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From: owner-abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com (abolition-usa-digest) To: abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: abolition-usa-digest V1 #240 Reply-To: abolition-usa-digest Sender: owner-abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk abolition-usa-digest Friday, December 24 1999 Volume 01 : Number 240 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 17:25:00 -0800 From: Jackie Cabasso <wslf@earthlink.net> Subject: (abolition-usa) LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST LIVERMORE LAB - --=====================_28501760==_.ALT Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-MIME-Autoconverted: from 8bit to quoted-printable by hawk.prod.itd.earthlink.net id RAA13819 Tri-Valley CAREs Western States Legal Foundation Bay Area Physicians for Social Responsibility Environmental Update =20 December 1999 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DECEMBER 23, 1999 CONTACT: Sally Light, Tri-Valley CAREs (510) 527-2057 =20 Robert Gould, M.D., Physicians for Social Responsibility = (415) 864-6758=20 Phyllis Olin, Esq., Western States Legal Foundation (510) 5267217 ENVIRONMENTALISTS AND DOCTORS SUE CAL EPA, UC, AND DOE OVER NUCLEAR WEAPO= NS LAB PERMIT; CITE CHRONIC HAZARDOUS WASTE PROBLEMS AND VIOLATIONS OF CALIFORNI= A ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT OAKLAND, CA -- TriValley CAREs (Communities Against a Radioactive Environ= ment), Western States Legal Foundation (WSLF), and the San Francisco Bay Area Ch= apter of Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) today filed suit in Alameda County Superior Court in Oakland against the Department of Toxic Substanc= es Control (DTSC, a Department of the State of California Environmental Prot= ection Agency), the Regents of the University of California (UC) and the United = States Department of Energy (DOE). The groups claim that a final permit issued by DTSC earlier this = year for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to treat hazardous wastes, including the construction and operation of new facilities, viola= tes the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). CEQA requires preparati= on of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) when a project may cause significant impacts to the environment and surrounding community. According to Phyll= is Olin, an attorney with Western States Legal Foundation: =93DTSC=92s issua= nce of a Negative Declaration for such a complex project as a hazardous waste trea= tment facility at a nuclear weapons laboratory was inappropriate since such activities have the potential to cause significant environmental impacts.= =94 The final permit makes permanent, interim status documents under which LLNL h= as operated since 1983. LLNL, operated by the DOE and managed by UC, is one of the nation= =92s two primary nuclear weapons research and development centers. According to D= OE documents, in 1997, LLNL generated 2,769,600 pounds of hazardous waste (including liquids), and 243,200 pounds of mixed hazardous and radioactiv= e wastes. LLNL discharges hundreds of thousands of gallons of wastewater e= ach year into the Livermore municipal sewer system. LLNL operations and FOR=20 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DECEMBER 23, 1999 CONTACT: Sally Light, Tri-Valley CAREs (510) 527-2057 =20 Robert Gould, M.D., Physicians for Social Responsibility = (415) 864-6758=20 Phyllis Olin, Esq., Western States Legal Foundation (510) 5267217 ENVIRONMENTALISTS AND DOCTORS SUE CAL EPA, UC, . . . (continued) hazardous waste management activities have resulted in releases of hazard= ous and radioactive materials into the air, soil and groundwater. Employees = at LLNL have been contaminated with radioactive and hazardous materials. Th= e areas affected by the Lab=92s hazardous waste treatment operations includ= e wetlands and an arroyo. Species believed to be situated in the project vicinity include the California Red-Legged Frog, White-Tailed Kite, and Burrowing Owl. =20 TriValley CAREs, a Livermorebased group, Oakland=92s Western Stat= es Legal Foundation, and the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of Physicians for Soci= al Responsibility have monitored nuclear weapons activities at LLNL and rais= ed concerns about the environmental impacts of those activities and their potential effects on public and worker health and safety since the mid-19= 80's. The three groups have gone on record since 1997 opposing the final permit= for hazardous waste operations at LLNL, and have testified at public hearings= and submitted written comments. Earlier this year, they filed an administrat= ive appeal with DTSC asking that the decision to issue the permit be revoked= .=20 DTSC recently denied the appeal. =20 =93We are extremely upset that the DTSC has issued a final permit= and ignored our repeated requests for an Environmental Impact Report, as requ= ired under CEQA.=94 said Marylia Kelley, executive director of Tri-Valley CARE= s. =93It is unconscionable that DTSC, a state agency mandated to ensure public and environmental safety, has cut corners to grant a permit to the Livermore = Lab, especially since DTSC is aware of the Lab=92s long history of toxic and radioactive accidents, spills and releases.=94=20 Dr. Robert Gould, President of the San Francisco Bay Area Physicians for Social Responsibility, added: =93We are concerned that activities at the = Lab=92s hazardous waste treatment facilities may pose serious health risks to emp= loyees and the surrounding communities.=94 The plaintiffs are represented by attorneys Michael Veiluva, of A= lborg, Veiluva and Cannata, Phyllis Olin of Western States Legal Foundation, and= Alan Ramo and Anne Eng of the Environmental Law and Justice Clinic Golden Gate University School= of Law. =20 # # # ****************************************************** Jacqueline Cabasso, Executive Director WESTERN STATES LEGAL FOUNDATION 1440 Broadway, Suite 500 Oakland, California USA 94612 Tel: +(510)839-5877 Fax: +(510)839-5397 E-mail: wslf@earthlink.net ****************************************************** Western States Legal Foundation is part of ABOLITION 2000 A GLOBAL NETWORK TO ELIMINATE NUCLEAR WEAPONS - --=====================_28501760==_.ALT Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-MIME-Autoconverted: from 8bit to quoted-printable by hawk.prod.itd.earthlink.net id RAA13819 <html> <div align=3D"center"> Tri-Valley CAREs Western States Legal Foundation Bay Area Physicians for Social Responsibility </div> Environmental Update <x-tab> </x-tab> &nbs= p; <x-tab> </x-tab> &nbs= p; = ; = December 1999 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<x-tab> </x-tab><x-tab> &n= bsp; </x-tab><x-tab> = </x-tab><x-tab> &nbs= p;</x-tab><x-tab> </x-tab>= DECEMBER 23, 1999 CONTACT: <x-tab> </x-tab>Sally Light, Tri-Valley CAREs (510) 527-2057 <x-tab> </x-tab><x-tab>&nb= sp; </x-tab>Robert Gould, M.D., Physicians for Social Responsibility (415) 864-6758 <x-tab> </x-tab><x-tab>&nb= sp; </x-tab>Phyllis Olin, Esq., Western States Legal Foundation (510) 5267217 <div align=3D"center"> ENVIRONMENTALISTS AND DOCTORS SUE CAL EPA, UC, AND DOE OVER NUCLEAR WEAPONS LAB PERMIT; CITE CHRONIC HAZARDOUS WASTE PROBLEMS AND VIOLATIONS OF CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT </div> OAKLAND, CA -- TriValley CAREs (Communities Against a Radioactive Environment), Western States Legal Foundation (WSLF), and the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) today filed suit in Alameda County Superior Court in Oakland against the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC, a Department of the State of California Environmental Protection Agency), the Regents of the University of California (UC) and the United States Department of Energy (DOE). <x-tab> </x-tab>The groups claim that a final permit issued by DTSC earlier this year for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to treat hazardous wastes, including the construction and operation of new facilities, violates the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). CEQA requires preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) when a project may cause significant impacts to the environment and surrounding community. According to Phyllis Olin, an attorney with Western States Legal Foundation: =93DTSC=92s issuance of a Negative Declaration f= or such a complex project as a hazardous waste treatment facility at a nuclear weapons laboratory was inappropriate since such activities have the potential to cause significant environmental impacts.=94 The fin= al permit makes permanent, interim status documents under which LLNL has operated since 1983. <x-tab> </x-tab>LLNL, operated by the DOE and managed by UC, is one of the nation=92s two prima= ry nuclear weapons research and development centers. According to DOE documents, in 1997, LLNL generated 2,769,600 pounds of hazardous waste (including liquids), and 243,200 pounds of mixed hazardous and radioactive wastes. LLNL discharges hundreds of thousands of gallons of wastewater each year into the Livermore municipal sewer system. LLNL operations and FOR FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<x-tab> </x-tab><x-tab> &n= bsp; </x-tab><x-tab> = </x-tab><x-tab> &nbs= p;</x-tab><x-tab> </x-tab>= DECEMBER 23, 1999 CONTACT: <x-tab> </x-tab>Sally Light, Tri-Valley CAREs (510) 527-2057 <x-tab> </x-tab><x-tab>&nb= sp; </x-tab>Robert Gould, M.D., Physicians for Social Responsibility (415) 864-6758 <x-tab> </x-tab><x-tab>&nb= sp; </x-tab>Phyllis Olin, Esq., Western States Legal Foundation (510) 5267217 <div align=3D"center"> ENVIRONMENTALISTS AND DOCTORS SUE CAL EPA, UC, . . . (continued) </div> hazardous waste management activities have resulted in releases of hazardous and radioactive materials into the air, soil and groundwater. Employees at LLNL have been contaminated with radioactive and hazardous materials. The areas affected by the Lab=92s hazardous waste treatment operations include wetlands and an arroyo. Species believed to be situated in the project vicinity include the California Red-Legged Frog, White-Tailed Kite, and Burrowing Owl. <x-tab> </x-tab> <x-tab> </x-tab>TriValley CAREs, a Livermorebased group, Oakland=92s Western States Legal Foundatio= n, and the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility have monitored nuclear weapons activities at LLNL and raised concerns about the environmental impacts of those activities and their potential effects on public and worker health and safety since the mid-1980's. <x-tab> </x-tab>The three groups have gone on record since 1997 opposing the final permit for hazardous waste operations at LLNL, and have testified at public hearings and submitted written comments. Earlier this year, they filed an administrative appeal with DTSC asking that the decision to issue the permit be revoked. DTSC recently denied the appeal. <x-tab> </x-tab>=93We are extremely upset that the DTSC has issued a final permit and ignored our repeated requests for an Environmental Impact Report, as required under CEQA.=94 said Marylia Kelley, executive director of Tri-Valley CAREs. =93= It is unconscionable that DTSC, a state agency mandated to ensure public and environmental safety, has cut corners to grant a permit to the Livermore Lab, especially since DTSC is aware of the Lab=92s long history of toxic and radioactive accidents, spills and releases.=94 <x-tab> </x-tab>Dr. Robert Gould, President of the San Francisco Bay Area Physicians for Social Responsibility, added: =93We are concerned that activities at the Lab=92s hazardous waste treatment facilities may pose serious health risks to employees and the surrounding communities.=94 <x-tab> </x-tab>The plaintiffs are represented by attorneys Michael Veiluva, of Alborg, Veiluva and Cannata, Phyllis Olin of Western States Legal Foundation, and Alan Ramo and Anne Eng of the Environmental Law and Justice Clinic Golden Gate University School of Law. <div align=3D"center"> # # # <div align=3D"center"> ****************************************************** Jacqueline Cabasso, Executive Director WESTERN STATES LEGAL FOUNDATION 1440 Broadway, Suite 500 Oakland, California USA 94612 Tel: +(510)839-5877 Fax: +(510)839-5397 E-mail: wslf@earthlink.net ****************************************************** Western States Legal Foundation is part of ABOLITION 2000 A GLOBAL NETWORK TO ELIMINATE NUCLEAR WEAPONS</html> - --=====================_28501760==_.ALT-- - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 19:05:59 +1000 From: FoE Sydney - Nuclear Campaign <nonukes@foesyd.org.au> Subject: (abolition-usa) THE WORLDS BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT It's nearly Christmas Eve here in Sydney. Unlike the northern hemisphere, down here it is warm and sunny in spite of recent rain. People are likely to spend Christmas, (with the exception of strange folk like myself who spend it in front of a computer warning of a possible perhaps-maybe-who-knows, apocalpse, and asking people to do utterly absurd things like fax Clinton and Yeltsin about it, ) - with their families or friends at a back - yard barbequeue, or at the beach. But whether you have had a warm to hot downunder Christmas or a US or European white Christmas, it would be much more of a pleasure if you knew that there were not those 5,600 land- based ICBM warheads plus submarine and bomber based warheads, on 24 hour a day immmediate, launch-on-warning status. That could ruin your entire new year, especially knowing that the oldest, largest, most complex, and previously least Y2K compliant computer systems in the world perform command, communications, control, and intelligence for nuclear weapons systems. Sure, the Pentagon say they have spent $3.6billion to make their nuclear combat command, communication, and control systems Y2K compliant. Sure, the US and Russia have established a joint Y2K 'Strategic Stability Centre' next to the Cheyyenne Mountain Complex in Colorado. And it is important - indeed crucial - that they have done this. However, we hope they have by now managed to fix the hotlines set up during the cold war, and discovered to be non Y2K compliant in September. If nuclear weapons could not be immediately launched, then not only over the nervous Y2K rollover period, when US and Russian officers are going to EXPECT false alerts, blank screens, and communication blackouts, but at any other time when also false alerts have happened, decision makers would never be forced into the situation in which they have to decide whether to blow up the world in five minutes, perhaps at 3am in the morning when very much the worse for wear after new years drinkies. The best Christmas gift Clinton or Yeltsin can give the world is to do as two resolutions passed by the United Nations General Assembly a year ago with massive majorities, and another two passed this year with massive majorities, two resolutions passed by the Australian Senate and one resolution passed unanimously by the European Parliament have reccommended - - to take nuclear weapons off hairtrigger alert and place them in a status in which launch on warning is no longer possible. A letter signed by 500 global environmental organisations, arms control groups, religious bodies, NGOs, and Parliamentarians asking for nuclear weapons to be taken off alert for the new year was faxed to Yeltsin and Clinton yesterday. Ask President Clinton, President Yeltsin, and their secretaries and ministers for defence to do this. If you have access to a fax machine, a single page A4 fax even to the Kremlin should cost you round a dollar. (public fax facilities charge an arm and a leg so don't bother with them). The best fax is handwritten not typed. Do it now - It's Christmas Eve tomorrow (or it is here in Sydney). You can fax for free on: http://www.fax4free.com You can fax Clinton on +1-202-456-2461 You can fax US defence secy Cohen on 1-703-695-1149 You can fax Yeltsin on +7-095-205-4330. There are sample letters below, but they you should shorten them and use your own words. You don't need to write anything near as long as this. Use what you want of these sample letters in your own way. 1) SAMPLE LETTER TO COHEN/CLINTON (Please customise and shorten) TO: WILLIAM COHEN, US SECRETARY OF DEFENCE, +1-703-695-1149, PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON, WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, US, +1-202-456-2461, +1-202-456-2883. Dear President Clinton and Secretary for Defence Cohen, I am writing to urge your administration to take US nuclear forces off 'hairtrigger alert' even if only during the Y2K rollover period, to ask that any false alarms or 'near misses' over the Y2K rollover and at any other time be reported publicly, and to ask that the Y2K strategic stability centre's operations be extended preferably indefinitely but at least till May. There is little time to act, and an immediate decision to place nuclear weapons in a status in which immediate launch is impossible is essential to ensure global stability. As you will be aware, the European Parliament recently voted to ask you and President Yeltsin to do as the UK has already done, and de-alert nuclear weapons. De-alerting of nuclear forces was strongly recommended by the Canberra Commission in 1996 and then by the Tokyo Forum, as a way to develop strategic stability and build trust between the US and Russia. It has also been incorporated into last year's and this years text of the New Agenda Resolution in the UN General Assembly. It has also been reccommended by a resolution specifically on the subject passed by last years General Assembly and by this years First Committee on Reduction of Nuclear Dangers. In addition it has been the subject of two resolutions passed by the Australian Senate on 12 August and 20 September, and finally it has been clearly requested by the European Parliament. It is also the subject of congressional resolution H.Con Res177 put by Edward Markey, and most recently, the City of Berkeley has asked for it. De-Alerting and the establishment of the Y2K strategic stability centre are not in competition with each other. Indeed, we urge strongly that the strategic stability centres operations be extended indefinitely. Reductions in the number of weapons, the establishment of shared early warning centers and de-alerting are all vital to the reduction of tension and the establishment of strategic stability. This is particularly the case in view of the uncertainties posed by the millennium date change (Y2K). As you are well aware, the largest and oldest computer system complexes in the world are those that control nuclear weapons systems. The very nature of the Y2K problem makes it impossible to be sure everything has been fixed until well into the new year. Russia has, until recently, made little effort to even acknowledge the Y2K problem, let alone fix it. It is therefore quite possible that Russian computerized control systems are not Y2K compliant and that they will experience widespread failures during the Y2K rollover period. Even more disquieting is the fact that that the Russians have constructed the system known as 'Perimeter', or the 'dead hand'. This system seems to include additional ways in which Y2K failure might lead to an accidental launch. The establishment of a Y2K strategic stability center in Colorado is certainly an advantageous move and an absolutely essential one, but it does not entirely remove the danger of an accidental launch of nuclear weapons. The fact that the Center is scheduled, as far as we the public are aware, to come into operation only on December 27th, four days prior to the rollover, is far from reassuring. A four day delay will render it useless. Similarly, the center itself will depend on the availability of ultra-reliable hotlines between it and Moscow. The Y2K vulnerabilities recently discovered in six of the seven hotlines on which US/Russian communications depends, are also cause for deep concern. If nuclear weapons are removed from a status in which they can be launched within minutes, and placed in one which would require at least days to launch, the risk of an accidental missile launch induced by Y2K or other errors in command and control systems will be virtually eliminated. This has already been done by the UK, which has moved the 'notice to fire' for its missile forces from minutes to days. The United States is making a serious error in failing to consider de-alerting. Failure to take nuclear forces off hairtrigger alert over the Y2K 'rollover' period is an error that has the potential of causing unthinkable consequences. The probability of this may be low, but it will never be zero as long as nuclear forces remain on hair-trigger alert. This will continue to be so after the immmediate Y2K 'rollover' period. In a previous administration, President Bush took strategic bomber forces off alert. We urge you to do this with all US nuclear forces. (SIGNED) etc. 2) SAMPLE LETTER TO YELTSIN/DEFENCE MINISTER SERGEYEV (Please customise and shorten) PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN, IGOR SERGEYEV, RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTER, +7-095-205-4330, Dear Defence Minister Sergeyev and President Yeltsin, I am writing to convey my deep concern that Y2K-related computer failures in the command and control systems for nuclear weapons may lead to an accidental nuclear war. I am aware that both Russia and the US have taken this problem seriously enough to establish a joint strategic stability center in Colorado. However, I am very much concerned that this facility will come into operation only by 27th December 1999, so that a delay of just four days will make it useless. This facility is however, essential to the security of the world, and should continue to operate indefinitely. I am also very much concerned that Y2K problems have been found recently in six out of seven of the 'hotlines' that would be used if a crisis of any sort arose over the Y2K rollover period. I am aware that there have been a number of occasions when either the US or Russia have mistakenly believed that the other nation was in the process of launching a nuclear attack. With 3,600 Russian warheads on 700 missiles and 2,000 US warheads on 500 missiles, with each side capable to launch within roughly 20 minutes, this must never be allowed to happen, either over the Y2K 'rollover', or at any other time. The use of 5,600 warheads would certainly mean the end of what we call civilization, would likely mean the end of the human race and could possibly mean the end of all life. I therefore urge both you and the United States, to place all your nuclear forces in a status in which at least days not minutes, would be required to launch. The United Kingdom has, I understand, already done this. The European Parliament has recently called on both the US and Russia to de-alert nuclear weapons and to place them in a state similar to that in which the UK has placed its weapons. De-alerting of nuclear forces was strongly recommended by the Canberra Commission in 1996 and then by the Tokyo Forum, as a way to develop strategic stability and build trust between the US and Russia. It has also been incorporated into last year's and this years text of the New Agenda Resolution in the UN General Assembly. It has also been recommended by a resolution specifically on the subject passed by last years General Assembly and by this years First Committee on Reduction of Nuclear Dangers. In addition it has been the subject of two resolutions passed by the Australian Senate on 12 August and 20 September, and finally it has been clearly requested by the European Parliament. It is also the subject of congressional resolution H.Con Res177 put by Edward Markey, and most recently, the City of Berkeley has asked for it. In this context I am particularly concerned that statements have been made in which the threat of nuclear weapons has been raised, and that new missiles have been deployed and placed on alert status. As what is at stake is potentially the survival of the entire planet, no considerations, even the highest considerations of national security, can take priority. The immediate stakes are so high and the potential for global catastrophe is so great, that de-alerting of nuclear forces in the face of the Y2K computer problem and the long-term possibility of false alerts must take precedence over all other considerations of political and national security. (Signed) etc. John Hallam Friends of the Earth Sydney, 17 Lord Street, Newtown, NSW, Australia, 2042 Fax (61)(2)9517-3902 ph (61)(2)9517-3903 nonukes@foesyd.org.au http://homepages.tig.com.au/~foesyd http://homepages.tig.com.au/~foesyd/nuclear/bbletter.html - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 24 Dec 1999 16:09:28 +1100 From: "Helen Caldicott" <hcaldic@ibm.net> Subject: Re: (abolition-usa) LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST LIVERMORE LAB This is a multi-part message in MIME format. - ------=_NextPart_000_01B4_01BF4E29.417B79A0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Excellent work people, congratulations! If I can help in any way do let = me know Helen Caldicott ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Jackie Cabasso=20 To: abolition-caucus@igc.org ; abolition-usa@lists.xmission.com=20 Sent: Friday, December 24, 1999 12:25 PM Subject: (abolition-usa) LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST LIVERMORE LAB Tri-Valley CAREs Western States Legal Foundation Bay Area Physicians for Social Responsibility Environmental Update = December 1999 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DECEMBER 23, = 1999 CONTACT: Sally Light, Tri-Valley CAREs (510) 527-2057 =20 Robert Gould, M.D., Physicians for Social = Responsibility (415) 864-6758=20 Phyllis Olin, Esq., Western States Legal Foundation = (510) 5267217 ENVIRONMENTALISTS AND DOCTORS SUE CAL EPA, UC, AND DOE OVER NUCLEAR = WEAPONS LAB PERMIT; CITE CHRONIC HAZARDOUS WASTE PROBLEMS AND VIOLATIONS = OF CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT OAKLAND, CA -- TriValley CAREs (Communities Against a Radioactive = Environment), Western States Legal Foundation (WSLF), and the San = Francisco Bay Area Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) = today filed suit in Alameda County Superior Court in Oakland against the = Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC, a Department of the State = of California Environmental Protection Agency), the Regents of the = University of California (UC) and the United States Department of Energy = (DOE). The groups claim that a final permit issued by DTSC earlier = this year for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to treat = hazardous wastes, including the construction and operation of new = facilities, violates the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). = CEQA requires preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) when a = project may cause significant impacts to the environment and surrounding = community. According to Phyllis Olin, an attorney with Western States = Legal Foundation: "DTSC's issuance of a Negative Declaration for such a = complex project as a hazardous waste treatment facility at a nuclear = weapons laboratory was inappropriate since such activities have the = potential to cause significant environmental impacts." The final permit = makes permanent, interim status documents under which LLNL has operated = since 1983. LLNL, operated by the DOE and managed by UC, is one of the = nation's two primary nuclear weapons research and development centers. = According to DOE documents, in 1997, LLNL generated 2,769,600 pounds of = hazardous waste (including liquids), and 243,200 pounds of mixed = hazardous and radioactive wastes. LLNL discharges hundreds of thousands = of gallons of wastewater each year into the Livermore municipal sewer = system. LLNL operations and FOR=20 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DECEMBER 23, = 1999 CONTACT: Sally Light, Tri-Valley CAREs (510) 527-2057 =20 Robert Gould, M.D., Physicians for Social = Responsibility (415) 864-6758=20 Phyllis Olin, Esq., Western States Legal Foundation = (510) 5267217 ENVIRONMENTALISTS AND DOCTORS SUE CAL EPA, UC, . . . (continued) hazardous waste management activities have resulted in releases of = hazardous and radioactive materials into the air, soil and groundwater. = Employees at LLNL have been contaminated with radioactive and hazardous = materials. The areas affected by the Lab's hazardous waste treatment = operations include wetlands and an arroyo. Species believed to be = situated in the project vicinity include the California Red-Legged Frog, = White-Tailed Kite, and Burrowing Owl. =20 TriValley CAREs, a Livermorebased group, Oakland's Western = States Legal Foundation, and the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of = Physicians for Social Responsibility have monitored nuclear weapons = activities at LLNL and raised concerns about the environmental impacts = of those activities and their potential effects on public and worker = health and safety since the mid-1980's. The three groups have gone on = record since 1997 opposing the final permit for hazardous waste = operations at LLNL, and have testified at public hearings and submitted = written comments. Earlier this year, they filed an administrative = appeal with DTSC asking that the decision to issue the permit be = revoked. DTSC recently denied the appeal. =20 "We are extremely upset that the DTSC has issued a final = permit and ignored our repeated requests for an Environmental Impact = Report, as required under CEQA." said Marylia Kelley, executive director = of Tri-Valley CAREs. "It is unconscionable that DTSC, a state agency = mandated to ensure public and environmental safety, has cut corners to = grant a permit to the Livermore Lab, especially since DTSC is aware of = the Lab's long history of toxic and radioactive accidents, spills and = releases."=20 Dr. Robert Gould, President of the San Francisco Bay Area = Physicians for Social Responsibility, added: "We are concerned that = activities at the Lab's hazardous waste treatment facilities may pose = serious health risks to employees and the surrounding communities." The plaintiffs are represented by attorneys Michael Veiluva, = of Alborg, Veiluva and Cannata, Phyllis Olin of Western States Legal = Foundation, and Alan Ramo and Anne Eng of the Environmental Law and Justice Clinic Golden Gate University = School of Law. =20 # # # ****************************************************** Jacqueline Cabasso, Executive Director WESTERN STATES LEGAL FOUNDATION 1440 Broadway, Suite 500 Oakland, California USA 94612 Tel: +(510)839-5877 Fax: +(510)839-5397 E-mail: wslf@earthlink.net ****************************************************** Western States Legal Foundation is part of ABOLITION 2000 A GLOBAL NETWORK TO ELIMINATE NUCLEAR WEAPONS=20 - ------=_NextPart_000_01B4_01BF4E29.417B79A0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D"MSHTML 5.00.2014.210" name=3DGENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV>Excellent work people, congratulations! = If I can=20 help in any way do let me know Helen Caldicott</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE=20 style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: = 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV=20 style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black">From:=20 <A href=3D"mailto:wslf@earthlink.net" = title=3Dwslf@earthlink.net>Jackie=20 Cabasso</A> </DIV> <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">To: <A=20 href=3D"mailto:abolition-caucus@igc.org"=20 title=3Dabolition-caucus@igc.org>abolition-caucus@igc.org</A> ; <A=20 href=3D"mailto:abolition-usa@lists.xmission.com"=20 = title=3Dabolition-usa@lists.xmission.com>abolition-usa@lists.xmission.com= </A>=20 </DIV> <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">Sent: Friday, December 24, 1999 = 12:25=20 PM</DIV> <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">Subject: (abolition-usa) = LAWSUIT FILED=20 AGAINST LIVERMORE LAB</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV align=3Dcenter>Tri-Valley CAREs Western States Legal=20 Foundation Bay Area Physicians for Social=20 Responsibility </DIV> =20 Environmental Update =20 = <X-TAB> </X-TAB> &nbs= p; =20 = <X-TAB> </X-TAB> &nbs= p; = ; = = December 1999 FOR IMMEDIATE=20 = RELEASE<X-TAB> </X-TAB><X-TAB> &n= bsp; </X-TAB><X-TAB> = </X-TAB><X-TAB> &nbs= p;</X-TAB><X-TAB> </X-TAB>= DECEMBER=20 23, 1999 CONTACT:=20 <X-TAB> </X-TAB>Sally Light,=20 Tri-Valley CAREs (510) 527-2057 =20 = <X-TAB> </X-TAB><X-TAB= > </X-TAB>Robert=20 Gould, M.D., Physicians for Social Responsibility (415) 864-6758=20 = <X-TAB> </X-TAB><X-TAB= > </X-TAB>Phyllis=20 Olin, Esq., Western States Legal Foundation (510) = 5267217 <FONT=20 face=3D"Arial, Helvetica" size=3D5> <DIV align=3Dcenter>ENVIRONMENTALISTS AND DOCTORS SUE CAL EPA, UC, AND = DOE OVER=20 NUCLEAR WEAPONS LAB PERMIT; CITE CHRONIC HAZARDOUS WASTE PROBLEMS AND=20 VIOLATIONS OF CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT </DIV>OAKLAND, CA -- TriValley = CAREs=20 (Communities Against a Radioactive Environment), Western States Legal=20 Foundation (WSLF), and the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of = Physicians for=20 Social Responsibility (PSR) today filed suit in Alameda County = Superior Court=20 in Oakland against the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC, a = Department of the State of California Environmental Protection = Agency), the=20 Regents of the University of California (UC) and the United States = Department=20 of Energy=20 = (DOE). <X-TAB> </X-= TAB>The=20 groups claim that a final permit issued by DTSC earlier this year for = the=20 Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to treat hazardous = wastes,=20 including the construction and operation of new facilities, violates = the=20 California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). CEQA requires = preparation=20 of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) when a project may cause = significant=20 impacts to the environment and surrounding community. According = to=20 Phyllis Olin, an attorney with Western States Legal Foundation: = “DTSC’s=20 issuance of a Negative Declaration for such a complex project as a = hazardous=20 waste treatment facility at a nuclear weapons laboratory was =20 inappropriate since such activities have the potential to cause = significant=20 environmental impacts.” The final permit makes permanent, = interim status=20 documents under which LLNL has operated since=20 = 1983. <X-TAB> </X-T= AB>LLNL,=20 operated by the DOE and managed by UC, is one of the nation’s = two primary=20 nuclear weapons research and development centers. According to = DOE=20 documents, in 1997, LLNL generated 2,769,600 pounds of hazardous waste = (including liquids), and 243,200 pounds of mixed hazardous and = radioactive=20 wastes. LLNL discharges hundreds of thousands of gallons of = wastewater=20 each year into the Livermore municipal sewer system. LLNL = operations and=20 FOR FOR IMMEDIATE=20 = RELEASE<X-TAB> </X-TAB><X-TAB> &n= bsp; </X-TAB><X-TAB> = </X-TAB><X-TAB> &nbs= p;</X-TAB><X-TAB> </X-TAB>= DECEMBER=20 23, 1999 CONTACT:=20 <X-TAB> </X-TAB>Sally Light,=20 Tri-Valley CAREs (510) 527-2057 =20 = <X-TAB> </X-TAB><X-TAB= > </X-TAB>Robert=20 Gould, M.D., Physicians for Social Responsibility (415) 864-6758=20 = <X-TAB> </X-TAB><X-TAB= > </X-TAB>Phyllis=20 Olin, Esq., Western States Legal Foundation (510) = 5267217 <FONT=20 face=3D"Arial, Helvetica" size=3D5> <DIV align=3Dcenter>ENVIRONMENTALISTS AND DOCTORS SUE CAL EPA, UC, . . = . (continued) </DIV>hazardous waste = management=20 activities have resulted in releases of hazardous and radioactive = materials=20 into the air, soil and groundwater. Employees at LLNL have been=20 contaminated with radioactive and hazardous materials. The areas = affected by the Lab’s hazardous waste treatment operations = include wetlands=20 and an arroyo. Species believed to be situated in the project = vicinity=20 include the California Red-Legged Frog, White-Tailed Kite, and = Burrowing=20 = Owl. <X-TAB> </X-TAB><B= R><X-TAB> </X-TAB>TriValle= y=20 CAREs, a Livermorebased group, Oakland’s Western States Legal = Foundation, and=20 the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of Physicians for Social = Responsibility=20 have monitored nuclear weapons activities at LLNL and raised concerns = about=20 the environmental impacts of those activities and their potential = effects on=20 public and worker health and safety since the mid-1980's.=20 <X-TAB> </X-TAB>The three groups have gone on record since = 1997=20 opposing the final permit for hazardous waste operations at LLNL, and = have=20 testified at public hearings and submitted written comments. = Earlier=20 this year, they filed an administrative appeal with DTSC asking = that the=20 decision to issue the permit be revoked. DTSC recently denied = the=20 appeal. =20 = <X-TAB> </X-TAB>&#= 8220;We are=20 extremely upset that the DTSC has issued a final permit and ignored = our=20 repeated requests for an Environmental Impact Report, as required = under CEQA.”=20 said Marylia Kelley, executive director of Tri-Valley CAREs. “It = is=20 unconscionable that DTSC, a state agency mandated to ensure public and = environmental safety, has cut corners to grant a permit to the = Livermore Lab,=20 especially since DTSC is aware of the Lab’s long history of = toxic and=20 radioactive accidents, spills and releases.”=20 = <X-TAB> </X-TAB>Dr= .=20 Robert Gould, President of the San Francisco Bay Area Physicians for = Social=20 Responsibility, added: “We are concerned that activities at the = Lab’s=20 hazardous waste treatment facilities may pose serious health risks to=20 employees and the surrounding=20 = communities.” <X-TAB> &nb= sp; </X-TAB>The=20 plaintiffs are represented by attorneys Michael Veiluva, of Alborg, = Veiluva=20 and Cannata, Phyllis Olin of Western States Legal Foundation, and Alan = Ramo=20 and Anne Eng of the Environmental Law and Justice Clinic Golden = Gate=20 University School of Law. <DIV align=3Dcenter># # # <DIV=20 = align=3Dcenter>****************************************************** = Jacqueline=20 Cabasso, Executive Director WESTERN STATES LEGAL FOUNDATION 1440 = Broadway, Suite 500 Oakland, California USA 94612 Tel:=20 +(510)839-5877 Fax: +(510)839-5397 E-mail:=20 = wslf@earthlink.net ***************************************************= *** Western=20 States Legal Foundation is part of ABOLITION 2000 A GLOBAL = NETWORK TO=20 ELIMINATE NUCLEAR WEAPONS </DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML> - ------=_NextPart_000_01B4_01BF4E29.417B79A0-- - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. 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