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by Karen Lee Scott
Staff Writer
Supposed alterations of chemical agent monitoring data has led
to an investigation at the Tooele Chemical Agent Disposal Facility
(TOCDF) located on the Deseret Chemical Depot.
On Aug. 12, EG&G Defense Materials Inc.--TOCDF's systems
contractor-- announced that an investigation had been under way for
three weeks and that an employee of Battelle, a subcontractor to
EG&G, has been suspended pending the outcome of the probe concerning
data misrepresentations.
"We will never release his name because he was not a federal government
employee," said DCD spokesman Chuck Sprague, adding it would be
up to Battelle to release that information.
The suspended employee allegedly made "improper adjustments"
to an Automatic Chemical Agent Monitoring System (ACAMS) unit, a device
that sounds an alarm when chemical agents are detected. Regardless
of the supposed unauthorized changes, the Army insists that no agent
was released.
"Initial review of independent monitoring equipment data has confirmed
that there were no instances of chemical agent release from the
plant," said Ted Ryba acting site project manager.
Besides the Army and the Centers for Disease Control, the Utah
Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste is reviewing the case concerning
the potential non-compliance to the Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act Permit.
Col. Ray Van Pelt, commander of the DCD, has also requested that
a technical team from the Chemical Materials Agency review the case.
Despite the investigation, VX destruction operations are still
under way at TOCDF.
The last time data was said to be misconstrued at the depot was
in June and July of 2002. The findings of that investigation led
to a six-month prison term and $10,000 fine for depot supervisor
David Yarbrough. He was found guilty of falsifying air-quality test
results, but still claims he is innocent.
e-mail: kscott@tooeletranscript.com
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