Category Archives: Commentary

Another False Alarm about Rocky Flats

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There was an opinion article in the New York Times about the former Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant that was intended to create an emotional response, or at least it created an emotional response from me. The first sentence reports that the author grew up “…in the shadow of a nuclear bomb factory, so I read the just-released report on the Fukushima meltdown in Japan with special interest.” You have to read several paragraphs before you find why the author had a special interest in the Japanese disaster.  “The connection between Fukushima and Rocky Flats was made explicit when recent soil tests for offsite plutonium at Rocky Flats found cesium — from Fukushima.”

Linking Fukushima to Rocky Flats is puzzling. The plant never had a nuclear reactor or a tsunami. There are background levels of cesium around where the plant once operated, but the same can be said of any other location in the world. Am I being too suspicious that the author has written a book about Rocky Flats that might sell better if there is some connection, no matter how tenuous, with a recent disaster?

The local cities, State of Colorado, and Environmental Protection Agency all performed independent monitoring of the site, and probably would find a comment about “little environmental oversight” to be surprising. The State of Colorado funded a massive nine year long project to study Rocky Flats, the environment around the plant, and risks to people living in the area. That one study is an example that oversight was extensive, and “extensive” is undoubtedly understated.

The most shocking statement in the article is that there was “…potentially three tons of plutonium…” released by Rocky Flats. Vincent Carroll has an article in the Denver Post titled “Again, raising a false alarm” (yes, I plagiarized part of my title to this posting from his) in which he describes how he contacted the author to learn the source of that statement.  “She responded in some detail, basing her case on various estimates of what’s known as Material Unaccounted For, or MUF…” She does note that there is “…some plausible explanation for where the MUF went—such as in waste drums buried at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory—hardly pose a threat to metro residents.”

The actual releases ranged from as few as two ounces but less than thirty ounces released from all routine operations, storage areas, and fires over the life of the plant. Details are given in Chapter Twenty-five of “An Insider’s View of Rocky Flats” with reference to the Colorado agency that completed the nine year assessment of plutonium releases from the plant.

The New York Times article proves the adage that goes something like, “It is easier to make an accusation than it is to explain the truth.” I do give points for creative language.  I don’t recall seeing “profoundly contaminated” and “drenched in plutonium” in previous articles that were critical of Rocky Flats.

Military Reunion in San Antonio

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Thirty one graduates from  the U.S. Army Infantry Officers Candidate School (OCC) who were commissioned Second Lieutenants on March 9, 1967 gathered in San Antonio to remember those who did not survive Vietnam and those who have passed since. I was assigned to the third platoon under the command of Tactical (TAC) Lt. Paul R. Longgrear.

A small but dedicated group of the former candidates had located or learned the fate of most of our fellow graduates and organized the first reunion in Washington, D.C. That reunion included a visit to the Vietnam Memorial where the names of our fallen comrades are included among the 58,272 total (as of 2010).

I resisted participating in the reunions, because the overall OCS experience was unpleasant (proving my command for understatement). The physical requirements were intense and demanding, and I struggled to keep up with those who physically were dominantly like football halfbacks and were agile and could run fast while I was the lumbering lineman.

My wife finally convinced me we should attend a reunion at Fort Benning to take part in the dedication of a plaque with the names of those from our company who were Killed in Action (KIA). She was right; I felt better after we attended the reunion and renewed acquaintances.

We also attended a wonderful reunion in Southwest Colorado in 2011, and I wrote a posting about that gathering. To remind us that we are all approaching the end of our lives, the man who hosted the gathering died of a heart attack a couple of weeks later.

That brings me back to San Antonio and the 45th anniversary of our commissioning. We didn’t arrive until after the visit with Wounded Warriors at the Brooke Army Medical Center. Those who did make that visit were still emotional about what they had seen as they talked to us. They were especially grateful to those who provide the private funds to the Center.

The first event my wife and I were able to attend after a social gathering was one of our comrades reading the letter written by William Barrett Travis pledging that the Alamo would be defended to the last man. The names of our comrades who were killed in combat and those who have passed were then read.

The same gentleman seemed to more enjoy playing the guitar and singing a song of remembrance and a song of faith. That was followed by several of us going on a several mile drive in what I think was a giant circle, parking, and going on a two mile hike along the River Walk. Someone mentioned it reminded them of a forced march with the Rangers during our OCS training. We finally found a restaurant we later learned was about three blocks from the El Tropicana Hotel where we started. Map reading to find a destination is apparently a skill that doesn’t last. (Several of us promised to hardly ever mention the hike.)

The next rainy and chilly day we went on another hike that was advertised as “a few blocks” that turned into several. We walked past the Korean Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, and the Confederate Memorial on the way to Alamo. The Vietnam Memorial is a very large sculpture of a radio man kneeling beside a man who was probably his mortally wounded company commander. We then toured the Alamo and read the names of the volunteers who died there to give the other Texans the time to organize and prepare to defeat Santa Anna.

We had a wonderful sit down dinner at the hotel that evening, and one of our friends arrived at the table sniffing and wiping his eyes. “What’s wrong?” “Allergies.” But he then broke down and began to sob. He had gone to thank Major Graham White for his service, and was called “Sir.” He said, “I wouldn’t even be able to lift his jacket with all those medals, and he called me Sir!”

Major White (the son of one of our comrades) was in dress blues and jump boots, and he gave the keynote speech for the evening. His resume includes multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and he has a long list of commendations including two Purple Hearts and two Bronze Stars. He talked about his Army comrades who had suffered injuries that would have devastated average people, but returned to service after lengthy and intensive rehabilitation. The theme was “Army Strong,” and “This is your Army!” George Orwell wrote something to the effect, “People sleep peacefully in their beds because there are rough men willing to do violence for them.” I would substitute “tough and brave” for “rough,” but Orwell had it mostly right.

There was instruction on how to do a “Texas line dance.” There were some willing to participate and many others of us willing to watch.

I’ll end this by briefly mentioning a speech by Paul Longgrear. He was at Lang Vei, where the North Vietnamese used tanks with devastating effects that caused extensive casualties. I will refer to a review of the book “Night of the Silver Stars” that recounts details of the battle.

Health Care Law Status

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The legal battle about the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, which is commonly called “Obamacare,” has reached the Supreme Court. An article in the Washington Post by Robert Barnes leads with the Obama administration telling the Supreme Court, “Congress was ‘well within’ its constitutional powers when it decided that the way to resolve a crisis in health-care costs and coverage was to mandate that Americans obtain insurance or pay a fine…”  Lower courts have been just about evenly “…split on whether the Constitution gives Congress the power to require individuals to buy something they may not necessarily want.” Two judges wrote, “We are unable to conceive of any product whose purchase Congress could not mandate…” if the individual mandate is ruled constitutional.

There are many who do not believe the Supreme Court will actually rule on that issue at this time of high political drama, and the Obama administration is maneuvering separately to disarm some of the arguments against the law. Robert J. Samuelson wrote in the Washington Post that Health and Human Services secretary Kathleen Sebilius is doing what she can to make Obamacare disappear as a liability for the President. She has decided to delegate the final decision on defining “essential health benefits” for minimum health insurance coverage to the states. That decision is crucial to answering the question of how 35 million Americans who are currently uninsured will receive subsidized health insurance by 2016. Millions more who receive coverage in individual and small group insurance markets also will be affected.

Sebelius has disarmed the criticism that Obamacare imposes “one-size-fits-all” by requiring each state to define “essential health benefits.” However, the question of how broad the coverage that is required has been scattered to 51 debates. The two goals will obviously be broad and affordable coverage, and those two goals are in direct conflict. Broader coverage will increase the cost to government to pay for the subsidies. Many expect that employers could begin to freeze raises and cost of living increases to cover their costs for the new health insurance benefits that will be required.

The states apparently can base their decision on ten existing plans. “The choices include, for example, ‘the largest plan by enrollment in any of the three largest small group insurance products in the state’s small market group’.” I have no idea what that means but hopefully the 51 states have a better understanding of that and the other nine possibilities. The “good news” is that states that can’t figure out what to do can be granted waivers beginning in 2017, and perhaps that would be the best approach.

The best article I’ve read to try to understand this issue is titled “Dissecting the Health Care Case, Election-year debate makes this term a mirror of the New Deal era” by Mark Walsh. I suggest you clink on the link to this article and read the second page. My quick summary is that the Court might (or is likely to) rule that the current challenge is premature. “Under this view, the law’s individual mandate may not be challenged until individuals who refuse to buy health insurance have to pay a penalty.” One Court of Appeals threw out a challenge to the health care law on that basis. The Supreme Court did not take up that ruling, but “…it did accept the Obama administration’s suggestion to consider the Anti-Injunction Act issue.”  The issue will be argued for one hour on March 26.

There are strong opinions on both sides of the issues, and I believe the key is whether Congress can mandate that individuals must buy something. However, as the article describes, there are politics involved beyond what is constitutional. The Supreme Court ruled some of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal laws unconstitutional. My personal favorite was a ruling in Schechter Poultry Corp v. United States in which the Court ruled that (simplistically) the poultry processor had not intentionally sold unhealthy chickens. However, the Court began to uphold his programs in 1937 to stave off FDR’s court packing plan to gain friendly rulings.

I believe the best thing government can do is to get out of the way, and laws that sound as if they are based on good intentions are generally destructive. Obamacare has already distracted the country from the most important issue, and that is how to create a better economy that will employ more people. I also believe the law has already been detrimental in discouraging entrepreneurs from having the courage to launch new businesses. I know I would question my sanity if I decided to begin a new business with the uncertainty of both Obamacare and Dodd-Frank standing ready to crush it with both costs and bureaucracy.

Back to the likely outcome of the Supreme Court and Obamacare, Professor Lucas A. Powe Jr., a Supreme Court historian, writes, “I cannot imagine that John Roberts intends to go down in history as the chief justice who struck down one of the most significant statues in American history.” My prediction is that the Supreme Court will avoid such a contentious ruling by accepting that the current challenges are premature. The Anti-Injunction Act requires that a challenge is not allowed until “…individuals who refuse to buy the health insurance have to pay a penalty.”

What does all of this mean? Elections matter and the American people elected a President and dominantly Liberal Congress based on anger and fear in 2008. Laws that were intended to “protect and serve” were passed and signed, and now we must deal with the consequences.

Colorado Environmental Film Festival—Rocky Flats

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Part I of this posting discussed the content in two of the movies at the festival about water use and misuse.  This posting will be about two movies that discussed Rocky Flats worker illnesses and plutonium contamination near the former nuclear weapons plant.

The second movie shown was “Rocky Flats Legacy” by Scott Bison, and it is about former workers fighting for compensation for illnesses they believe were caused by exposures while working at the plant. I know people who were in this movie, which made it personal and distressing.

As I wrote in “An Insider’s View of Rocky Flats, Urban Myths Debunked,” I sympathize with people who are dealing with devastating diseases. I also understand the frustration and anger of dealing with government bureaucracies. I don’t know how many of the people would have gotten sick anyway, or how to sort out which of them got sick because of workplace exposures at Rocky Flats. However, In Chapter 27 of my book I quote a study of Rocky Flats workers that, “When compared with U.S. death rates, fewer deaths than expected were found for all causes of death, all cancers, and lung cancer. No bone cancer was observed.” These results are remarkable because 26 percent of the workers in the study had some level of plutonium “body burdens.”  I received a criticism that I neglected to mention there were a few kinds of cancer that were higher than the general population. There were very few cancer categories that were higher, and those results were slightly higher. However, statistics are meaningless to someone who has been told they have cancer and can’t prove whether or not exposures at Rocky Flats were the cause.

There were comments in the third film, “No Water to Waste” by Chris Garre, about plutonium contamination at and near Rocky Flats. The film stated there was no way to determine how much plutonium was left behind when the plant was closed and demolished, because the documents on that subject “were sealed.” I would suggest that the film maker didn’t do much investigation, because anyone who wants to research the subject can find more than they would ever want to read in the numerous public documents created during the closure process involving DOE, the EPA, the State of Colorado, and the Kaiser-Hill Company.

The basis of the statement might be from a story floating around that the government sealed 65 boxes collected during the raid of Rocky Flats that “would reveal the truth.” I am convinced that the people in the Justice Department who orchestrated the raid would have eagerly indicted people if there had been actual crimes proven in the “mysterious 65 boxes.” There was an opportunity to look at the boxes that wasn’t taken. Ann Imse wrote in the Rocky Mountain news that no one had requested a review of any of the boxes of documents three months after the U.S. attorney said he would consider allowing Rocky Flats cleanup officials to see the Grand Jury records. The Colorado regulator overseeing the cleanup said he didn’t have the time to look at them. It’s too bad a review wasn’t requested, because those “mysterious 65 boxes” are now part of a conspiracy theory that won’t die until someone looks at the boxes and finds the contents to be just as boring as the content of the other thousand or so boxes sent to the Justice Department by the plant. (I expect my book would have sold many more copies if I had decided to make it a fiction story about horrid crimes at Rocky Flats. The book reveals a less exciting and truthful story.)

Back to the movie, there was a recent news article pertinent to what was presented. A Boulder Camera article, “Study: Rocky Flats contamination still high,” by Laura Snider reports that samples collected by the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center found that “…the area is as contaminated by radioactive plutonium as it was 40 years ago.” The group apparently collected the samples to combat building a parkway past the area, and, in my opinion, confirmed at least three points. One is that the results reported by the site, Colorado, and EPA 40 years ago were accurate. Another is that the plutonium hasn’t blown downwind. The final point is that Colorado Health and EPA officials “…insist the amount of plutonium contamination at the eastern edge of the site is well below levels that would be dangerous to human health.”

On the subject of how much plutonium is dangerous, I considered commenting to the gathering at the Golden Hotel that it is too late for anyone wanting to avoid plutonium contamination. All humans have billions, trillions, or quadrillions of plutonium atoms in their bodies from the many tons scattered around the earth from atmospheric testing.

Colorado Environmental Film Festival—Water Use and Misuse

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Friends invited us to join them for dinner in Golden Colorado at the Golden Hotel and the three films that were to be shown at the same location later in the evening. The main attraction at the restaurant is a special Coors beer called “Barmen’s Pilsner.” We were warned that the beer would take a “seven minute pour” before serving. We accepted, and two of four (who aren’t frequent beer drinkers) decided it wasn’t so special. We probably would have been judged to have ordered inappropriate meals by many who later attended the movies. Three of us ordered the prime rib special and the other ordered the immensely tasty and calorie-packed macaroni and cheese (lots and lots of cheese!) with lobster and bacon. The time at the restaurant was the highlight of the evening, since the movies weren’t nearly as much fun.

We made our way into the well-attended viewing room with our $5 dollar tickets to watch the three movies, and I’m going to do two postings to cover my comments. This posting will be about water use. The second will be about people with diseases who worked at the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant and plutonium contamination in the area of the plant.

The first film, and my favorite, was “Chasing Water” by Peter McBride. The director grew up in Western Colorado, and decided to follow the Colorado River to determine how long it would take for water flowing back to the river from the irrigation on the family hay ranch to reach the Sea of Cortez. A friend paddled the river while he mostly viewed and filmed the river from private planes. The river ran dry in Mexico in 1998 because of “too many straws drinking out of the river.” It is now dry about 90 miles short of the ocean. The answer to when water from the ranch would reach the ocean is “never.”

The third movie, “No Water to Waste” by Chris Garre, (which finished third in my voting) presented several issues, including Colorado Front Range water supplies and uses. The movie, criticizes Denver Water Board plans to enlarge Gross Reservoir. Apparently building the dam for the reservoir in 1954 wasn’t an environmental disaster, but making it taller would be. The movie makes the point that available water should be used more wisely instead of increasing capacity. There were shots of urban sprawl and discussion of planned development. One question asked by a member of the audience after the movie was whether the director thought development should be ended or curtailed, and he replied something to the effect that would be difficult. People will continue to be attracted to the area.

There was a recent article by Bruce Finley in the Denver Post about failure of a Wyoming pipeline that would bring water to the Denver metropolitan area to receive an initial permit. There is a table showing average gallons of water used per-capita by seventeen Colorado cities. People who have been made to feel guilt about how much water they use should take heart. The statewide average use declined from 214 gallons per person in 1990 to 167 gallons in 2008.

I’ll close with that comment as I work on what to say about the Rocky Flats issues included in the second and third movies.

Rare Earths

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I became interested in the so-called rare earths after talking to a friend who gave me a quick course on the subject. Traces of these metals are everywhere, but there are only a few places on the planet that have high enough content to be called “ore” and justify mining. He also told me China has the richest deposits of the metals, and they also have less interest in the environmental impact of the mining. (All of that of course brings to mind the metal “unobtanium” being mined on the planet Pandora in the movie Avatar.)

Rare earths enable a long list of products to perform to the standards we take for granted. Smart phones, military night vision goggles, and cruise missiles (naming only a sample) wouldn’t work without them. Batteries for hybrid cars and wind turbines require large amounts.  The one mine in the U.S. that produced these metals was closed in 2002 under pressure from environmentalists, and the Chinese became the only significant source. The Chinese have announced they were restricting exports to levels that were not capable to meet demand, but kindly offered to build factories to build all of the products that used the metals. That created enough concern that the California Mountain Home mine has been reopened after pledging to operate with “zero effluents.”

There is an excellent article in National Geographic titled “The Secret Ingredients of Everything” by Nick Mann on the subject. You can read the entire article at the link, but I’ll provide my summary. The Prius battery has 20 pounds of lanthanum and the magnet in a large wind turbine has more than 500 pounds of neodymium. The red color on our televisions is from europium, and catalytic converters on our cars contain cerium and lanthanum. The dysprosium used in making computer hard drives was selling for $212/pound when the article was written.  Demand for these “ingredients” shows no signs of abating. In 2015 the world’s industries are forecast to consume an estimated 185,000 tons of rare earths, 50 percent more than the total for 2010. With China holding tightly to its reserves, where will the rest of the world get the elements that have become so vital to modern technology? (Russia, Australia, and Canada also have exploitable deposits.)

China is struggling with the environmental impact from the lucrative mining of rare earths (once again bringing to mind the Avatar story). The Chinese are reportedly working to reduce the impact form the large mines around Baotou, but violent criminal gangs are operating dozens of illegal mines without any regard for environmental impact. “If you own a smart phone or a flat-screen television, it may contain contraband rare earths from southern China.”

It seems unlikely that there will be enough of many of the rare earths to meet the world demand, especially with China imposing restrictions on exports. Recycling of older cell phones, etc. is becoming increasingly attractive.