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Bank Of America Investment It isn't easy to find a job that pays more than $9 an hour in Fremont County, which is why Jeremy Dickson liked his job at the Cotter Corp. plant. "I loved it out there," Dickson said of his job. "I don't agree with those people (Maywood soil opponents). It isn't toxic waste."

Cotter Uranium Mill in Ca on City could have to wait another year in its bid to bring 470, 000 tons of radioactive dirt to Colorado from a Superfund cleanup site in New Jersey. Doug Benevento, executive director of the state health department, said Friday that the request will be considered as part of the company's license renewal, a decision the agency will make late next year. In response, Cotter Corp. filed a lawsuit in District Court in Denver on Friday to force the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to make an immediate decision on the plan to bring dirt from a Maywood, N.J., site.

Investment Opportunity Dickson, 26, was one of 45 people laid off recently by Cotter because of delays in shipments of contaminated soils from the Maywood Superfund site in New Jersey. The shipment of 470,000 tons of Maywood Superfund soil to the Cotter uranium mill was delayed because of legislation passed after Fremont County residents became concerned about the shipments.

The PCBs buried in river sediment are considered by EPA to be a probable carcinogen and a risk to people who eat fish from the Hudson. Congress enacted the Superfund law after the Love Canal toxic waste scandal in the 1970s as a way to require polluters to pay for cleanups even if a site was sold or is no longer operating. In its lawsuit, - the Hudson River and former factories in Hoboken, N.J. and Milford, N.H. - where it is involved in Superfund cleanups.

Banc Of America Investment Cotter officials said the Maywood shipments would have brought in money needed to keep the staff on the payroll. The uranium mill has not been operating because of low uranium prices, and the zirconium mill had technical difficulties and was recently closed down.

The Russian proposal involves Iran carrying out uranium enrichment exclusively on Russian soil. Iran has said that any agreement must recognise Iran's "right" to carry out uranium enrichment on its own soil.

Banking Investment Dickson, who is married with two young children to support, has been applying for work at area businesses and said good-paying jobs in Fremont County are rare.

Neighbors and officials in Florence reacted with the same mixture of concern and anger as their counterparts in Camden. "I don't understand that at all, " said Donna McElrea, the owner of Donna's Deli and the head of the Roebling Historical Society. "We've already got a Superfund site (the former Roebling Steel Mill). We've had it up to here." Florence officials said they were assured by NJ Transit that the soil was "clean, " but asked to see test results for assurance.

Investment Solution Strategic He declined to say how much he was making when he was laid off after working just six months for Cotter.

With this system you are able to grow without worrying about weeds, bugs, pesticides, or soil messes.

Investment Banking Services Kerry Smith, a union representative for the employees, said the starting wage is $9.60 and employees can work up to $15.46 an hour in a couple of years.

Bank Investment Smith agrees with Dickson, saying he doesn't believe the Maywood soil is dangerous.

Alternative Investment "It is dirt," said Smith who has worked three years at the Cotter mill. "I would take a load of it in my back yard except that my neighbors would panic."

Online Investment Services Smith believes the objections by some to the low-level radioactive soil from the Maywood site is based on lack of knowledge. When he first heard about the controversy, Smith asked Cotter officials for more information and read the reports on the Maywood soil.

Accompany Essential Investment Smith also is president of the local chapter of the Paper Allied Industrial, Chemical and Energy Workers Union. He is retired from the Department of Defense after 28 years as a supervisor and electrician.

Investment Company "I think they need to know more about what they are talking about before they start talking," Smith said of the opponents to the Maywood soil. "I don't think they have come out here to look."

Investment Management Solution Dickson said he went through three days of safety training before he started work in the mill, where radioactive and chemical hazards do exist. There are also dangers associated with heavy equipment and machinery.

Investment Management Services "I think there was sufficient training," Dickson said. "When we started, we gave a urine sample the first day so they had a base line."

Guide Investment Stock After that, there were regular urine tests to determine if employees were picking up any type of contamination, Dickson said.

Investment Manual Solution Smith said he is satisfied with Cotter's safety procedures in the mill. There have been times when supervisors have shut down operations because of employee concerns.

Investment Stock A recent inspection by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment that found 16 violations doesn't reflect safety efforts by the company, Smith said.

Essential Investment Solution "It (inspection) was probably legitimate, but I think a lot of it was petty," said Smith, who has gone through plenty of inspector general inspections in his 28 years with the Department of Defense. "They (Cotter staff) got messed up on the paper work."

Citicorp Investment Services Smith said he believes the state agency does a thorough job during its inspections.

Fool Guide Investment Motley Mill Manager Pat Mutz said the response to the 16 violations has been completed and will be presented to the agency on time. Cotter officials also were planning to discuss the response at a public meeting in late May. The Maywood soil shipments were also on the agenda for the public hearing.

Fidelity Investment Services By John Lemons
Canon City Daily Record - 5/29/2002

Topic: SuperFund

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