Cotter, state review violations
Kristine Woolley
Record Staff Writer
Health department officials on Thursday agreed that the Cotter Corporation's efforts in addressing notices of violation have been sufficient in resolving at least four of the violations.
The violations include Cotter not following the ALARA program; policies and procedures for handling respiratory equipment; documentation of radioactive decontamination of equipment; and Department Of Transportation requirements for shipping papers.
Cotter reviewed its efforts with members of the Fremont County Independent Outreach Committee.
FCIOC recently started reviewing notices of violations issued last April to Cotter by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
Jim Cain, Cotter's environmental coordinator and radiation safety officer, and Phil Krauth, laboratory manager, discussed the violations and outlined what steps have been taken to remedy them.
Also on hand from the health department were Gene Potter, program manager of the Laboratory and Radiation Services Division, Tom Pentecost, health physicist, and Marion Galant, community involvement manager.
The following violations were discussed:
Notice of Violation 6
Health department: Cotter is not following the As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) program when UPS drivers have unrestricted access to restricted areas of the mill.
Cotter: Delivery drivers used to sign in and out and go to the warehouse and laboratory unescorted and the mill was never cited for that before, Cain said.
"People would make deliveries and leave. It was common practice over the years," he said.
"We do escort them now, and in some cases, put a (radiation) sampler on them."
Pentecost, who said the issue has been resolved, said the violation was an example of why license renewals are held every five years – so the state can review policies and procedures and make sure they are up to date.
Notices of Violation 7, 8, 9
Health department: Cotter needs to improve its policies and procedures for handling and repairing respiratory protection equipment.
Cotter: Cain said Cotter has tightened its procedures and implemented two new policies regarding the use, cleaning and maintenance of respiratory protection equipment.
Pentecost agreed that this issue has been resolved.
Notice of Violation 10
Health department: There is not adequate documentation of radioactive decontamination of equipment that leaves the site for sale, repair, reuse or disposal.
Cotter: Cain said Cotter has submitted a proposal to the state to solve this violation and both parties agreed it's still "under review" because it's a complicated issue.
Notice of Violation 11
Health department: Cotter didn't follow U.S. Department of Transportation requirements to include the proper shipping name and the letters "RQ" (reportable quantity) on all shipping papers.
Cotter: The shipping papers were not as consistent as they should have been, Cain said, but Cotter has since updated and revised the shipping paperwork.
Pentecost agreed with Cain's assessment and said the violation was "simply an error on filling out a large, complicated form."
Other upcoming FCIOC agenda items include evaluation of current and possible future material at the site, including the Maywood soil, Environmental Protection Agency issues and Cotter's license renewal.
Health department officials also agreed to provide committee members copies, if available, of some of the documents they requested.
This includes prior notices of violations and a letter from the Department of Energy indicating if the receipt of the Maywood soil would effect the long-term stewardship of the mill.
The health department officials also plan to continue reviewing the notices of violations with the group at the March 6 FCIOC meeting.
FCIOC was formed last summer to provide impartial information about Cotter's operations.
The company hired Angela Bellantoni of Environmental Alternatives Inc. to organize the committee and facilitate meetings.