Workers cleaning up experimental areas at the Lujan Center wear protective clothing and respirators as a standard precaution. Multiple types of samplers are used to detect and measure mercury vapors. Workers also wear special filters on their respirators that change color to indicate prolonged exposure to the material. Workers have not observed any filter color changes at the Lujan Center.
In cases when spot detectors found local concentrations of mercury, employees involved with the cleanup were given blood or urine tests to check for acute exposure to mercury. None of the employees tested has shown evidence of any exposure to the material.
Employees expressed concern about the possibility that mercury was being spread from the experimental rooms to other areas. Managers at the facility promptly suspended work in the two experimental rooms until ES&H personnel could say definitively whether the mercury poses a danger to workers or the environment. Greene addressed employees at separate meetings Tuesday afternoon and this morning.
Greene said operations in ER-1 and ER-2 will not resume until he and others are sufficiently certain that the mercury does not impose an unnecessary risk to employees at the facility.
"The bottom line is we will not resume activities in that area until both staff and management are certain that the work can be done safely," he said.
--James E. Rickman
Director provides update on polygraphs
The Department of Energy, following a series of public hearings, has decided to implement its polygraph examination regulations, although for a greatly reduced number of employees than had originally been anticipated.
Energy Secretary Bill Richardson and his staff have identified about 800 people in the DOE complex who initially will be subject to polygraph examinations because of their clearance levels and their access to classified or sensitive information or materials. The only exception to the DOE plan is a Congressional mandate that new special access program and Personnel Security Assurance Program employees must be polygraphed before they are granted access to those programs. Edward J. Curran, DOE's director of counterintelligence, is seeking to have Congress modify this requirement.
Along with my counterparts from our sister weapons laboratories, I discussed the details of the implementation plan with Mr. Curran. He gave each of us the names and job categories of the individuals who would be subject to polygraph examination. This information is locked in my personal safe and is available only to me. However, I can tell you that the number of Los Alamos employees on this list is less than 200. Each person listed will receive a letter of notification from their SAP, PSAP or Personnel Assurance Program manager and will be contacted at a later date to schedule their polygraph examination.
Although we may long for the "good old days" when trust and thorough background investigations were enough, the law now requires implementation of a polygraph program. As I have said several times, I and the rest of my senior executive team will be the first Los Alamos employees to be polygraphed. I intend to stay closely apprised of how our employees are faring in the polygraph program, and will work with Mr. Curran to help resolve any issues that may arise. The implementation approach adopted by Secretary Richardson and Mr. Curran will ensure that any disruption will be minimal. In the meantime, I support the Congressional recommendation to have the National Institutes of Health, in conjunction with the National Academy of Sciences, conduct a study on the validity of polygraph testing.
As you will recall, I argued against the expanded use of the polygraph. When that quest proved unsuccessful, I proposed a major reduction in the number of people who would be impacted. The group that will be subject to polygraph examinations will now consist primarily of people who have already signed polygraph consent forms.
Thank you for your cooperation as the implementation of the polygraph program proceeds.
--Laboratory Director John Browne
Lab sponsors Internet workshop for entrepreneurs
New Mexico entrepreneurs anxious to learn how the Internet can help their business will gather in Santa Fe on April 26 for "LaunchNM.com: The Internet and the Entrepreneur." The day-long workshop, sponsored by the Laboratory and others, will provide small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs with an opportunity to learn first-hand from the successes and the challenges of many New Mexico and national Internet businesses.
The workshop, run by the Technology Commercialization Office of the Laboratory's Industrial Business Development (IBD) Program Office, consists of panel discussions and presentations by experts and Internet business leaders from New Mexico and California. LaunchNM.com will take place at La Fonda in Santa Fe, with registration and continental breakfast starting at 7 a.m.
"The Laboratory has initiated a number of efforts to promote economic diversification in Northern New Mexico by assisting minority-owned and other small businesses. LaunchNM.com and other entrepreneurial workshops we sponsor are an important part of our efforts," said Joe Salgado, deputy Laboratory director for Business Administration and Outreach. "We believe the LaunchNM.com workshop can play a significant role in helping Northern New Mexico businesses understand the potential, evolving opportunities in the new Internet economy."
The workshop's lunchtime keynote speaker is Bob Ewald, current president and chief executive officer of E-Stamp, the first company approved by the United States Postal Service to allow people to buy postage online and print it from a computer. Before E-Stamp, Ewald served as leader of the Laboratory's Computing Division and held senior leadership positions with Cray Research and Silicon Graphics Inc. Other featured speakers during the day include Klaus Schauser, founder and chief technical officer of Expertcity.com, and Jan Zimmerman of Sandia Consulting Group.
A morning panel "Using the Internet to Launch and Grow Your Business," includes Neil Senturia, chief executive officer of Mohomine; Michael Young, chief electronic commerce officer of HelloDirect.com; Chris Lyman, CEO of Virtualis; and Rich Wyckoff, senior vice president of corporate marketing at Zland.com.
The afternoon panel, "Launching a dot com," features Adam Gardner, founder and CEO of infantelligence.com, a Taos-based company that offers products to enhance the intelligence and learning of infants. The panel also includes Rich Reichley, director of fulfillment and distribution at eNutrition.com.
Two Albuquerque companies -- TEMA, a furniture company that recently has gone online and SuperGroups.com, a provider of Internet sites for family, friends and groups to share information on the Web -- also will share their success stories during the workshop.
In addition to the Laboratory, the workshop is sponsored by the New Mexico Internet Professionals Association, the Electronic Commerce Resource Center and the New Mexico Information Technology and Software Association.
For more information on the conference, including a complete agenda and registration forms, entrepreneurs and others can visit the conference Web site at http://www.launchnm.com or contact Deborah Wilke at 7-5403. Early registration, extended until April 19, is $40, while late or onsite registration is $50. The agenda and speakers are subject to change without notice. Media interested in attending the workshop without charge should contact David Lyons at 505-665-9198.
Dave Foster, Technology Commercialization Office program manger, said LaunchNM.com is the ninth in an ongoing series of entrepreneurial workshops sponsored by TCO. More than 1,100 people have attended these training and networking events, and Foster expects more than 300 will participate in LaunchNM.com.
Since 1997, the Laboratory's TCO has helped regional entrepreneurs start-up 38 new technology firms, create over 140 new jobs and secure over $21 million in external investment capital.
--David Lyons
Event planned to increase involvement in volunteer activities
April is National Volunteer Month in the United States. Closer to home, the Community Relations Office (CRO) is spearheading an effort to solicit and increase Laboratory personnel involvement in a number of volunteer activities in Los Alamos, Santa Fe and Española.
From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 25 on the east side of the Otowi Building, Lab employees and subcontract personnel can learn about and sign up for several upcoming events in local communities. There will be music and free lunch courtesy of CRO, Communications (CIC-4) and ARAMARK Corp. for employees who sign up for at least one volunteer event.
If there is inclement weather, the event will move to the second floor lobby of the Otowi Building.
Employees can sign up for a volunteer activity the day of the event, or through CRO's National Volunteer Month Web site.
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Litter and refuse collects along a fence line around the Los Alamos County landfill, as shown looking south from East Jemez Road. The Community Relations Office (CRO) is working with Los Alamos County to conduct a community clean up of the area around the landfill on Saturday, April 29. Photo by LeRoy N. Sanchez |
"The Laboratory understands the importance of being a good corporate citizen, and volunteering to take part in a civic, educational or other charitable event is one way to show that we care about our towns and cities," said CRO Director Christina Armijo. "It's also just the right thing to do not only personally, but for the region," she said. "The number of upcoming activities in Santa Fe, Los Alamos and Española are a great opportunity to volunteer some time and feel good about helping to make a difference." At 12:15 p.m. April 25, CRO also will introduce the Laboratory Employee Volunteer Service Award Program (see accompanying story). Community volunteer events that employees can sign up for include clean up days in Santa Fe, Española and Los Alamos on Saturday, April 29, said Armijo. The Amarante de Flores Garden Club in Española is sponsoring the clean-up event from 8 a.m. to noon at the Chimayo Trading Post on Riverside Drive in Española. Volunteers will be able to pick their own areas for clean-up from the Western Holiday Motel north into the city and including NM 76 to Santa Cruz. Volunteers should bring gloves, hats, sunscreen, tools (rakes, etc.). Refuse bags will be provided. Coffee will be served and garden club members will provide lunch after the clean-up event. |
On the same day in Santa Fe, Santa Fe Beautiful is sponsoring the Great American Spring Clean Up Day from 9 a.m. to noon. Registration is from 7 to 9 a.m. at 1142 Siler Road. Volunteers have the option of choosing what area to clean, or having Santa Fe Beautiful assign an area for them. At noon, the volunteers reconvene at Frenchy's Park on Agua Fria Street and Osage Avenue for a free lunch. Refuse bags and Santa Fe Beautiful T-shirts will be provided.
The Laboratory also is working with Los Alamos County to arrange for a clean-up around the County landfill. Refuse bags will be provided.
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In May and continuing through the summer, Habitat for Humanity chapters in Santa Fe, Los Alamos and Española are recruiting volunteers to help build new homes. On May 3, New Mexico First Lady Dee Johnson will be joined by first ladies from throughout the country to take part in the groundbreaking for a home to be built on Cerro Gordo Road on Santa Fe's east side. Habitat for Humanity in Santa Fe is recruiting 2,000 women -- men also are welcome to volunteer -- to help construct the home scheduled for completion in August. Armijo said Habitat for Humanity in Santa Fe is looking for women who can volunteer to work one, four-hour shift. The four hours can be split up into two, two-hour shifts, if preferable. Habitat for Humanity, Santa Fe, is currently building two new homes in Santa Fe and needs volunteers for these projects as well, Armijo said. The Española Valley/Los Alamos Habitat for Humanity chapter recently purchased land in Española where construction on a home begins in June. Volunteers are being requested for this project, she said. On May 12 and 13, the American Cancer Society's annual Relay for Life at Ashley Pond in Los Alamos is being held to raise funds for cancer research and awareness. Teams of eight to 15 people are needed, said Armijo. Participants in the Relay for Life receive a T-shirt, free food and beverages. There also will be entertainment at the pond throughout the two days of the relay. Armijo said Española Elementary School's Science Center needs individuals who can volunteer time in June to help school staff catalogue their materials and advise school staff on what kinds of additions to the center would help attract students. More than 450 Laboratory employees have signed on to participate in the Lab's Volunteer Program, said Armijo. "We know that many employees already do volunteer work in their communities and these efforts certainly are commendable," said Armijo. "The Laboratory Volunteer Program is one way of showing the communities that we are a good corporate neighbor, and we hope that employees will sign on to participate." President Clinton has proclaimed April 9 through 15 as National Volunteer Week in the United States. For more information, call CRO at 5-4400, Linda Anderman at 5-9196, or write to volunteer@lanl.gov by e-mail. Click here for more information about the Lab's Volunteer Program. --Steve Sandoval |
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Settlement reached with Lab Public Affairs director
In a news release issued Wednesday, the Laboratory announced that former Public Affairs Director Sylvia J. Brucchi has resigned from the Laboratory, effective April 7, due to differences in style and direction between her and the Laboratory. Brucchi served as director of the Laboratory's Public Affairs Office from February 1998 until September 1999. More information can be found in the news release.
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Los Alamos' main hill road closed this weekend The Main Hill Road will be closed on Saturday and, if necessary, Sunday to repair a broken water line in the vicinity of the Clinton P. Anderson memorial. Los Alamos County Utilities crews will begin work at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday and continue until the line is repaired. Signs will be posted. Please plan an alternate route when entering or exiting Los Alamos. |
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On today's bulletin board |
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Commuter's Corner | Parking areas around TA-3 | Parking shuttle routes (pdf) or jpeg |
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