Duluth Georgia-Pacific Closure And Layoffs . ...... services.' Koch's voice is new among Iowa ethanol producers. Koch's
E G A C YOFL OS S L KOCHI LAYOFFSANDENVI NDUS TRI ES' RONMENT AL HARM I NB ATTLEGROUNDS T ATES AUGUST1 5 , 2 0 1 4
TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents ...................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ...............................................................................................................................4 Alaska.........................................................................................................................................5 Layoffs .......................................................................................................................................................... 5 North Pole Refinery Closure ................................................................................................................................................................. 5
Flint Hills’ North Pole Refinery: Sulfolane Contamination And Subsequent Fight With Alaska Over Cleanup Standards ........................................................................................................................................ 6
Arkansas .................................................................................................................................. 10 Layoffs ......................................................................................................................................................... 10 Crossett Georgia-Pacific Layoffs......................................................................................................................................................... 10 Fordyce Plywood Georgia-Pacific Layoffs ........................................................................................................................................ 10
Environment ................................................................................................................................................ 11 Crossett Schools Toxic Chemical Exposure ..................................................................................................................................... 11 Coffee Creek Water Pollution ............................................................................................................................................................ 12
Florida...................................................................................................................................... 14 Jobs .............................................................................................................................................................. 14 Hawthorne Georgia-Pacific Plant ...................................................................................................................................................... 14 Layoffs at Palatka ................................................................................................................................................................................... 15 Brunswick Georgia-Pacific Plant ......................................................................................................................................................... 16
Environment ................................................................................................................................................ 17 St Johns River ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 17
Kentucky .................................................................................................................................. 18 Coal Mining Operation Was Sued For Destroying Homes ........................................................................ 18 Koch Victory, Division Of Reiss Coal Co., Was Sued For Kentucky Residents’ Private Property Damages ....................... 18
Iowa ......................................................................................................................................... 21 Anti-Iowa Agenda ........................................................................................................................................ 21 Layoffs ......................................................................................................................................................... 21 Dubuque Georgia Pacific Layoffs ....................................................................................................................................................... 21 Monticello Georgia Pacific Layoffs .................................................................................................................................................... 21 Fort Dodge Koch Nitrogen Layoffs................................................................................................................................................... 22
Environment ............................................................................................................................................... 22 Georgia-Pacific’s Pm-2.5 Pollution ..................................................................................................................................................... 22
Leaks By Koch Pipelines ............................................................................................................................ 23 1981: Koch Pipeline Dumped 900,000 Gallons Of Crude Oil In Polk County, Near Des Moines River.............................. 23 1
1999: Koch Pipeline Break Dumped 150,000 Gallons Of Crude Oil Into Creek Bed Leading To Des Moines River ........ 23 2001: Ammonia Pipeline Leak Killed Nearly 1.3 Million Fish – “One Of The Largest Environmental Disasters To Hit The State.”............................................................................................................................................................................................... 23
Michigan .................................................................................................................................. 25 Layoffs ........................................................................................................................................................ 25 Environment ............................................................................................................................................... 25 Koch Industries Vendor Dumped Petroleum Byproduct Along Detroit Waterfront................................................................ 25 Koch Industries Subsidiary Was Responsible For Kalamazoo River Pollution .......................................................................... 28
Minnesota ................................................................................................................................ 31 Layoffs ......................................................................................................................................................... 31 Duluth Georgia-Pacific Closure And Layoffs ................................................................................................................................... 31
Environment ................................................................................................................................................ 31 Federal And State Pollution Fines....................................................................................................................................................... 31 Oil Spills .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 31 Water Pollution ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 33 Air Pollution ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 34
Land Sale .................................................................................................................................................... 35 Sale Of Land For Housing Units ........................................................................................................................................................ 35 Delays Over Pollution Concerns ......................................................................................................................................................... 35 Completion Of Housing Development On Land ............................................................................................................................ 36
Montana ................................................................................................................................... 37 Matador Cattle Company Ranch Held Grazing Permits Under Federal Program That Costs Taxpayers $140 Million Annually ................................................................................................................................. 37 Matador Cattle Company And Federal Grazing Permit Program ................................................................................................. 37 40 percent Of Koch Industries’ Cattle Operations Was On Land Leased From The Federal Government, Including Matador Cattle Company’s Beaverhead Ranch ................................................................................................................................. 37 Federal Grazing Permit Program ........................................................................................................................................................ 37
Matador Cattle Company Received Warning Letter From The EPA For Potential Clean Water Act Violations .................................................................................................................................................... 39
New Hampshire ...................................................................................................................... 40 Environment ............................................................................................................................................... 40 Koch Subsidiary Paid New Hampshire Hundreds Of Thousands Of Dollars To Settle Accusations Of Contaminating State Groundwater ................................................................................................................................................................................. 40
North Carolina......................................................................................................................... 41 Layoffs ......................................................................................................................................................... 41 Wilmington Invista layoffs ................................................................................................................................................................... 41 Whiteville Georgia-Pacific Layoffs ..................................................................................................................................................... 41 Roxboro Georgia-Layoffs .................................................................................................................................................................... 41 2
Shelby Invista Layoffs ........................................................................................................................................................................... 42 Salisbury Invista Layoffs ....................................................................................................................................................................... 42
Environment ............................................................................................................................................... 45 Colonial Pipeline Spill ........................................................................................................................................................................... 45
West Virginia ........................................................................................................................... 47 Environment ............................................................................................................................................... 47 Connected To COmpany Responsible For DEVASTATING Chemical SPill ........................................................................... 47
Wisconsin ................................................................................................................................ 49 Jobs ............................................................................................................................................................. 49 Green bay Georgia-Pacific Plant ......................................................................................................................................................... 49
Environment ............................................................................................................................................... 50 Fox River Pollution ............................................................................................................................................................................... 50 Coal Piles ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 50
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INTRODUCTION It's no secret that the billionaire Koch brothers' top priority is continuing to grow their massive fortune, no matter what it takes. Their oil conglomerate, Koch Industries, is the second largest privately held corporation in America, and states across the country are feeling the impacts of their activities. Koch Industries and its subsidiaries own facilities in 35 states across the country, including battleground states like Iowa, Michigan, Florida, Wisconsin and North Carolina -- states where the Republican candidates are closely tied to the Koch brothers. These states have been subject to job loss, significant environmental damage, or both, at the hands of the Kochs' business empire. This report provides a breakdown of the impact Koch Industries has had on key states. The Kochs' extreme, self-serving agenda is bad for working families. And that reality is starkly embodied not only by their political persuasions, but by their business endeavors.
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ALASKA Layoffs NORTH POLE REFINERY CLOSURE Flint Hills Announced In Early February 2014 That It Would End Its Refinery Operations Near North Pole, Due Partly To The High Costs Of Contamination Cleanup Issues. According to the Anchorage Daily News, “Flint Hills announced in early February it planned to end refinery operations by June, partly over costly contamination cleanup issues that company officials say they inherited from the plant's former owner. Flint Hills officials have estimated they pay $2 million a year to supply more than 300 homes in North Pole with bottled water, tanks of water or filters, state officials say.”[Anchorage Daily News, 4/8/14]
81 Employees Lost Their Jobs With The Refinery Closure 81 Employees Lost Their Jobs Due To the Closure Of The North Pole Refinery. According to the Associated Press, “Flint Hills Resources Alaska said it will stop processing crude oil its North Pole refinery by November 1. Gasoline refining will stop by early May, and the facility will stop producing jet fuel and other products by June. […] In all, 81 employees will be laid off by Nov. 1.” [KTUU, 2/4/14] North Pole Refinery Would Cease Gasoline Production On May 1st And The Production Of Jet Fuel By June 1st. According to the Associated Press, “U.S. Sen. Mark Begich has asked Gov. Sean Parnell to take a ‘personal interest’ on the environmental issues contributing to the planned closure of a North Pole refinery. Flint Hills Resources announced this week the refinery would cease gasoline production on May 1 and the production of jet fuel by June 1.” [Associated Press, 2/9/14]
North Pole Refinery Was Important To The Local Economy North Pole Refinery Accounted For Roughly One-Third Of North Pole’s Property Tax Base. According to the Associated Press, “Public officials in Fairbanks are assessing effects from closure of the North Pole Refinery by June 1. North Pole Mayor Bryce Ward tells the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner (http://bit.ly/1neCoQT) that Flint Hills Resources accounts for roughly one-third of the city property tax base.” [Associated Press, 2/7/14] North Pole Refinery Employed 175 Workers Before Layoffs By Flint Hills In 2010 And 2012, Which Reduced Staff To Its Existing Operating Level Before 2014 Closure. According to KTUU, “Flint Hills Resources Alaska said it will stop processing crude oil its North Pole refinery by November 1. […] The once-productive refinery at its peak employed 175 people and refined hundreds of thousands of barrels of crude oil a day. Layoffs in 2010 and 2012 reduced staff to current levels and capacity to just 85,000 barrels a day, Cook said.” [KTUU, 2/4/14] North Pole’s Republican State Representative Was “Livid About The Closure,” Saying The Refinery Closure Would Impact Every Aspect Of The Community. According to KTUU, “An oil refinery operating outside of Fairbanks announced Tuesday it will be shutting down and laying off more than 80 people. Flint Hills Resources Alaska said it will stop processing crude oil its North Pole refinery by November 1. […] Interior Rep. Doug Isaacson (R-North Pole/Eielson), the former mayor of North Pole, said he's livid about the closure. ‘What it means is, we lose 81 high-paying jobs, that created 10 more in the community, that will affect our businesses, that will affect our properties, just on and on and on, throughout the state,’ he said.” [KTUU, 2/4/14]
Previous Layoffs 5
2012 North Pole Refinery Layoffs In April 2012, Flint Hills Shut Down The Second Of Three North Pole Refining Units. According to the Associated Press, “In April 2012, Flint Hills shut down the second of three North Pole refining units and eliminated 35 to 40 jobs, citing decreased jet fuel sales in Anchorage as one factor.” [Associated Press, 2/5/14] Closure Of North Pole Refining Unit Eliminated 35 To 40 Jobs. According to the Associated Press, “In April 2012, Flint Hills shut down the second of three North Pole refining units and eliminated 35 to 40 jobs, citing decreased jet fuel sales in Anchorage as one factor.” [Associated Press, 2/5/14] Flint Hills Executive Op-Ed: Flint Hill Was In The Process Of Idling The Second Of Their Three Crude Units At The North Pole Refinery. According to an op-ed written by Jeff Cook of Flint Hills Resources, “The opinion piece by Shannyn Moore in the Sunday, July 15 edition of the Daily News was inaccurate, unfair and misleading. As our employees and the Fairbanks community know, the Flint Hills Resources refinery in North Pole has not been thriving on profits. We are in the process of idling the second of our three crude units because of three economic challenges that threaten the future of our refinery. Those challenges are the exceptionally high costs of crude, energy and the ‘quality bank.’” [Flint Hills Executive OpEd, Anchorage Daily News, 7/19/12] Shutdown Of The Refining Unit Was Expected To Have A Major Effect On Railroad Revenue For Alaska Railroads. According to the Associated Press, “A spokesman for Flint Hills Resources says decreased jet fuel sales to Anchorage was a factor in the decision to shut down a crude oil refining unit at the North Pole Refinery. […] Closing the refining unit is expected to mean layoffs of 35 to 40 people and will have an effect on the Alaska Railroad. A spokeswoman for the state-owned line expects the refining unit shutdown to decrease volume that has already dropped and will have a major effect on railroad revenue.” [Associated Press, 4/15/12]
2010 North Pole Refinery Layoffs North Pole Refinery Laid Off Workers In 2010 And 2012. According to KTUU, “Flint Hills Resources Alaska said it will stop processing crude oil its North Pole refinery by November 1. […]Out of 126 employees in Alaska, Cook said 35 would remain at the Fairbanks terminal to distribute local fuels and continue groundwater cleanup operations. An additional 10 employees will operate out of the Anchorage terminal. In all, 81 employees will be laid off by Nov. 1. […] The onceproductive refinery at its peak employed 175 people and refined hundreds of thousands of barrels of crude oil a day. Layoffs in 2010 and 2012 reduced staff to current levels and capacity to just 85,000 barrels a day, Cook said.” [KTUU, 2/4/14]
Flint Hills’ North Pole Refinery: Sulfolane Contamination And Subsequent Fight With Alaska Over Cleanup Standards Sulfolane Was Discovered In Groundwater Near North Pole Refinery In Late 2009. According to the Alaska Department Of Conservation’s Division of Spill Prevention and Response, “The discovery in late 2009 of sulfolane in drinking water wells near the North Pole Refinery, about 15 miles east of Fairbanks, has led to an extensive investigation of contaminated groundwater. The plume is nearly 2.5 miles wide and 3 miles long, one of the largest in the state. Flint Hills Resources of Alaska, the current refinery owner, responded quickly to offer affected residents an alternate drinking water source.” [Alaska Department Of Conservation’s Division of Spill Prevention and Response, accessed 4/15/14]
Sulfolane Contamination Was “Unprecedented” Due To The Number Of Affected Properties, Including “Private Drinking Water Wells.” According to the Alaska Department Of Conservation’s Division of Spill Prevention and Response, “Sulfolane, an emerging contaminant, was at first not officially listed as a hazardous chemical, and its longterm health effects from exposure have not yet been studied. This event has been unprecedented for the Contaminated 6
Sites Program due to the number of properties affected with private drinking water wells and the size of the plume.” [Alaska Department Of Conservation’s Division of Spill Prevention and Response, accessed 4/15/14] November 2009: Flint Hills Announced that Six Wells Near Its North Pole Refinery Had Tested Positive For Sulfolane. According to the Associated Press, “Flint Hills Resources announced last month that six wells near its North Pole refinery had tested positive for sulfolane, a chemical with largely unknown long-term health effects. Since then, expanded testing has determined about 30 private wells north of the refinery have been tainted with varying amounts of the chemical. Sulfolane is used to make fuel and bonds easily with water. Flint Hills officials believe a sulfolane spill sometime before 2000 leached into the water table near the refinery, affecting an unknown number of wells.” [Anchorage Daily News, 12/13/09]
Flint Hills Claimed The Spill Occurred “Sometime Before 2000.” According to the Associated Press, “Sulfolane is used to make fuel and bonds easily with water. Flint Hills officials believe a sulfolane spill sometime before 2000 leached into the water table near the refinery, affecting an unknown number of wells.” [Anchorage Daily News, 12/13/09]
Around 80 People Gathered At North Pole High School To Hear What Flint Hills Had To Say About The Sulfolane Spill. According to the Associated Press, “At least six households near the Flint Hills Resources refinery at North Pole recently learned their drinking water is contaminated by a chemical called sulfolane that's used to make fuel. About 80 people gathered at North Pole High School on Monday to hear what company officials are doing about it. The company is testing how far the chemical has spread.” [Anchorage Daily News, 11/25/09]
Negative Health Effects Of Sulfolane On Humans Studies Conducted On Rats And Guinea Pigs Suggested That Sulfolane Could Harm The Immune Systems Of Humans. According to the Anchorage Daily News, “In tracking other contaminates, DEC discovered the sulfolane had extended far beyond the plant boundaries, she said. Studies on rats and guinea pigs suggest that it could harm the immune systems of humans, though more research is needed.” [Anchorage Daily News, 2/5/14]
Flint Hills Disagreed With The Alaska Department Of Environmental Conservation Over Appropriate Cleanup Standards May 2013: Flint Hills Contractor Submitted A Draft Study To The Spill Department To The DEC’s Spill Division On The Risk To Humans From Sulfolane And Proposed Levels Ranging From 14 Parts Per Billion To 362 Parts Per Billion. According to the Anchorage Daily News, “A Flint Hills contractor in May submitted to the spill division a draft study on the risks to humans from sulfolane. It discussed the federal EPA cleanup values and proposed alternative levels ranging from 14 parts per billion to 362 parts per billion. DEC's website says, at least in terms of volume, one part per billion equates to a single drop in an Olympic-sized swimming pool.” [Anchorage Daily News, 4/8/14] July 2013: The DEC Spill Division Told Flint Hills To Go By The 14 Parts Per Billion Level, Which Relied On The EPA Values For Sulfolane Toxicity And The State-Accepted Exposure Parameters “For A Child Chronically Exposed To Sulfolane In Groundwater.” According to the Anchorage Daily News, “The division in July told the company to rely only on the EPA values for sulfolane toxicity. Using those and state-accepted exposure parameters ‘for a child chronically exposed to sulfolane in groundwater,’ the result was 14 parts per billion, the division wrote in a July 19 letter.” [Anchorage Daily News, 4/8/14] November 27, 2013: The DEC Spill Division Sent Flint Hills Resources A Letter Stating The 14 Parts Per Billion Level Was “Protective Of Human Health, Safety And Welfare, And Of The Environment.” According to the Anchorage Daily News, “On Nov. 27, DEC's spill division sent Flint Hills a letter informing the company of the 14 parts per billion cleanup level as ‘protective of human health, safety and welfare, and of the environment . . .’” [Anchorage Daily News, 4/8/14]
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Flint Hills Disagreed And Proposed 352 Parts Per Billion, Which Was Based On Its Consultant’s Study. According to the Anchorage Daily News, “Flint Hills disagreed and argued for 362 parts per billion, based on its consultant's work.” [Anchorage Daily News, 4/8/14] Flint Hills Resources Contended The Mandatory Cleanup Standards Related To The Industrial Solvent Sulfolane Should Be 25 Times Higher Than The Cleanup Levels Established By The State Of Alaska. According to the Anchorage Daily News, “Flint Hills argued in a Dec. 20 request for a hearing that staff within the DEC's Division of Spill Prevention and Response failed to justify their decision in November when they set a relatively tough standard: requiring cleanup at levels of 14 parts per billion or higher of sulfolane. The company, owned by Koch Industries Inc., the Kansasbased multinational corporation, claims the mandatory cleanup level should be 25 times higher, or 362 parts per billion. Flint Hills argued the state wasn't required to rely on standards set by the federal Environmental Protection Agency, as it did. The company said the state didn't give enough weight to studies referenced by a company consultant.” [Anchorage Daily News, 4/8/14] Due To The Uncertainty As To The Long-Term Effects Of Sulfolane Consumption On Humans, The DEC Chose The More Conservative Cleanup Level. According to the Anchorage Daily News, “There haven't been many studies done that would help companies and officials assess the risk the chemical will sicken people, Ryan said Monday. It's thought the chemical could harm humans' immune systems, but that's not been established by research. Research she referenced is based on studies of rats and on immediate exposure rather than health effects over time. There are no studies on the long-term effects of sulfolane consumption on humans, and certainly none breaking down different effects on children or men and women with different metabolic rates, she said. Because of ‘there's so much uncertainty,’ DEC chose the more conservative cleanup level, she said.” [Anchorage Daily News, 4/8/14] The Flint Hills Analysis On Cleanup Levels Took An Approach That Was Not Authorized by State Regulations Or Risk Assessment Documents. According to the Anchorage Daily News, “In the November letter, division staff said they dismissed an analysis by a Flint Hills consultant because it took an approach not authorized by state regulations or risk assessment documents.” [Anchorage Daily News, 4/8/14] Flint Hills Analysis Had Not Been Peer Reviewed. According to the Anchorage Daily News, “Ryan also said Monday that at the time, a study the consultant referenced had not been peer reviewed but was subsequently. The division will now take another look at that science, she said.” [Anchorage Daily News, 4/8/14]
2014: Alaska Sued Flint Hills Over Failure To Halt North Pole Refinery Contamination Alaska Sued Flint Hills, Current Owner Of The North Pole Refinery, As Well As A Former Owner, Williams Alaska, Over Failure To Stop A Chemical Spill That Damaged Soil And Groundwater. According to the Associated Press, “The state of Alaska has sued current and former owners of a North Pole refinery, claiming both caused or failed to stop a chemical spill that has damaged soil and groundwater. The lawsuit filed Thursday claims current owner Flint Hills Resources and former owner Williams Alaska should pay for cleaning up sulfolane in North Pole, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner (http://bit.ly/1kEE49I) reported.” [Associated Press, 3/8/14] The Suit Stated The Companies Caused Or Permitted The Release Of A Chemical, Sulfolane, Which Left Groundwater Unfit For Human Use. According to the Associated Press, “The two caused or permitted the release of sulfolane, a liquid used in refining oil, leaving groundwater unfit for human use, and neither company has taken reasonable efforts to contain and clean up releases, the lawsuit said. The Department of Law in a statement Friday said the lawsuit's goal is to determine where responsibility rests for the cleanup.” [Associated Press, 3/8/14] The Suit Claimed Neither Company Had Taken Responsibility To Contain And Clean Up the Chemical Releases. According to the Associated Press, “The two caused or permitted the release of sulfolane, a liquid used in refining oil, leaving groundwater unfit for human use, and neither company has taken reasonable efforts to contain and clean up releases, the lawsuit said. The Department of Law in a statement Friday said the lawsuit's goal is to determine where responsibility rests for the cleanup.” [Associated Press, 3/8/14] 8
Lawsuit Claimed That Flint Hills Took Two Years To React After Environmental Consultant Delivered A Report Stating That Sulfolane Levels Were Increasing. According to the Associated Press, “Court documents said an environmental consultant hired by Williams Alaska discovered sulfolane in refinery property in 2001. Flint Hills bought the refinery in April 2004. In 2006, the environmental consultant delivered a report stating that sulfolane levels were increasing. Flint Hills took another two years to react, according to the lawsuit. By 2008, sulfolane had migrated and affected the local water supply, according to the lawsuit.” [Associated Press, 3/8/14]
2001: Environmental Consultant Hired By Williams Alaska Discovered Sulfolane On North Pole Refinery Property. According to the Associated Press, “Court documents said an environmental consultant hired by Williams Alaska discovered sulfolane in refinery property in 2001. Flint Hills bought the refinery in April 2004.” [Associated Press, 3/8/14]
Flint Hills Spokesman Argued That The State Of Alaska And The Former Owner Were “The Responsible Parties” For The Contamination. According to the Associated Press, “The Koch Industries Inc.-owned Flint Hills, however, said former owner Williams Alaska and the state, which owned land beneath the refinery, must also bear responsibility. Spokesman Jeff Cook repeated that statement in response to the lawsuit. ’We view this as a positive development,’ Cook said of the lawsuit. ‘We have said from the beginning that the contamination was caused when the refinery was owned and operated by Williams and the land under the refinery was owned by the state of Alaska. We consider Williams and the state of Alaska to be the responsible parties in this matter. We look forward to our day in court.’” [Associated Press, 3/8/14]
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ARKANSAS Layoffs CROSSETT GEORGIA-PACIFIC LAYOFFS In 2011, Georgia-Pacific Laid Off 700 Workers In 2011, Georgia-Pacific Laid Off 700 Workers At Crossett Plywood And Stud Manufacturing Operation. According to the Associated Press, “Georgia-Pacific officials say the company is indefinitely suspending its plywood and stud manufacturing operation in Crossett, affecting 700 employees. Officials said Friday a ‘depression’ in the residential and commercial construction market is forcing the company to shut down its factories in southeastern Arkansas and Hawthorne, Fla. About 400 workers will be affected in Florida.” [Associated Press, 9/9/11]
Workers Could Apply For Unemployment Benefits. According to the Associated Press, “Officials say workers will be paid during the next 60 days, and the company is working with the Department of Labor in both states to help employees file for unemployment benefits. Employees will be able to apply for other open positions within the company. The parent company of Atlanta-based Georgia-Pacific is Koch Industries of Wichita, Kan.” [Associated Press, 9/9/11]
Crossett Plant Closing Was Part Of Slowdown In State Timber Industry. According to the Associated Press, “The state’s timber industry has been hit hard by the nation’s housing market’s woes. Georgia-Pacific announced in September that it would indefinitely suspend its plywood and stud manufacturing operation in Crossett, affecting 700 employees. Shannon said previously he knew the commission’s budget was strained but didn’t learn how bad the shortfall was until November. ‘The Forestry Commission had known for years the budget was in bad shape and (Araiza) had been talking to us and commissioners for several years,’ Shannon told reporters after the hearing. ‘I don’t think there were any deaf ears.’” [Associated Press, 12/20/11]
Employees Could Apply For Other Georgia-Pacific Jobs And Company Planned To Pay Them Though November 2011. According to the Associated Press, “Officials say workers will be paid during the next 60 days, and the company is working with the Department of Labor in both states to help employees file for unemployment benefits. Employees will be able to apply for other open positions within the company.” [Associated Press, 9/9/11]
By 2014, Only 1,400 Workers Will Still Employed By Georgia-Pacific In Crossett In 2014, Georgia-Pacific Said It Employed 1,400 In Crossett Factory. According to Georgia-Pacific, “Georgia-Pacific’s Crossett manufacturing operations have been a part of this Arkansas community since 1899. Generations of employees have lived, worked and played in this rural area, located in southeastern Arkansas near the Ouachita River. Today, we employ approximately 1,400 people who make tissue, paper and paperboard products for use in your home and in places you visit such as office buildings, sports arenas, restaurants, hotels, hospitals and airports.” [Georgia-Pacific, Viewed 4/28/14]
FORDYCE PLYWOOD GEORGIA-PACIFIC LAYOFFS In 2009, Georgia-Pacific Shut Down 45-Year-Old Fordyce Plywood Mill And Laid Off 340 Workers In 2009, Georgia-Pacific Laid Off 340 Employees From A Fordyce Plywood Mill. According to a press release from Georgia-Pacific, “Georgia-Pacific today announced it would permanently close its Fordyce plywood mill. The closure will affect about 340 employees that had previously been employed at the curtailed facility.” [Press Release – Georgia-Pacific, 12/9/09] 10
Georgia-Pacific Fordyce Plant Had Run For 45 Years, Fordyce Mayor Said “You Feel Like You’re Walking Down The Sidewalk And Everything Is Going To Be All Right, Until Someone Hits You In The Head With A Sledge Hammer.” According to Fox 16, “For 45 years now the Georgia Pacific plant has helped drive Fordyce’s economy. Despite a few temporary shutdowns and some layoffs here and there the locals thought Georgia Pacific would always be around. So when the company announced shutting down permanently leaving 340 people with out a job it came as a very unpleasant surprise. ‘You feel like you’re walking down the sidewalk and everything is going to be all right, until someone hits you in the head with a sledge hammer,’ Fordyce mayor William Lyon said.” [Fox 16, 12/9/09]
A Third Of Employees Were Told They Could Work At Crossett Mill Georgia-Pacific Said Around A Third Of The Fordyce Employees Who Were Laid Off Would Be Able To Get Jobs At The Crossett Plywood Mill. According to a press release from Georgia-Pacific, “However, roughly a third of that number will be needed to restart a plywood line at the Crossett plywood mill and the company is encouraging Fordyce employees to apply for those positions. ‘Our employees have done a great job – this layoff is not a reflection on their efforts,’ said Jeff Watts, Fordyce plant manager. ‘We appreciate their dedication and commitment and, in fact, hope that many will apply for open positions at Crossett.’” [Press Release – Georgia-Pacific, 12/9/09]
Two Years Later, Crossett Mill Had Massive Layoffs As Well In 2011, Georgia-Pacific Laid Off 700 Workers At Crossett Plywood And Stud Manufacturing Operation. According to the Associated Press, “Georgia-Pacific officials say the company is indefinitely suspending its plywood and stud manufacturing operation in Crossett, affecting 700 employees. Officials said Friday a ‘depression’ in the residential and commercial construction market is forcing the company to shut down its factories in southeastern Arkansas and Hawthorne, Fla. About 400 workers will be affected in Florida.” [Associated Press, 9/9/11]
Environment CROSSETT SCHOOLS TOXIC CHEMICAL EXPOSURE Schools In Crossett Were Among The Worst In The Country For Exposure To Toxic Chemicals Schools In Crossett, Ark. Were Among The Worst In The Country For Exposure To Toxic And Cancer Causing Chemicals Because Of Pollution From The Georgia-Pacific Plant. According to a special report by USA Today, Hastings Elementary School and Alpha Alternative School in Crossett, Arkansas both rank in the 1st percentile for exposure to cancer-causing toxics and exposure to other toxic chemicals. Daniel Intermediate School and Crossett High School were ranked in the 2nd percentile. According to USA Today, “Polluters most responsible for toxics outside this school: GeorgiaPacific Crossett Operations, Crossett, Arkansas.” [USA Today Special Report: The Smokestack Effect: Toxic Air And America’s Schools, Viewed 4/25/14]
Hastings Elementary School And Alpha Alternative School Were In The 1st Percentile In The Country For Exposure To Cancer Causing Toxics And Toxic Chemicals. According to a special report by USA Today, Hastings Elementary School and Alpha Alternative School in Crossett, Arkansas both rank in the 1st percentile for exposure to cancer-causing toxics and exposure to other toxic chemicals.” [USA Today Special Report: The Smokestack Effect: Toxic Air And America’s Schools, Viewed 4/25/14]
Daniel Intermediate School And Crossett High School Were In The 2nd Percentile In The Country For Exposure To Cancer Causing Toxics And Toxic Chemicals. According to a special report by USA Today, Daniel Intermediate School and Crossett High School in Crossett, Arkanssas were ranked in the 2nd percentile for exposure to cancer-causing 11
toxics and exposure to other toxic chemicals. [USA Today Special Report: The Smokestack Effect: Toxic Air And America’s Schools, Viewed 4/25/14]
Schools Were Exposed To Acetaldehyde And Formaldehyde, Which Could Cause Irritation Of Eyes And Skin Chemicals Most Responsible For Toxicity Levels Of The Air Quality At Schools In Cohasset Was Acetaldehyde And Formaldehyde. According to USA Today, “Chemicals most responsible for the toxicity outside this school Acetaldehyde: 82% of overall toxicity; Formaldehyde: 10% of overall toxicity.” [USA Today Special Report: The Smokestack Effect: Toxic Air And America’s Schools, Viewed 4/25/14]
Effects Of Inhaling Acetaldehyde Included Irritation of the Eyes, Skin And Respiratory Tract. According to the EPA Technology Transfer Network Air Toxics Website, “The primary acute effect of inhalation exposure to acetaldehyde is irritation of the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract in humans. At higher exposure levels, erythema, coughing, pulmonary edema, and necrosis may also occur.” [EPA Technology Transfer Network Air Toxics Website, Viewed 4/29/14]
Effects Of Inhaling Formaldehyde Included Irritation Of Eyes, Nose, Throat, Coughing, Wheezing, Chest Pains, And Bronchitis. According to the EPA Technology Transfer Network Air Toxics Website, “The major toxic effects caused by acute formaldehyde exposure via inhalation are eye, nose, and throat irritation and effects on the nasal cavity. Other effects seen from exposure to high levels of formaldehyde in humans are coughing, wheezing, chest pains, and bronchitis.” [EPA Technology Transfer Network Air Toxics Website, Viewed 4/29/14]
COFFEE CREEK WATER POLLUTION Georgia-Pacific Paper Mill Was Accused Of Pumping Hazardous Materials Into Coffee Creek, Including Ammonia, Chloride, And Mercury. According to CBS News, “A Koch Industries paper mill is violating the Clean Water Act by pumping out massive amounts of pollution into an Arkansas waterway, according to an EPA enforcement complaint to be filed tomorrow by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) and the Ouachita Riverkeeper. The complaint alleges that a Georgia-Pacific paper mill on the Coffee Creek in Arkansas - owned by the billionaire Koch Brothers -emits 45 million gallons of paper mill waste including hazardous materials like ammonia, chloride, and mercury each day.” [CBS, 3/6/11]
There Was An “Odorous Foam, Slime And Black Pockets Of Water” In Louisiana Ouachita River, Which Coffee Creek Flowed Into. According to CBS, “Coffee Creek then flows into Louisiana’s Ouachita River where the pollutants have left the formerly pristine water speckled with odorous foam, slime and black pockets of water, said Jerry Johnson, who has been visiting the Ouachita River for 35 years. ‘People used to swim in it,’ said Johnson, who now lives along the river. ‘In the summertime, it was the place to go.’ But Johnson said the number of visitors has dwindled as the river conditions continued to grow worse, preventing the area from reaching its full economic potential as a vacation destination. The pollution is so bad it has kept Johnson from fishing in the river.” [CBS, 3/6/11]
Advocates Said Arkansas Was Allowing Georgia-Pacific To Continue Polluting “For Apparent Economic Reasons.” According to CBS, “Environmental groups lobbied for stronger environmental standards but in September, the state issued the Georgia-Pacific mill a permit. ‘It’s obvious to me that the state is allowing this to continue for apparent economic reasons,’ Sulkin said.” [CBS, 3/6/11]
Advocates Said Georgia-Pacific Was Breaking Its Permits By Discharging Solids And Scum Into Water. According to CBS, “Barry Sulkin, a field office director for PEER, said Georgia-Pacific is blatantly breaking a provision of the Arkansas state permit that prohibits the discharge of ‘distinctly visible solids, scum or foam of a persistent nature.’” [CBS, 3/6/11]
Advocates Said That Arkansas Did Not Correct Its Water Quality Standards, Causing The Pollution Problem To Be Exacerbated. According to CBS, “Though the pollution problem with Coffee Creek started years ago, the issue was 12
compounded by the state’s refusal to correct water quality standards in 2010, said Sulkin, a former chief of environmental enforcement for the Tennessee Division of Water Pollution Control.” [CBS, 3/6/11]
Georgia-Pacific Maintained They Were In Compliance With Water Permits. According to CBS, “Georgia-Pacific said in a statement that the water has been repeatedly analyzed by the EPA and the Arkansas and Louisiana regulatory agencies. ‘We are in compliance with all water permits issued by these agencies, most recently, our updated water discharge permit, which was issued in 2010,’ Georgia-Pacific said in the statement.” [CBS, 3/6/11]
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FLORIDA Jobs HAWTHORNE GEORGIA-PACIFIC PLANT 2011: Georgia-Pacific Closed Its Plywood Plant In Hawthorne, Florida. According to the Florida Times-Union, “Georgia-Pacific will stop production at its plywood plant in Hawthorne later this fall, putting 400 people out of work. Spokeswoman Trish Bowles attributed the action to the slowdown in home building. It will continue to operate through Nov. 7. Bowles described it as an ‘indefinite curtailment’ rather than a closure, leaving room for the plant to reopen. Severance packages are still unclear, she said. The plant, about midway between Gainesville and Palatka, has been open since 1982, converting pine logs to plywood that it sold under the names Plytanium and Sturd-I-Floor. Georgia-Pacific has four other plants in Florida: a chip mill and a paper mill in Palatka, a lumber mill in Cross City and an oriented strand board mill in Palatka.” [Florida Times-Union, 9/10/11]
400 Floridians Lost Their Jobs Georgia-Pacific’s Hawthorne Plywood Plant Closure Put 400 Floridians Out Of Work. According to the Florida TimesUnion, “Georgia-Pacific will stop production at its plywood plant in Hawthorne later this fall, putting 400 people out of work. Spokeswoman Trish Bowles attributed the action to the slowdown in home building. It will continue to operate through Nov. 7. Bowles described it as an ‘indefinite curtailment’ rather than a closure, leaving room for the plant to reopen. Severance packages are still unclear, she said. The plant, about midway between Gainesville and Palatka, has been open since 1982, converting pine logs to plywood that it sold under the names Plytanium and Sturd-I-Floor. Georgia-Pacific has four other plants in Florida: a chip mill and a paper mill in Palatka, a lumber mill in Cross City and an oriented strand board mill in Palatka.” [Florida Times-Union, 9/10/11] Georgia-Pacific Paid Severance To Nearly 400 Hawthorne Mill Employees. According to the Gainesville Sun, “The former employees had been in limbo after GP and the United Steelworkers union agreed to consider the shutdown an indefinite curtailment and not a permanent closure, meaning they would be eligible to return if the housing market improved and the plant reopened. The decision to pay severance was ‘to keep the employees from having to wait around,’ GP spokeswoman Trish Bowles said. Salaried employees were considered separated from the company Wednesday, Bowles said. She did not know the terms of their severance. The United Steelworkers negotiated a severance for the 358 collectivebargaining employees on Friday, staff representative Frank Bragg said. Former employees will be paid 20 hours’ worth of wages for each year they worked up to 15 years, and 40 hours’ wages for each year of service over 15. The payments likely will come around Christmas, he said. Wages paid during the 60-day required notification period before the official closure on Nov. 7 will be deducted from the severance pay, Bragg said. That means some employees who worked right up until Nov. 7 probably will receive no severance pay. ‘It’s not extremely lucrative, but it’s in line with what GP typically does in these situations,’ he said.” [Gainesville Sun, 12/12/11] 2011: Georgia-Pacific Closed Its Plywood Plant In Hawthorne, Florida, And Laid Off 400 Workers In A Town Of 1,400 Residents. According to Tampa Bay Times, “For nearly three decades, this rural community in north central Florida was home to a bustling mill that was the principal employer for its 1,400 residents. Then, in November 2011, the recessioninduced collapse of the housing market forced Georgia-Pacific to close its plywood plant. All 400 employees were sent scrambling to find work weeks before the holidays. And the mill that once produced the sawdust-covered staples of the state’s housing market stood idle, cutting off the lifeblood of the local economy. ‘The mill was a boost to the entire town the schools, churches, local businesses,’ said Pastor Joe Williams. ‘All of a sudden, all that disappeared.’ Now, after two years the mill stands shuttered. Many of its employees have found other jobs but at lower wages, and local community leaders, who had hoped to get help from the state, say they are on their own. ‘We’ve tried to sell ourselves to [the state Department of Economic Opportunity],’ said Hawthorne Mayor Matthew Surrency, but the effort has yielded little return. The story of Hawthorne is not one Gov. Rick Scott talks about on his public relations roadshow as the state’s ‘jobs’ governor. It is a tale of the tens of thousands of private sector jobs lost in Florida since Scott took office in January 2011.” [Tampa Bay Times, 12/8/13] 14
Businesses And About 1,600 Residents In Surrounding Counties Expected To Be Hit By The Hawthorne Mill Plant Closure. According to the Bradenton Herald, “Tammy Scott said the holidays will be hard if her husband, Mike, can’t find work. He lost his job as a forklift operator three weeks ago when Georgia-Pacific stopped operations at its Hawthorne plywood mill, citing slow home construction. The Hawthorne woman said they have three older children -- two still at home -and can’t pay all the bills from her job in an insurance office. ‘If something doesn’t come along quick, there’s not going to be much of a Thanksgiving and certainly not a Christmas,’ she said. About 400 employees and their families were left to look for work when the mill went dark. Some have already found new jobs. While the mill is in a rural area in Putnam County over the Alachua County line, nearby Hawthorne in Alachua County, with 1,600 residents, may feel it the most, with businesses already reporting slower sales. Businesses that supported the mill such as loggers also expect to take a hit.” [Bradenton Herald, 11/13/11] The Mill’s Closure Was “Devastating” To The Area’s Timber Market. According to the Bradenton Herald, “Bryan Olmert said the mill’s continued closure would be devastating to the area timber market. Olmert is president of Loncala in High Springs, which buys timber and has 45,000 acres of its own timberland. He said his company took 10 to 20 tons of pine a year to the GP mill, one of the only Florida buyers of trees bigger than 20 inches in diameter and therefore more valuable. ‘That mill bought most of the big wood in North Florida,’ Olmert said. He said his operation is diverse enough that he doesn’t expect Loncala to lose any of its 25 employees or 10 to 12 contract employees, but that there probably will be fewer logging crews around.” [Bradenton Herald, 11/13/11]
LAYOFFS AT PALATKA Layoffs at Palatka After Koch Acquired GP 2006: Koch Considered Offering Severance Packages to 1,000 of 1,200 Employees at Palatka Plant Within 6 Months of Acquiring Georgia-Pacific December, 2005: Georgia-Pacific’s Palatka Plant Had 1,250 Employees; Workers Were “Hopeful That Koch Won’t Make Major Changes In The Operations, But They Have Not Heard From Koch Officials Since The Deal Was Announced In November.” According to Florida Times-Union, “Durango-Georgia was Camden County’s largest private employer, and it put more than 900 people out of work when it closed in 2002. Paper mills have long had a major impact on many Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia communities. So there was some concern last month when Palatka’s largest private employer, Georgia-Pacific Corp., announced that it agreed to a buyout by privately-owned Koch Industries. Kansasbased Koch announced last week that it has received tenders last week for 88 percent of Georgia-Pacific’s stock, paving the way for completion of the $21 billion deal. Workers at the 1,250-employee Georgia-Pacific plant in Palatka are hopeful that Koch won’t make major changes in the operations, but they have not heard from Koch officials since the deal was announced in November. ‘We don’t know anything more at this point,’ a spokesman for the Palatka mill said last week. Georgia-Pacific employs nearly 500 more people at other facilities in the region.” [Florida Times-Union, 12/26/05] Georgia-Pacific Considered Offering Severance Packages To About 1,000 Hourly Workers At Its Palatka Paper Mill, Which Employed About 1,200 People. According to the Florida Times-Union, “Georgia-Pacific is considering offering severance packages to about 1,000 hourly workers at its Palatka paper mill as it tries to trim its head count without resorting to layoffs. The mill has offered its 200 salaried employees buyout packages. […]The mill, located on 500 acres in Palatka, employs about 1,200. Koch Industries acquired the plant in December when it bought Georgia-Pacific.” [Florida Times-Union via LexisNexis, 6/7/06]
GP Company Spokesman: “The Employee Cutbacks Are Part Of A ‘Rapid Transformation Process’ The Mill Is Undergoing To Boost Its Competitiveness.” According to Florida Times-Union via LexisNexis, “The employee cutbacks are part of a ‘rapid transformation process’ the mill is undergoing to boost its competitiveness, company spokesman Jeremy Alexander said.” [Florida Times-Union via LexisNexis, 6/7/06] 15
Georgia Pacific’s Palatka Sawmill Suspended 108 Workers For “At Least Six Months” With “No Advance Notice About The Closure.” According to the Florida Times-Union, “Frank Hall pulled into the lot of the Palatka-area sawmill where he’s worked for the better part of 19 years Thursday, not out of habit but need. He found out Wednesday that his job, and those of 107 other workers, will be suspended for at least six months as the sawmill owned by Georgia-Pacific suspended operation, effective immediately. […]The workers were given no advance notice about the closure, but will get 60 days pay and benefits, said Georgia-Pacific public affairs manager Jeremy Alexander. No other cutbacks are expected, he said.” [Florida Times-Union via LexisNexis, 11/17/06]
Georgia-Pacific Public Affairs Manager: The Pause In Production Had To Do With “Overall Market Conditions.” According to the Florida Times-Union, “The pause in production has to do with overall market conditions, [Georgia-Pacific public affairs manager Jeremy] Alexander said. The mill produces one-by-fours and twoby-fours out of southern pine.” [Florida Times-Union via LexisNexis, 11/17/06]
2008: GP Laid Off 50 More Employees, Palatka Was Ranked Number 2 On Forbes Magazine's List Of The Nation's Most Vulnerable Towns And Cities Georgia Pacific Laid Off 50 Employees At Its Palatka, Florida Pulp And Paper Mill. According to the Jacksonville Business Journal, “Georgia-Pacific Corp. is laying off 50 employees at its Palatka pulp and paper mill. The layoffs come after the Atlanta-based company halted production indefinitely on one of two machines devoted to producing Kraft paper products like paper bags and cardboard boxes. The mill, which employes about 1,040 people, manufactures Kraft products and consumer paper products. The other machine that produces Kraft products will continue to operate. A separate chip mill plant in Palatka produces pine and hardwood chips for tissue and paper making.” [Jacksonville Business Journal via LexisNexis, 12/16/08] Palatka, Florida Was Ranked Number 2 On Forbes Magazine's List Of The Nation's Most Vulnerable Towns And Cities. According to the Florida Times-Union, “What remains of Palatka's economy - a Georgia-Pacific paper mill, a barge port, a Seminole Electric power plant and low-paying retail and service industry jobs - is on shaky footing, according to a national business magazine. Palatka ranked No. 2 earlier this month on Forbes magazine's list of the nation's ‘most vulnerable’ towns and cities. In the magazine's analysis of 141 towns' economic and education data, the only worse performer was Lancaster, S.C., a struggling manufacturing town about 60 miles north of Columbia, the state's capital.” [Florida Times-Union via LexisNexis, 11/2/08]
BRUNSWICK GEORGIA-PACIFIC PLANT 2004: Bought Georgia-Pacific Plant In Brunswick, Georgia Koch Cellulose Bought Georgia-Pacific’s Brunswick, GA And New Augusta, MS Plants Before Koch Industries Bought Georgia-Pacific. According to Florida Times-Union, “It’s official. The former Georgia-Pacific Corp. pulp mill in Brunswick is now Koch Cellulose after the $610 million sale closed Friday, Koch officials said Monday. With the sale now official, Wichita, Kan.-based Koch Industries acquires fluff pulp mills in Brunswick and New Augusta, Miss., a short-line railroad that serves the New Augusta mill on the Leaf River, and the assets of two international sales offices. ‘We are excited about the opportunities we see in this business,’ said Wes Jones, president of Koch Cellulose. Until the sale was announced last year, Jones had led Georgia-Pacific’s pulp and fiber business from Atlanta. Prior to that, Jones was general manager of the Brunswick mill, a job now held by Cato Rogers. Rogers will remain as a vice president of Koch Cellulose and general manager of the mill. The two mills produce fluff pulp, a specialty product used primarily in disposable diapers, baby wipes and sanitary products. Koch Cellulose also produces market pulp, a component of fine papers, postage stamps, tissue products and coffee filters. Koch Cellulose has said it will open corporate offices in Brunswick.” [Florida Times-Union, 5/11/04]
Announced Layoffs The Following Year
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Koch Cellulose Announced That It Would Lay Off An Unspecified Number Of Workers. According to Florida TimesUnion, “Koch Cellulose LLC, one of Glynn County’s largest employers, will reduce its workforce while upgrading its production methods, company officials announced Thursday. Koch will undergo a ‘rapid transformation process’ to bring in new technologies and to implement organizational improvements, said Mindy Overly, manager of public affairs for the company. ‘These efficiencies will result in a reduced workforce,’ she said.” [Florida Times-Union, 12/9/05] Koch Cellulose Employed About 690 Workers In Brunswick. According to Florida Times-Union, “The company employs about 1,100 workers between its Brunswick mill and another in Leaf River, Miss. About 690 work in operations in Brunswick.” [Florida Times-Union, 12/9/05]
Environment ST JOHNS RIVER St. Johns River Is A “Dumping Ground For 33 Sewage Treatment Plants And A Georgia-Pacific Pulp Mill.” According to the Tampa Tribune, “The DEP has been trying for several years to get a lower oxygen standard for the 310-mile St. Johns River in east Florida. The St. Johns is a dumping ground for 33 sewage treatment plants and a GeorgiaPacific pulp mill. Urban and agricultural runoff contributes more pollution, triggering massive blue-green algae blooms that choke off oxygen in the summer.” [Tampa Tribune via LexisNexis, 5/1/06] 2009: Wastewater From GP’s Putnam County Paper Mill Was Found To Carry “Far More” Of The Cancer-Causing Chemical Dioxin “Than Federal Standards Allow.” According to the Florida Times-Union, “Wastewater from GeorgiaPacific's paper mill in Putnam County carries far more of a cancer-causing chemical than federal standards allow in the creek where it empties, a new federal report shows. The findings are the first evidence of a continuing dioxin problem involving the mill since manufacturing processes were changed several years ago to eliminate the toxic chemical from the company's waste. Tests that found the chemical can't show whether it's new or a residue that sat for years in holding ponds where wastewater lingers before flowing into Rice Creek, a small waterway that joins the St. Johns River.” [Florida Times-Union via LexisNexis, 2/24/09] “The Discovery Has Led The State To Ask Georgia-Pacific To Review Its Operations And Could Put Into Question Plans For The Mill To Build A Pipeline To Carry Wastewater To The River.” According to the Florida Times-Union, “The discovery has led the state to ask Georgia-Pacific to review its operations and could put into question plans for the mill to build a pipeline to carry wastewater to the river. The pipeline was allowed because the state accepted that environmental controls at the plant were working as well as possible. ‘This report kind of throws some uncertainty on the optimization’ of one part of those controls, said Melissa Long, a water program administrator at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in Jacksonville.” [Florida Times-Union via LexisNexis, 2/24/09] 2011: Dioxin Levels In Georgia-Pacific’s Wastewater Were Higher Than Those Allowed By Law. According to the Jacksonville Business Journal, “At issue is the amount of dioxin in Georgia-Pacific’s wastewater and the method of testing for it. The federal and state-approved testing is not sensitive enough to detect the level of dioxin allowed by law. An unapproved method of testing has detected more than is allowed by law, said Herschel Vinyard, secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection.” [Jacksonville Business Journal, 10/28/11] Large Fish Kills Were Reported In The St. Johns River because Of Algal Blooms. According to the Florida Independent, “Reports of a vast number of redfish deaths in the St. Johns River have Jacksonville residents, and many more throughout Florida, worried. The river is host to hundreds of species of birds, fish and other wildlife and, at 310 miles long, it flows through 12 of Florida’s 67 counties. Since May 25, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission has received at least 49 reports of dead fish in the river. Catalina Brown, a scientist with the FFWC, says the deaths cannot be attributed to the recent gulf oil spill, but are instead the result of a recent rise in algal blooms — blooms perhaps exacerbated by local industry runoff. Algal blooms almost always lead to fish kills. Not only do algae release toxins, but they use up copious amounts of oxygen when they die. They also cut off sunlight needed for underwater plant life to flourish.” [Florida Independent, 6/8/10]
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KENTUCKY Coal Mining Operation Was Sued For Destroying Homes KOCH VICTORY, DIVISION OF REISS COAL CO., WAS SUED FOR KENTUCKY RESIDENTS’ PRIVATE PROPERTY DAMAGES Koch Victory Was A Division Of C. Reiss Coal Co. According to the Associated Press, “Turner, 65, was scheduled to go to court on Monday with her lawsuit in which she sought an unspecified amount of damages from the Koch Victory division of C. Reiss Coal Co. of Richlands, VA.” [Associated Press, 4/13/05]
Coal Operations Damaged Homes And Communities Across Kentucky Mountain Region Beatrice Turner Sued The Koch Victory Division Of C. Reiss Coal Co. For Damages To Her Property. According to Lexington Herald Leader, “An Eastern Kentucky woman who says she had to live in a tiny shed for nearly two years because mining activity drove her out of her mobile home is planning to move into more spacious quarters soon. Beatrice Turner has settled her lawsuit against a coal company that she claimed damaged her property, forcing her to move into the shed that her late husband used to store his tools. ‘I’m glad it’s over,’ she said yesterday. ‘I wanted to get it behind me.’ Terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but Turner said she has already made a down payment on a mobile home. Turner, 65, was scheduled to go to court yesterday with her lawsuit in which she sought an unspecified amount of damages from the Koch Victory division of C. Reiss Coal Co. of Richlands, Va.” [Lexington Herald Leader, 5/10/05] The Lawsuit Stated That Coal Operators Damaged Homes In Communities Throughout The Kentucky Mountain Region. According to Lexington Herald Leader, “The case was one of a long line of lawsuits claiming that coal operators have damaged homes in communities throughout the mountain region. Residents have claimed in the lawsuits that their homes have been knocked off their foundations by explosives, hit by flying rocks, damaged by mudslides, flooded, even mired in black sludge.” [Lexington Herald Leader, 5/10/05]
Homes Knocked Off Foundations, Damaged By Mudslides, Flooding Kentucky Residents: “Homes Have Been Knocked Off Their Foundations By Explosives, Hit By Flying Rocks, Damaged By Mudslides, Flooded, Even Mired In Black Sludge.” According to Lexington Herald Leader, “The case was one of a long line of lawsuits claiming that coal operators have damaged homes in communities throughout the mountain region. Residents have claimed in the lawsuits that their homes have been knocked off their foundations by explosives, hit by flying rocks, damaged by mudslides, flooded, even mired in black sludge.” [Lexington Herald Leader, 5/10/05]
Mining Activity Forced Beatrice Turner From Her Home, Had To Live In Tool Shed Turner Said She Had To Live In A Tool Shed When Mining Activity Drove Her Out Of Her Mobile Home. According to the Associated Press, “An eastern Kentucky woman who says she had to live in a tool shed for nearly two years because mining activity drove her out of her mobile home goes to court next month in her lawsuit against a coal company. Beatrice Turner, 65, said she had no choice but to move out because mining turned her lawn into a bog and filled her home with mold that made her sick. ‘Oh, mercy. Many nights I’ve cried all night long over this,’ said Turner, the widow of a United Baptist minister. ‘I couldn’t treat a dog or a cat the way I’ve been treated.’” [Associated Press, 4/13/05]
2003: C. Reiss Coal Co. Repaired Turner’s Property Because Of A Landslide 18
2003: Kentucky Division Of Mine Reclamation And Enforcement Previously Ordered C. Reiss Coal Co. To Make Repairs On Turner’s Property After A Landslide. According to Lexington Herald Leader, “The Kentucky Division of Mine Reclamation and Enforcement had ordered the coal company to make repairs on the property in early 2003 after a landslide occurred above Turner’s home.” [Lexington Herald Leader, 5/10/05]
Repairs Caused Water Accumulation And Mold To Grow Under Her Home 2003: Previous Repairs Led To Water Accumulation Beneath The Mobile Home And Caused Mold Growth. According to the Associated Press, “Turner said their repair work allowed water to accumulate beneath the mobile home, which led to the growth of mold inside.” [Associated Press, 4/13/05]
As A Result, Turner Was Hospitalized And Developed Respiratory Problems 2003: Turner Was Hospitalized And Developed Respiratory Problems Due To The Mold. According to the Associated Press, “Dr. Terry Wright, in a statement that’s now part of the case file, said Turner developed respiratory problems because of the mold and had to be hospitalized. Wright advised her to move out. Turner decided the tool shed was her best option. She took all her late husband’s tools and moved them into her bedroom. Then she moved her bedroom furniture, air conditioner, heater and breathing machine into the 8- by-12-foot shed. ‘I didn’t want to do this,’ she said. ‘This was my last resort.” [Associated Press, 4/13/05]
Second Slide Caused $66,000 In Property Damages Turner Said Another Slide Began Forming On Hillside Above Her Mobile Home. According to the Associated Press, “Now, Turner said her biggest concern is about another slide that has begun to form on the hillside above her mobile home.” [Associated Press, 4/13/05] 2005: Property Damages Were Estimated At More Than $66,000. According to the Associated Press, “In a trial set to begin May 9, Turner will seek an unspecified amount of damages from the Koch Victory division of C. Reiss Coal Co. of Richlands, Va. Her attorney estimates the cost of repairing the mobile home and property at more than $66,000.” [Associated Press, 4/13/05]
C. Reiss Coal Co. Denied Property Damage Claims Turner Wanted Koch Victory To Make Necessary Repairs. According to the Associated Press, “Turner wants Koch Victory to come back and make repairs. However, state regulators say the company has met all its obligations in reclaiming the property and no longer holds the company responsible.” [Associated Press, 4/13/05]
C. Reiss Coal Co. Countersued For Reimbursement Of Expenses Martin Osborne, Reiss Coal Co. Attorney Denied The Company Owed Turner Anything, Filed A Counterclaim Asking For The Company To Be Reimbursed For Expenses. According to Lexington Herald Leader, “Martin Osborne, a Prestonsburg attorney representing the coal company, couldn’t immediately be reached for comment. In court documents, Osborne maintained that C. Reiss Coal owes Turner nothing, and filed a counterclaim, asking that she be ordered to reimburse the company its expenses.” [Lexington Herald Leader, 5/10/05]
Turner And Koch Victory Made A Settlement For The Damages 19
Turner And Koch Victory Settled The Lawsuit For An Undisclosed Amount. According to the Associated Press, “Beatrice Turner has settled her lawsuit against a coal company that she claimed damaged her property, forcing her to move into the shed that her late husband used to store his tools. ‘I’m glad it’s over,’ she said Monday. ‘I wanted to get it behind me.’ Terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but Turner said she has already made a down payment on a mobile home. Turner, 65, was scheduled to go to court on Monday with her lawsuit in which she sought an unspecified amount of damages from the Koch Victory division of C. Reiss Coal Co. of Richlands, VA.” [Associated Press, 4/13/05]
Appalachian Citizens Law Center Believed Koch Victory Was “Released From Its Obligations Too Soon” Amanda Moore, Prestonsburg Attorney For Appalachian Citizens Law Center: “The State May Have Released Koch Victory From Its Obligations Too Soon.” According to the Associated Press, “Amanda Moore, an attorney for Appalachian Citizens Law Center in Prestonsburg, said the state may have released Koch Victory from its obligations too soon. ‘Ms. Turner has spent two years suffering because of problems brought on by the coal company and the state,’ Moore said.” [Associated Press, 4/13/05]
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IOWA Anti-Iowa Agenda Koch Industries CEO Charles Koch Opposed Ethanol Subsidies. According to the Des Moines Register, “Charles Koch - the new owner of ethanol plants at Fairbank, Iowa Falls, Menlo, and Shell Rock - has come out against tax credits or other subsidies for biofuels. Koch’s position isn’t necessarily a surprise; the Koch family has long espoused conservative political positions. In an article in the Wall Street Journal last week, Koch, who is CEO of Koch Industries, wrote ‘because of government mandates, our refining business is essentially obligated to be in the ethanol business. We believe that ethanol - and every other product in the marketplace - should be required to compete on its own merits, without mandates, subsidies or protective tariffs. Such policies only increase the prices of those products, taxes and the cost of many other goods and services.’ Koch’s voice is new among Iowa ethanol producers. Koch’s Flint Hills Resources bought ethanol plants at Menlo and Shell Rock last September, and two more at Iowa Falls and Fairbank, from Hawkeye Energy of Ames.” [Des Moines Register, 3/6/11] Koch Lobbyists Opposed Iowa Bill To Increase Amount Of Biodiesel That Could Be Blended In Diesel Fuel Sold At The Pump. According to the Des Moines Register, “So what does Koch Industries want from Iowa lawmakers in return for its donations? Apparently not much, if lobbyist disclosure reports on file with the Iowa General Assembly are any indication. Legislators feel the influence of the company and its foundations in other ways, however. For the 2011 legislative session, which ended June 30, the company’s three Iowa lobbyists declared an interest in just three of the 1,241 bills introduced in the House or Senate. […] They opposed a proposal to raise to 5 percent the amount of biodiesel that could be blended in diesel fuel sold at retail outlets. […] None of the three bills made it out of committee.” [Des Moines Register, 7/31/11]
Layoffs DUBUQUE GEORGIA PACIFIC LAYOFFS 2009: Georgia-Pacific Laid Off “About A Dozen” Workers At Its Dubuque Plant. According to the Telegraph Herald, “Julie Davis, spokeswoman for Atlanta-based Georgia-Pacific Corp., said none of the workers whose jobs were cut last month have been recalled. She said then that ‘about a dozen’ workers had been laid off and the Dubuque operation employes about 90 people. ‘We have not yet started to recall employees but when we can, we definitely plan to,’ Davis said.” [Telegraph Herald, 4/17/09]
MONTICELLO GEORGIA PACIFIC LAYOFFS 2012: Georgia-Pacific Closed Its Monticello Plant, Laid Off 45 Employees. According to The Gazette, “The ax fell Wednesday for about 45 employees at Monticello’s longtime Georgia-Pacific plant. Georgia-Pacific notified employees Wednesday that it will wind down operations over the next several weeks and then close the Monticello facility. The plant, which opened in 1962, makes boxes from corrugated sheet. ‘We just haven’t been able to get that plant to the place where it was profitable,’ said Julie Davis, communications director for Georgia-Pacific’s packaging business. Davis had only praise for the Monticello work force, but said market conditions had made it difficult to continue operating the plant.” [The Gazette, 2/8/12]
Monticello Mayor Dena Himes’ Husband Previously Worked At The Plant For 32 Years, Said The Closing Would Devastate Workers. According to The Gazette, “Monticello Mayor Dena Himes, whose husband worked at the plant for 32 years, said Georgia-Pacific was one of the city’s largest industries. She said the closing will be devastating to employees, in part because they had not had to look for work in such a long time.” [The Gazette, 2/8/12] 21
Mayor Himes Was A Republican. According to BIPAC’s voter guide for Iowa House District 31, Dena Himes was a Republican. [BIPAC, Accessed 4/14/14]
FORT DODGE KOCH NITROGEN LAYOFFS 2003: Koch Nitrogen Co., Now Koch Fertilizer, Laid Off Workers In Fort Dodge, IA, Dodge City, KS. And An Unnamed Plant. According to the Associated Press, “Thirty-seven employees at the Koch Nitrogen Co. fertilizer plant here [unnamed plant] received pink slips Thursday morning. This will leave 85 employees at the plant, said Mary Beth Jarvis, a Koch spokeswoman. The company also announced layoffs Thursday at Koch’s fertilizer plants in Dodge City, Kan., and Fort Dodge, Iowa. A smaller fertilizer plant in Beatrice, Neb., wasn’t affected.” [Associated Press, 7/11/03]
Associated Press HEADLINE: “Thirty-Seven Employees Laid Off At Koch Fertilizer Plant.” [Associated Press, 7/11/03]
2009: Koch Nitrogen Became Koch Fertilizer. According to Koch Fertilizer, “Since its formation, Koch Fertilizer has grown from a single ammonia production facility and import terminal in the United States to become one of the world’s largest producers and marketers of fertilizers. Together with its affiliates, Koch Fertilizer has the capability to manufacture, market and distribute more than 13 million metric tons of fertilizer products annually. 1988 Koch companies purchase Gulf Central Pipeline and associated Cornbelt ammonia terminals 1989 Koch Nitrogen Company formed to market ammonia […] 2009 Koch Nitrogen Company, LLC entered into a Urea Ammonium Nitrate Purchase and Sale Agreement with Pryor Chemical Company, a subsidiary of LSB Industries, Inc. Koch Fertiliser Ltd. relocated its offices from Tidworth to the Marlborough Business Park in Wiltshire, U.K.” [Koch Fertilizer, Accessed 4/15/14]
2003: Koch Nitrogen Co. Laid Off Workers After It Acquired Four Plants From Farmland. According to the Associated Press, “All four plants were part of a multimillion dollar acquisition of Farmland assets that closed on May 7. Since then, Koch officials have determined the most profitable course during what Jarvis described as a volatile time in a very competitive industry. ‘We’ve spent weeks learning about a course of action so we could position our assets to survive,’ Jarvis said.” [Associated Press, 7/11/03]
Environment GEORGIA-PACIFIC’S PM-2.5 POLLUTION Georgia-Pacific Was The 8th-Highest Producer Of PM-2.5 In Dubuque County. According to the Telegraph Herald, “top producers Highest PM-2.5-emitting facilities, by tonnage, in Dubuque County in 2012: 1. Jeld-Wen Inc. 25.62 2. John Deere Dubuque Works 12.09 3. A.Y. McDonald Mfg. Co. 7.07 4. Modernfold Inc. 6.53 5. IPL, Dbq. Gen. Station (Alliant) 4.77 6. Dyersville Die Cast 4.12 7. Georgia-Pacific 3.87 8. Giese Manufacturing 3.71 9. APC Dubuque 1.70 10. Western Dubuque Biodiesel 1.46 Source: Environmental Protection Agency” [Telegraph Herald, 2/25/14]
Telegraph Herald HEADLINE: “Tiny Particle Threatens Air Quality, Local Economy.” [Telegraph Herald, 2/25/14]
Telegraph Herald: PM-2.5 Was A Microscopic Particle That Worsened Air Quality And Hurt The Local Economy. According to the Telegraph Herald, “Public and private entities in Dubuque are joining forces to reduce local levels of PM-2.5, a microscopic particle with the potential to significantly impact air quality as well as the local economy.” [Telegraph Herald, 2/25/14]
PM, Or Particulate Matter, Was A Term Used To Describe Numerous Particles In The Air, Such As Dust, Dirt, Soot And Smoke. According to the Telegraph Herald, “Particulate matter, commonly referred to as PM, is a term used to describe numerous particles in the air, including dust, dirt, soot and smoke.” [Telegraph Herald, 2/25/14] 22
PM-2.5 Posed The Biggest Health Risks, As They Can Lodge Deeply Into The Lungs. According to the Telegraph Herald, “According to the Environmental Protection Agency, particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter - PM-2.5 are believed to pose the biggest health risks. Because of their small size, they can lodge deeply into the lungs. Officials say PM-2.5 comes from many sources, ranging from the burning of coal to vehicle emissions to the use of ammonia for agricultural purposes.” [Telegraph Herald, 2/25/14]
The EPA Announced It Would Begin Imposing Restrictions In Areas Where High PM Levels Were Present. According to the Telegraph Herald, “Efforts to address the small particles could have a ripple effect of the economy, with the EPA imposing restrictions in areas where high PM levels are present. […] The issue has taken on a new sense of urgency since late 2012, when the EPA announced that it would begin adopting tougher National Ambient Air Quality Standards. The EPA will designate cities with high PM levels as ‘non-attainment areas.’ These areas would be subject to numerous restrictions on industry, making it hard for new businesses to locate there or for current businesses to expand. The EPA could begin handing out these designations in early 2015.” [Telegraph Herald, 2/25/14]
Leaks By Koch Pipelines 1981: KOCH PIPELINE DUMPED 900,000 GALLONS OF CRUDE OIL IN POLK COUNTY, NEAR DES MOINES RIVER 1981: Koch Pipeline Ruptured, Dumped 900,000 Gallons Of Crude Oil In Eastern Polk County, Near The Des Moines River; Cleanup Costs Exceeded $250,000. According to the Des Moines Register, “But the company’s problems continued in January 1981, when the new pipeline ruptured in eastern Polk County, dumping an estimated 900,000 gallons of crude oil near the Des Moines River. The spill did no environmental damage, and no fines were imposed. But the cleanup costs exceeded $250,000.” [Des Moines Register, 7/31/11]
1999: KOCH PIPELINE BREAK DUMPED 150,000 GALLONS OF CRUDE OIL INTO CREEK BED LEADING TO DES MOINES RIVER Associated Press HEADLINE: “Broken Pipeline Creates 150,000-Gallon Pool Of Crude Oil.” [Associated Press, 5/3/99] 1999: Koch Pipeline Co.’s Pipeline Break Spilled More Than 150,000 Gallons Of Crude Oil Into Creek Bed Leading Into Des Moines River. According to the Associated Press, “Koch Pipeline Co. officials believe unrelated construction may have led to a pipeline break that gushed more than 150,000 gallons of crude oil into a creek bed leading to the Des Moines River. Neighbors reported the spill Saturday when the black oil bubbled from the pipeline 5 feet below ground to the surface of a field near U.S. Highway 65 in this suburb east of Des Moines. The pool of oil then began following the creek bed to the river. Fleck & Son Trucking Co. joined public works crews as they hauled in dirt and constructed an earthen dike, Fire Chief Leonard Murray said. ‘A lot of people were helping,’ he said. ‘Williams (Pipe Line Co.) was up here helping manage the event even though it wasn’t their line.’ Vacuum trucks were sucking up large pools of oil Sunday.” [Associated Press, 5/3/99] Steve Dittmore, Koch Pipeline Co. Spokesman, Said The Pipeline Should Not Have Given Way. According to the Associated Press, “‘Crews will be working around the clock until it is cleaned up, Steve Dittmore, a spokesman for Koch, said Sunday. ‘We are still not sure yet how long it will take.’ About 3 million gallons of crude oil moved through the 24-inch diameter pipe daily from near St. Louis to near St. Paul, Minn. The pipeline was nearly new and should not have given way, Dittmore said. It was relocated in 1995 when an adjacent section of the highway was rebuilt.” [Associated Press, 5/3/99]
2001: AMMONIA PIPELINE LEAK KILLED NEARLY 1.3 MILLION FISH – “ONE OF THE LARGEST ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTERS TO HIT THE STATE.” 23
December, 2001: Koch Pipeline Co. Paid Nearly $1.5 Million After A Ammonia Leak Killed Nearly 1.3 Million Fish Along 49 Miles Of Lotts Creek And The East Fork Of The Des Moines River Near Algona. According to the Des Moines Register, “In one of the largest fish-kill cases in Iowa history, Koch Pipeline Co. paid nearly $1.5 million after an ammonia leak in December 2001 killed nearly 1.3 million fish along 49 miles of Lotts Creek and the east fork of the Des Moines River near Algona.” [Des Moines Register, 12/27/08] Koch Pipeline Spilled 58,000 Gallons Of Ammonia Into Lotts Creek, Which “Lost Virtually All Its Fish” As A Result. According to the Associated Press, “The 58,000 gallons of ammonia that spilled into Lotts Creek and the East Fork Des Moines River has dropped to safe levels for fish, officials from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources said. Lotts Creek lost virtually all its fish after a maintenance crew accidentally cut a Koch Pipeline anhydrous ammonia pipeline near Whittemore in Kossuth County. The spill killed all creek wildlife above Livermore.” [Associated Press, 12/25/01] Des Moines Register: The Spill Was “One Of The Largest Environmental Disasters To Hit The State.” According to the Associated Press, “The spill in December 2001 near Algona in Kossuth County was one of the largest environmental disasters to hit the state.” [Associated Press, 9/18/03]
Koch Pipeline Co.: There Should Have Been No Long-Term Effects From The Pipeline Spill. According to the Associated Press, “‘Scientific study has demonstrated that Lott’s Creek has rebounded very well, and there should be no long-term effects from the incident,’ said Patt McCann, president of Koch Pipeline.” [Associated Press, 9/18/03]
$1.45 Million Settlement Was “Largest Environmental Civil Penalty” In Northern District Of Iowa History Des Moines Register: “Charles Larson Sr., U.S. Attorney For The Northern District Of Iowa, Said The Penalty Was The Largest Environmental Civil Penalty Ever Issued In His District.” According to the Associated Press, “Charles Larson Sr., U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Iowa, said the penalty was the largest environmental civil penalty ever issued in his district. ‘It sends a strong message that we intend to keep our environment safe,’ he said.” [Associated Press, 9/18/03] Koch Pipeline Company’s Settlement Paid $1 Million To The Federal Government And $450,000 To Iowa. According to the Associated Press, “A company blamed for a fertilizer spill that killed more than 1 million fish in tributaries of the Des Moines River in north central Iowa has agreed to pay $1.45 million to state and federal officials, officials announced Thursday. ‘There’s a message for people who do business in the state that we are serious,’ Iowa Natural Resources Director Jeff Vonk said. The settlement with Koch Pipeline Co., of Wichita, Kan., was filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids. If approved, the company will pay $1 million to the federal government and $450,000 to Iowa to improve the health of the Des Moines River and its tributaries and access to the waterways. ‘The positive thing for the people of Iowa is the money will be spent in that watershed,’ Vonk said.” [Associated Press, 9/18/03]
Spent Additional $1.3 Million On Cleanup Koch Pipeline Co. Spent $1.3 Million On Spill Cleanup And Habitat Restoration. According to the Associated Press, “Koch Pipeline cooperated fully with the DNR on the cleanup and recovery efforts, said company spokeswoman Mary Beth Jarvis. Altogether, the company spent $1.3 million to mitigate the impact of the spill and for habitat restoration.” [Associated Press, 9/18/03]
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MICHIGAN Layoffs GAYLORD, MICHIGAN GEORGIA-PACIFIC PLANT CLOSING March 2006: Georgia-Pacific Closed A Gaylord, Michigan Particle Boards Plant, Costing 210 Jobs. According to the Associated Press State & Local Wire, “Georgia-Pacific Corp. is closing its particle boards plant near this northern Michigan town, putting 210 employees out of work. The company announced Monday that the plant would close permanently. Built in 1965, it was purchased by Georgia-Pacific in 1987. Paper products giant Georgia-Pacific is the maker of Brawny paper towels and Angel Soft tissue.” [Associated Press State & Local Wire, 3/7/06]
Impact On Workers Union President Terry Jans Said Georgia-Pacific Provided Some Of The Best-Paying Jobs In The Area. According to the Associated Press State & Local Wire, “Georgia-Pacific provided some of the best-paying jobs in the area, said Terry Jans, union president of Local 166. ‘It’s going to affect Gaylord as a town,’ Jans said. ‘Most people will not find work in this area. If they do, it will be for half or even a third of what they made before.’” [Associated Press State & Local Wire, 3/7/06]
Most Workers Earned Between $15 And $20 Per Hour Plus Benefits. According to the Associated Press State & Local Wire, “Most of the employees earned between $15 and $20 per hour plus benefits, and 167 belonged to the woodworking division of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.” [Associated Press State & Local Wire, 3/7/06]
Environment KOCH INDUSTRIES VENDOR DUMPED PETROLEUM BYPRODUCT ALONG DETROIT WATERFRONT Koch Carbon Vendor “Detroit Bulk Storage” Dumped Petroleum Byproduct Called “Petroleum Coke” Along Detroit Waterfront Koch Carbon Purchased Petroleum Byproduct Called “Pet Coke” For International Sale Koch Carbon, Owned By Brothers Charles And David Koch, Purchased “Pet Coke” For International Shipment. According to Postmedia Breaking News, “The petcoke was purchased by Koch Carbon, owned by billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, for shipment around the world.” [Postmedia Breaking News, 4/9/14]
Koch Carbon Bought The “Pet Coke,” And Then Sold The Product To Be Converted Into Fuel For Sale Overseas. According to the DC Bureau, “The coke is then sold to Koch Carbon, owned by the well-known conservative Koch brothers, who are then shipping it away to be converted into fuel for sale overseas.” [DC Bureau, 8/26/13]
“Pet Coke” Was Used In Cement And Asphalt, And Burned As A Fuel, In Places Like China And India. According to the Detroit Free Press, “Detroit’s former pet coke mounds and the mystery over their current location highlight what some environmentalists and Democratic lawmakers say is a new concern about the transportation and storage of the product. It is used in cement and asphalt, and it’s burned as a fuel both domestically and with greater frequency in places like China and India.” [Detroit Free Press, 8/30/13] 25
Koch Carbon Hired Detroit Bulk Storage To Store “Pet Coke” That It Purchased From Alberta Oil Sands Detroit Bulk Storage Stored The “Pet Coke” On Behalf Of Koch Carbon. According to Postmedia Breaking News, “Detroit Bulk Storage had been storing the black Alberta oil sands byproduct in a massive pile just east of the Ambassador Bridge since last fall. The company was handling the material and shipping it out on behalf of Koch Carbon Inc., which has been buying up all the petcoke being produced at the nearby Marathon Petroleum Corp. oil refinery in Detroit.” [Postmedia Breaking News, 8/30/13]
Petroleum Coke Was “A Byproduct Of Alberta’s Oil Sands.” According to Postmedia Breaking News, “The riverfront property in Detroit triggered controversy last year after Detroit Bulk started piling massive amounts of petroleum coke - a byproduct of Alberta's oil sands - next to the water and in close proximity to thousands of residents of both sides of the border.” [Postmedia Breaking News, 4/9/14]
Detroit Bulk Storage Created Massive “Pet Coke” Piles Along Detroit Waterfront Detroit Bulk Piled Petroleum Coke Along The Detroit Riverfront. According to Postmedia Breaking News, “The riverfront property in Detroit triggered controversy last year after Detroit Bulk started piling massive amounts of petroleum coke - a byproduct of Alberta's oil sands - next to the water and in close proximity to thousands of residents of both sides of the border.” [Postmedia Breaking News, 4/9/14] “Pet Coke” Piles Were Almost Four Stories High. According to the Detroit Free Press, “Pet coke, a byproduct of tar sands oil refinery used as a cheap but dirty-burning fuel, was stored in piles along the Detroit River that at one point were about four stories high.” [Detroit Free Press, 2/11/14] “Pet Coke” Piles Spanned An Entire City Block. According to Policy Mic, “The petcoke currently spanning one city block in Detroit isn’t from the U.S., nope it’s actually from the oil sands of Canada as mined by Marathon Oil.” [Policy Mic, 5/19/13]
Detroit Bulk Lacked Proper Permits For “Pet Coke” Storage In Detroit Detroit Bulk Did Not Have The Proper Permits Or Approvals For “Pet Coke” Storage. According to Postmedia Breaking News, “Detroit Bulk - which did not have proper municipal permits or approvals for petcoke storage - removed the black piles last August following public backlash and political pressure.” [Postmedia Breaking News, 4/9/14]
Detroit Bulk Storage Was Cited For Failure To Get The Required Certificates For Open Bulk Storage Of The “Pet Coke.” According to Detroit Free Press, “In a statement Bing said the manager of the pet coke piles, Detroit Bulk Storage, had complied with a city demand that they be removed by Aug. 27. Earlier this month city officials cited the company for four violations of city regulations, including failing to get a required certificate of compliance to perform business operations or permission for open bulk storage of the pet coke along the river.” [Detroit Free Press, 8/30/13]
City Of Detroit Forced Detroit Pet Bulk To Remove “Pet Coke” Detroit Mayor Dave Bing Ordered Detroit Bulk Storage To Remove The “Pet Coke” Piles By The End Of August 2013. According to the Detroit Free Press, “In August, then-Detroit Mayor Dave Bing ordered the piles removed, and Detroit Bulk Storage complied by the end of the month. City officials cited four violations of city regulations, including failing to get permission for open bulk storage of pet coke at the site.” [Detroit Free Press, 2/11/14] Detroit Bulk Storage Was Originally Directed By The City’s Building, Safety Engineering And Environmental Department To Remove The Pet Coke In Two Weeks. According to the Detroit Free Press, “Bing acted after Detroit 26
Bulk Storage failed to remove all of the material by Friday, as directed by a correction order issued by the city’s Building, Safety Engineering and Environmental Department. Karla Henderson, group executive for the mayor and to whom the building department reports, said Detroit Bulk Storage had failed to get a required certificate of compliance to perform business operations or open bulk storage along the river, and was cited with four violations of city regulations last Wednesday.” [Detroit Free Press, 8/13/13]
An Executive With The Mayor’s Office Said Detroit Bulk Storage Had Two Weeks To Ship The Pet Coke. According to the Detroit Free Press, “‘The only way they were shipping the material out was through these barges, and they said they do not have any control over the frequency of the barges,’ she said. ‘We are now directing, ‘You’ve got two weeks. So if you have to get trucks to truck it out, or contact the shipping companies and increase the frequency of the barges, you’ve got two weeks to ship it out.’” [Detroit Free Press, 8/13/13]
The Mayor’s Office Requested The Material Be Covered In Tarp Or Epoxy Spray While Remaining On-Site. According to the Detroit Free Press, “While the material is still on-site, ‘we expect it to be covered in some kind of tarp or epoxy spray and not disturbed,’ Henderson said.” [Detroit Free Press, 8/13/13]
The Mayor’s Office Threatened To Remove The Pet Coke And Bill The Company For The Expenses. According to the Detroit Free Press, “If Detroit Bulk Storage fails to act within two weeks, ‘we will come and padlock the facility,’ Henderson said, adding that the city could remove the pet coke itself and bill the company for the expense.” [Detroit Free Press, 8/13/13]
Detroit Bulk Storage Had Removed The Entire “Pet Coke” Pile By The End Of August 2013. According to the Detroit Free Press, “In August, then-Detroit Mayor Dave Bing ordered the piles removed, and Detroit Bulk Storage complied by the end of the month. City officials cited four violations of city regulations, including failing to get permission for open bulk storage of pet coke at the site.” [Detroit Free Press, 2/11/14]
Consequences Of “Pet Coke” Impact On Residents State Representative Rashida Tlaib Said Residents Near The “Pet Coke” Dump Were Negatively Impacted For Over A Year. According to Postmedia Breaking News, “Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit), who represents neighbourhoods around the former petcoke site, applauded the board’s decision, but remained disappointed residents on both sides of the border had to spend nearly a year living near the massive black piles - which reached four storeys in height - before the issue was resolved. ‘It’s unfortunate we had to go through this process,’ she said. ‘It was much more complicated than it needed to be. ‘All the companies involved need to be held responsible for how people had to live with the impact of petcoke on their lives. It was in their homes. Residents had to take pictures and videos. They documented petcoke flying in the river and it still took over a year before anyone said ‘enough, get rid of it.’” [Postmedia Breaking News, 4/9/14]
Black Dust From “Pet Coke” Blew Into Apartments And Cars. According to the Detroit Free Press, “Officials ordered the removal of the heap after residents began complaining. The black dust was ‘blowing into people’s apartments through the window and onto people’s cars,’ said Karla Henderson, a city planning official. ‘People should not have to live with that.’” [Detroit Free Press, 8/30/13]
The “Pet Coke” Dust Blew Into Southwest Detroit Neighborhoods And Across The River Into Canada. According to the DC Bureau, “But the coke was piled up in high mounds along the river. Winds frequently whip up the fine black dust, blowing it on the neighborhoods of Southwest Detroit and across the river to the Canadian town and environs of Windsor. The petroleum coke piles were established without a permit, and after operators applied for a permit the city said the piles must be removed by August 27, 2013.” [DC Bureau, 8/26/13]
The “Pet Coke” Piles Near Detroit’s Ambassador Bridge Were More Than Four Stories High. According to Detroit Free Press, “Detroit Bulk Storage spokesman Daniel Cherrin said the company is cleaning the pad near the 27
Ambassador Bridge where the pet coke piles - at one point more than four stories high - were stored since early this year. Company officials are ‘disappointed’ in the city’s decision and are weighing their options, he said.” [Detroit Free Press, 8/30/13]
Health And Environmental Concerns Research Director Of The Ecology Center Said Two Toxic Metals Were Detected In “Pet Coke” Piles And Were “Of Concern” In Runoff And Dust. According to the Ecology Center, “’Two of the toxic metals we detected, selenium and vanadium, are of concern in runoff and dust,’ according to Jeff Gearhart, research director at the Ecology Center. ‘The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s conclusion of ‘no significant public health risk’ is overstated and mostly based on modeling, not actual environmental monitoring. I am still dissatisfied with the lack of on-the-ground data on air quality and particulate matter due to the un-permitted open storage of petroleum coke.’” [Ecology Center, June 2013]
One Ton Of “Pet Coke” Can Yield An Average Of 53.6% More Carbon Dioxide Than The Same Amount Of Coal. According to the Ecology Center, “Pet coke is a byproduct of refining tar sands oil to be used in energy production. Pet coke is carbon dense, and a ton of pet coke can yield an average of 53.6 percent more carbon dioxide than the same amount of coal.” [Ecology Center, June 2013]
Criticism Of Koch Carbon And Detroit Bulk Storage State Representative Tlaib Said The Companies Involved In “Pet Coke” Supply Chain Were Treating Detroit “As A Dumping Ground.” According to the New York Times, “The coke comes from a refinery alongside the river owned by Marathon Petroleum, which has been there since 1930. But it began refining exports from the Canadian oil sands — and producing the waste that is sold to Koch — only in November. ‘What is really, really disturbing to me is how some companies treat the city of Detroit as a dumping ground,’ said Rashida Tlaib, the Michigan state representative for that part of Detroit. ‘Nobody knew this was going to happen.’ Almost 56 percent of Canada’s oil production is from the petroleum-soaked oil sands of northern Alberta, some 2,000 miles away.” [New York Times, 5/18/13]
Koch Carbon Still Owned “Pet Coke” After Removal From Detroit Koch Carbon Moved The “Pet Coke” To An Unspecified Site In Ohio After It Was Moved From Detroit. According to the Detroit Free Press, “Officials with the company that owns the pet coke, Koch Carbon, told the Free Press it was being moved to an unspecified site in Ohio - not because of the controversy, but to meet the company’s shipping needs. Koch Carbon officials did not respond to questions this week.” [Detroit Free Press, 8/30/13]
KOCH INDUSTRIES SUBSIDIARY WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR KALAMAZOO RIVER POLLUTION Georgia-Pacific Paper Mill And PCB Contamination PCB Contamination Of Kalamazoo River In 1950’s And 1960’s Georgia-Pacific Operated A Paper Mill In The 1950s And 1960s That Released Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) Into The Kalamazoo River. According to the Kalamazoo Gazette, “Georgia-Pacific operated a paper mill in Kalamazoo in the 1950s and 1960s that released polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into the Kalamazoo River, flowing downstream, collecting behind dams, and getting into the river banks, Garry Griffith, the company’s project manager for the ongoing river cleanup, said in recounting the history of the contamination Thursday.” [Kalamazoo Gazette, 8/24/12] 28
Georgia-Pacific Was One Of Two Companies Identified As Having Caused PCB Pollution In The Kalamazoo River. According to the Kalamazoo Gazette, “Although the river was designated as a Superfund site in 1990, it wasn’t until 2007 that the first large-scale PCB removal action took place, when 1.5 miles of river soil and sediment was removed near Plainwell. That $25 million project took place after years of negotiations between the EPA, state agencies and Georgia-Pacific Corp. and Millennium Holdings LLC, two companies identified as having caused the pollution there.” [Kalamazoo Gazette, 9/12/10]
Declaration Of Federal Superfund Site In 1990 The Kalamazoo River Was Declared A Federal Superfund Site In 1990. According to the Kalamazoo Gazette, “The river was declared a federal Superfund site 22 years ago, and Georgia-Pacific is among paper companies found to have contributed to the contamination and named responsible parties for the cleanup. A recent phase included removal of the Plainwell dam and cleanup of PCBs in that area. Now, Georgia-Pacific is proposing what officials referred to as a ‘settlement,’ which includes tearing out the Otsego City Dam and another dam downstream in Otsego Township.” [Kalamazoo Gazette, 8/24/12]
$10 Million Cleanup Agreement In 2010 The EPA Reached An Agreement With Georgia-Pacific On A $10 Million Project To Clean Up The Kalamazoo River Superfund Site. According to an Environmental Protection Agency press release, obtained via US Fed News, “The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following press release: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 and Georgia-Pacific have reached agreement on a new phase of cleanup to address Michigan’s Allied Paper/Kalamazoo River Superfund site. The estimated $10 million project 3.5 miles upstream from the now-completed Plainwell Dam cleanup is slated to begin in August and continue through late 2010.” [US Fed News, 1/4/10]
Georgia-Pacific Proposed Settlement Would Have Released The Company From Future Cleanup Liability Georgia-Pacific Proposed Spending Up To $100 Million To Clean Up The PCBs In The Kalamazoo River. According to M Live, “In August, Georgia-Pacific officials detailed a proposal for the company to spend up to $100 million to remove two Otsego-area dams on the Kalamazoo River in an effort to dig out polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dispose of them.” [M Live, 11/21/12]
Georgia-Pacific Projected The Actual Cost Of The Work Would Be $80 To $90 Million, And The Leftover Funds Could Go To The EPA. According to M Live, “Georgia-Pacific projected that the actual cost of that work would run $80 to $90 million, and indicated whatever money was left over could go to the EPA, which has another $50 million from a bankrupt company also identified as responsible for contaminating the river, to go toward remaining clean-up.” [M Live, 11/21/12]
Under Its Settlement Proposal, Georgia Pacific Would Not Be Liable For Funding Any Future Cleanup Of The Kalamazoo River. “Under its proposal, Georgia Pacific would not be liable for funding any future cleanup of the river.” [M Live, 11/21/12]
Other Estimates Of The Cleanup Were As High As $2 Billion. According to M Live, “‘Some of the responsible parties have estimated that cleanup costs along the 80 miles of Kalamazoo River could be as high as $2 billion.’” [M Live, 11/21/12]
Critics Called The Proposal An Attempt For Georgia-Pacific To “Duck Its Full Responsibility” That Was Not In The Public Interest Critics Said The Proposal Was A “Cheap Way For The Company To Duck Its Full Responsibility For Funding Cleanup Of The River.” According to M Live, “Critics of the proposal, both in August and at a September special meeting 29
held in September, said the proposal is a cheap way for the company to duck its full responsibility for funding cleanup of the river.” [M Live, 11/21/12] EPA Said Georgia-Pacific’s Proposal Was Not In The Public’s Interest, Considering Their “Responsibility For The Contamination Of The Site And The Unknown Costs Of Cleanup.” According to M Live, “In a recent letter to the Allegan County Board of Commissioners, the EPA’s remedial project manager for the river cleanup, James A. Sarie, said the federal agency has rejected the Georgia Pacific proposal. ‘Given Georgia Pacific’s responsibility for the contamination of the site and the unknown costs of cleanup, EPA does not believe Georgia Pacific’s offer of $150 million in work and cash over at least a 13-year period is in the public interest and accordingly, EPA has rejected it,’ Sarie wrote.” [M Live, 11/21/12]
EPA Called Georgia-Pacific “One Of The Primary Parties Responsible For The Contamination Of The Site.” According to M Live, “‘EPA cannot agree to such a settlement where Georgia Pacific is one of the primary parties responsible for the contamination at the site and where the cleanup remedies (and costs) along the 80 miles of Kalamazoo River are not yet known,’ Sarie wrote.” [M Live, 11/21/12]
Georgia-Pacific Proposed Similar Plans In 2010. According to M Live, “Georgia Pacific, according to Sarie, had presented similar proposals as recently as 2010.” [M Live, 11/21/12]
Georgia-Pacific’s Request That Allegan County Support Its Plan To Clean Up The Kalamazoo River Was Rejected By The County Board Of Commissioners. According to M Live, “The Allegan County Board of Commissioners has rejected Georgia-Pacific’s request that the county support its proposed $150-million plan to clean up the Kalamazoo River.” [M Live, 11/21/12]
The County’s Decision Was Based On A Response From The EPA. According to M Live, “The decision came, according to Commission Chairman D. Mark DeYoung, ‘based on the response from the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency).’” [M Live, 11/21/12]
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MINNESOTA Layoffs DULUTH GEORGIA-PACIFIC CLOSURE AND LAYOFFS August 2012: Georgia Pacific Closed Plant In Duluth, Minnesota. According to the Associated Press, “Georgia-Pacific told its 140 workers at its Duluth plant on Tuesday that it will permanently close the plant at the end of the month.” [Associated Press, 8/21/12]
Georgia Pacific Announced Plant Closure On August 21, Just Ten Days Before Scheduled Closing At The End Of August. According to the Associated Press, “Georgia-Pacific announced the plant closure Aug. 21 and said at that time it would be closed by the end of August.” [Associated Press, 10/19/12]
Georgia Pacific Laid Off 140 Workers At Duluth Plant. According to the Associated Press, “Georgia-Pacific told its 140 workers at its Duluth plant on Tuesday that it will permanently close the plant at the end of the month.” [Associated Press, 8/21/12] Georgia Pacific Had Previously Assured Duluth Mayor That The Plant Would Remain Open. According to the Associated Press, “The news came as a disappointment to Mayor Don Ness, who said in a statement that the company previously had assured him it would keep the plant open.” [Associated Press, 8/21/12] Georgia Pacific Workers Were Not Given A Reason For Plant Closure. According to the Duluth News Tribune, “Workers were caught off guard and still don’t understand Georgia-Pacific’s reasons for closing the plant, according to Osborne. The company did not share its rationale with employees. ‘If they came in and said we’re not making money or there are too many problems with the union or our production was poor, that would be different. But there’s no reason we can make sense of,’ he said.” [Duluth News Tribune, 10/9/12]
Ron Osborne, Vice President Of The Local Union, Lost His Job After 29 Years. According to the Duluth News Tribune, “Ron Osborne, vice president of United Steelworkers Local 776, which represented most of the Duluth plant’s staff, said a skeleton crew of around 20 workers remains on duty, but Georgia-Pacific aims to wind down most of its remaining operations by the end of the week. Osborne, who worked 29 years at the plant, said that finding comparable work will be a challenge. He noted that the average age of workers at the mill is 57.” [Duluth News Tribune, 10/9/12]
Environment FEDERAL AND STATE POLLUTION FINES Flint Hills Paid $19 Million In State And Federal Pollution Fines Between 1998 And 2002. According to the Star Tribune, “Also involved is an employee group of Flint Hills Resources _ formerly known as Koch Petroleum Group and Koch Refining Co. That’s the same company that has paid $19 million in state and federal pollution-related fines since 1998 and owns part of the land.” [Star Tribune, 4/21/02] Flint Hills Resources Paid $6.9 Million In Air And Water Pollution Fines In 1998. According to the Star Tribune, “After paying a record $6.9 million fine in 1998 for water and air pollution violations, the refinery owner Flint Hills Resources says it is working harder to prevent spills and leaks, and has spent $30 million cleaning up the old ones.” [Star Tribune, 9/16/07]
OIL SPILLS 31
2006 Spill Oil Pipeline Operated By Minnesota Pipe Line, Part Of Flint Hills, Spilled 134,000 Gallons Of Crude Oil Minnesota Pipe Line, Part Of Flint Hills Resources, Owned Two Refineries In Minnesota. According to the St. Cloud Times, “Minnesota Pipe Line, a division of Flint Hills Resources and the owner of the two refineries, is paying to clean up the mess. That will include hauling away any dirt and grass that contaminated with oil and clearing any trees that have been touched by oil.” [St. Cloud Times, 6/29/06] Koch Pipeline Operated Oil Pipeline Carrying Crude Oil From Clearbrook To The Two Oil Refineries Near Minneapolis And St. Paul. According to the St. Cloud Times, “This week’s oil spill near Little Falls was Minnesota’s fourth largest in a decade, according to federal records. […] The Minnesota Pipe Line system is owned by Flint Hills Resources, Marathon Oil Co. and TROF Inc. and is operated by Koch Pipeline Co., a subsidiary of Koch Industries. The 300-mile line carries Canadian oil from Clearbrook in northwestern Minnesota to refineries in the Twin Cities.” [St. Cloud Times, 7/1/06] June 2006: Oil Spill Occurred From Pipeline Carrying Crude Oil From Clearbrook, In Northwestern Minnesota, To Rosemount And St. Paul Park Refineries. According to the St. Cloud Times, “About 67,000 gallons of oil spilled from a break in a pipeline that carries Canadian crude oil about 300 miles from Clearbrook in northwestern Minnesota to refineries in Rosemount and St. Paul Park before it could be shut down Tuesday night.” [St. Cloud Times, 6/29/06] 2006 Oil Spill Was Fourth Largest Oil Spill In Minnesota Within The Previous Decade. According to the St. Cloud Times, “This week’s oil spill near Little Falls was Minnesota’s fourth largest in a decade, according to federal records. […] The Minnesota Pipe Line system is owned by Flint Hills Resources, Marathon Oil Co. and TROF Inc. and is operated by Koch Pipeline Co., a subsidiary of Koch Industries. The 300-mile line carries Canadian oil from Clearbrook in northwestern Minnesota to refineries in the Twin Cities.” [St. Cloud Times, 7/1/06] Koch-Operated Pipeline Spilled 134,000 Gallons Of Oil. According to the Associated Press, “A pipeline accident last week spilled 134,000 gallons of crude oil twice as much as originally estimated officials from Koch Pipeline Co. said Wednesday.” [Associated Press, 7/6/06] State Officials Believed That “Mechanical Damage” Caused The Oil Spill, But Were Unable To Determine Who Was Responsible For The Damage. According to the St. Cloud Times, “State officials say they may never learn who damaged a pipeline that eventually leaked more than 134,000 gallons of crude oil near Little Falls in June. The state Office of Pipeline Safety has determined that mechanical damage probably a backhoe scraping along the pipe caused the leak, OPS engineer Mike McGrath said. But investigators aren’t sure when the damage occurred. The pipeline has been operating for about 50 years.” [St. Cloud Times, 7/24/06]
Impact Of Oil Spill Oil Spilled Onto “A Grassy Field And Nearby Wetland” South Of Little Falls, Minnesota. According to the St. Cloud Times, “The break happened 2 1/2 miles south of Little Falls near Morrison County Road 35. The oil spilled onto a grassy field and nearby wetland that is part of 75 acres Bob and Cindy Poppen own.” [St. Cloud Times, 6/29/06]
Oil Spill Occurred On Land Owned By Bob And Cindy Poppen. According to the St. Cloud Times, “The break happened 2 1/2 miles south of Little Falls near Morrison County Road 35. The oil spilled onto a grassy field and nearby wetland that is part of 75 acres Bob and Cindy Poppen own.” [St. Cloud Times, 6/29/06]
Oil Spill Forced Deputies To Shut Down U.S. Highway 10 And Halt BNSF Railway Line. According to the St. Cloud Times, “Deputies shut down U.S. Highway 10, a main north-south route, and stopped any BNSF Railway trains. The tracks are just yards from the spill site. Nieman and the fire department worked to contain the oil and alert residents. No one was told to leave their homes, but some people left voluntarily because of the smell, Nieman said.” [St. Cloud Times, 6/29/06] 32
Response To Oil Spill Minnesota Pipe Line Paid To Clean Up The Oil Spill, Including The Removal Of Contaminated Dirt, Grass And Trees. According to the St. Cloud Times, “Minnesota Pipe Line, a division of Flint Hills Resources and the owner of the two refineries, is paying to clean up the mess. That will include hauling away any dirt and grass that contaminated with oil and clearing any trees that have been touched by oil.” [St. Cloud Times, 6/29/06]
2009 Spill Koch Pipeline Operated Oil Pipeline Between Clearbrook, Minnesota And Cottage Grove, Minnesota. According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, “A Koch Industries pipeline near Staples, Minn., has been shut after spilling an estimated 5,000 barrels of crude oil on Friday, according to a state official. The 16-inch pipeline runs between a Clearbrook, Minn., pumping station and a tank farm in Cottage Grove, said Kristine Chapin, a spokeswoman for the state’s Department of Public Safety. The line supplies the Flint Hills Resources refinery in Rosemount and Marathon Oil Corp.’s St. Paul Park plant, she said.” [St. Paul Pioneer Press, 12/7/09] Pipeline Leaked 5,000 Barrels Of Oil Near Staples, Minnesota. According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, “A Koch Industries pipeline near Staples, Minn., has been shut after spilling an estimated 5,000 barrels of crude oil on Friday, according to a state official. The 16-inch pipeline runs between a Clearbrook, Minn., pumping station and a tank farm in Cottage Grove, said Kristine Chapin, a spokeswoman for the state’s Department of Public Safety.” [St. Paul Pioneer Press, 12/7/09]
Pipeline Burst Caused 210,000 Gallons Of Oil To Leak Near Staples, Minnesota. According to the Associated Press, “Cleanup crews have contained a large oil spill just south of Staples, and an environmental official says there was no damage to surrounding bodies of water. Stephen Mikkelson of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says about 210,000 gallons of crude oil oozed out of a pipeline by Friday morning. […] The pipeline is operated by Wichita, Kan.based Koch Pipeline Co.” [Associated Press, 12/5/09]
WATER POLLUTION Rosemount Oil Refinery Environmental Record In 2007, Flint Hills Was Ranked By An Environmental Group As One Of The Two Worst “Toxic Chemical Polluters” In Minnesota, In Terms Of “Pollution Released Into State Waterways.” According to Finance & Commerce, “Maplewood-based 3M Co. and Flint Hills Resources ranked as the worst two toxic chemical polluters in Minnesota, according to a 2007 study released Wednesday by Minneapolis-based Environment Minnesota, in which the group tracked pollution released into state waterways.” [Finance & Commerce, 10/22/09] Flint Hill’s Pollution Ranking Was Based On Its Record Of Polluting The Mississippi River Through Its Rosemount Refinery. According to Finance & Commerce, “Flint Hills Resources was cited for releases into the Mississippi from its Rosemount refinery, which used to be known as the Koch Refinery before Koch’s parent company changed its name to Flint Hills Resources.” [Finance & Commerce, 10/22/09]
Mississippi River Pollution Rosemount Oil Refinery Polluted The Mississippi River Through Underground Pollution, Because The Refinery Was Located Less Than Two Miles From The River. According to the Star Tribune, “At the Pine Bend oil refinery in 33
Rosemount, pollution has trickled underground for years - straight toward the Mississippi River 1 1/2 miles a way.” [Star Tribune, 9/16/07]
4.1 Million Gallons Of Oil Were Removed From The Ground Around The Rosemount Oil Refinery. According to the Star Tribune, “So far about 4.1 million gallons of product have been sucked out of the ground, using various methods. That’s enough to fill nearly 500 tanker trucks. The waste is treated, incinerated or refined on site.” [Star Tribune, 9/16/07]
Cleanup Was Expected To Last For At Least Ten Years. According to the Star Tribune, “Workers periodically recover petroleum from a trench near the river, said John Hofland, a company spokesman. Some of the cleanup will go on another 10 years or more, he added.” [Star Tribune, 9/16/07]
Wastewater Discharge Koch Refining Co. Manipulated Wastewater Discharges To Avoid State Pollution Limits At Its Rosemount Refinery. According to the Star Tribune, “Koch Refining Co. in Rosemount manipulated its waste-water discharges to avoid violating state pollution limits, according to transcripts of interviews conducted with company employees last year by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.” [Star Tribune, 10/29/98]
Koch Refining Co. “Flushed Millions Of Gallons Of Water Containing High Levels Of Toxic Ammonia Through Its Fire-Hydrant System Onto Company Land.” According to the Star Tribune, “The transcripts, made public Wednesday, contain evidence that Koch flushed millions of gallons of water containing high levels of toxic ammonia through its fire-hydrant system onto company land. The reason: Because of equipment problems, the company’s treatment plant couldn’t clean up the waste water before sending it to the Mississippi River.” [Star Tribune, 10/29/98]
Koch Refining Flushed Toxic Wastewater Because Of Equipment Problems That Prevented Cleanup Of The Wastewater Before Discharging It Into The Mississippi River. According to the Star Tribune, “The transcripts, made public Wednesday, contain evidence that Koch flushed millions of gallons of water containing high levels of toxic ammonia through its fire-hydrant system onto company land. The reason: Because of equipment problems, the company’s treatment plant couldn’t clean up the waste water before sending it to the Mississippi River.” [Star Tribune, 10/29/98]
Koch Refining Dumped Methanol, Ethanol, Gasoline And Other Waste Products Into The Water. According to the Associated Press, “The dumping of xylene, naphtha, methanol, ethanol, gasoline and other wastes into the oily-water sewer.” [Associated Press, 10/29/98]
Koch Refining Agreed To Spend $80 Million On Environmental Improvement Projects After Pollution Findings. According to the Associated Press, “As part of the May settlement, Koch officials have begun to make more than 100 required changes at the refinery, and the company has pledged to spend up to $80 million during the next decade on environmental improvement projects.” [Associated Press, 10/29/98] Koch Refining Paid “Record $6.9 Million” In Fines After Pollution Findings. According to the Associated Press, “The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s investigation led to a record $6.9 million fine against Koch in May.” [Associated Press, 10/29/98]
AIR POLLUTION Greenhouse Gas Emissions Flint Hills Was Minnesota’s “Third-Largest Greenhouse Gas Emitter.” According to the Star Tribune, “But Flint Hills’ plans faced potential opposition from environmental groups, including the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA), a nonprofit environmental law organization based in St. Paul that often intervenes in regulatory matters. That’s 34
because Flint Hills, the state’s third-largest greenhouse gas emitter, needs state regulatory approval to modify its air quality permit to release additional emissions, including those linked to climate change.” [Star Tribune, 4/17/13]
Clean Air Act Violations Flint Hills Resources Paid $4.5 Million For Clean Air Act Violations At Rosemount Plant. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, “The agreement comes about two years after federal officials concluded a settlement with Koch Petroleum Group that required the company to spend about $80 million to install sophisticated pollution-control equipment at its nearby plant in Rosemount and two refineries in Texas. The company -- now named Flint Hills Resources -- also had to pay a $4.5 million penalty to settle Clean Air Act violations and other environmental claims, primarily at the Rosemount plant.” [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 12/24/02]
Flint Hills Resources Was Required To Install $80 Million In “Sophisticated Pollution-Control Equipment” At Rosemount Plant. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, “The agreement comes about two years after federal officials concluded a settlement with Koch Petroleum Group that required the company to spend about $80 million to install sophisticated pollution-control equipment at its nearby plant in Rosemount and two refineries in Texas. The company -- now named Flint Hills Resources -- also had to pay a $4.5 million penalty to settle Clean Air Act violations and other environmental claims, primarily at the Rosemount plant.” [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 12/24/02]
Land Sale SALE OF LAND FOR HOUSING UNITS 2003: Flint Hill Resources Agreed To Sell Land To Minnesota For 1,000 Housing Units. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, “St. Paul’s drive to turn a large industrial tract along the Mississippi River into a thriving residential neighborhood has gotten hung up on pollution issues. The city aims to buy the vacant 64-acre Koch-Mobil site and then sell it to a development company, which proposes to build more than 1,000 housing units during the next several years. But the city hasn’t been able to close a deal with Flint Hills Resources, a Kansas-based firm formerly known as Koch Refinery Co. The firm owns nearly half the property, which was once a sprawling field of large petroleum tanks.” [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 7/23/03]
Flint Hills Previously Used The Land For “A Sprawling Field Of Large Petroleum Tanks.” According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, “The firm owns nearly half the property, which was once a sprawling field of large petroleum tanks.” [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 7/23/03]
Flint Hills Stored Fuel And Oil On The Land. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, “The industrial site is one of the city’s largest tracts of available land. Flint Hills Resources, a Kansas-based firm formerly known as Koch Refinery Co., and Mobil Oil Corp. used to store fuel and oil on the land.” [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 10/23/03]
Flint Hills Was Slow To Finalize Land Sale To Minnesota. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, “St. Paul’s drive to turn a large industrial tract along the Mississippi River into a thriving residential neighborhood has gotten hung up on pollution issues. The city aims to buy the vacant 64-acre Koch-Mobil site and then sell it to a development company, which proposes to build more than 1,000 housing units during the next several years. But the city hasn’t been able to close a deal with Flint Hills Resources, a Kansas-based firm formerly known as Koch Refinery Co. The firm owns nearly half the property, which was once a sprawling field of large petroleum tanks.” [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 7/23/03]
DELAYS OVER POLLUTION CONCERNS 35
Flint Hills Resisted Sale Of Land Due To Potential Pollution Liability. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, “Negotiations have gotten snagged over the liability for pollution on a portion of the site, which is on West Seventh Street southwest of downtown. Flint Hills already has cleaned up much of its property, although a 7-acre parcel remains contaminated with remnants of petroleum. Flint Hills intends to clean that land as well. But the firm is worried that if homes are built there, the company could potentially be held liable for any future pollution-related claims.” [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 7/23/03]
Seven Acres Of The Land Remained “Contaminated With Remnants Of Petroleum.” According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, “Negotiations have gotten snagged over the liability for pollution on a portion of the site, which is on West Seventh Street southwest of downtown. Flint Hills already has cleaned up much of its property, although a 7-acre parcel remains contaminated with remnants of petroleum. Flint Hills intends to clean that land as well. But the firm is worried that if homes are built there, the company could potentially be held liable for any future pollution-related claims.” [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 7/23/03]
Flint Hills Expressed Concern That It Could Be Held Liable For “Future Pollution-Related Claims” From Residents On The Land. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, “Negotiations have gotten snagged over the liability for pollution on a portion of the site, which is on West Seventh Street southwest of downtown. Flint Hills already has cleaned up much of its property, although a 7-acre parcel remains contaminated with remnants of petroleum. Flint Hills intends to clean that land as well. But the firm is worried that if homes are built there, the company could potentially be held liable for any future pollution-related claims.” [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 7/23/03]
Judge Halted Housing Plan For A Year Due To Pollution And Health Concerns. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, “St. Paul’s plan to turn a polluted industrial tract along the Mississippi River into a huge housing development -- halted last year over health concerns -- got back on track Thursday, thanks to a judge’s ruling. Ramsey County District Judge Judith Tilsen, who temporarily blocked the project in July, concluded Wednesday the city has since provided enough evidence to show the former oil tank farm can be made safe for housing.” [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 1/14/05]
COMPLETION OF HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ON LAND Judge Allowed Housing Development To Proceed In January 2005, After Receiving Further Evidence From The City Of St. Paul That Environmental Cleanup Was Possible. According to the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, “St. Paul’s plan to turn a polluted industrial tract along the Mississippi River into a huge housing development -- halted last year over health concerns -- got back on track Thursday, thanks to a judge’s ruling. Ramsey County District Judge Judith Tilsen, who temporarily blocked the project in July, concluded Wednesday the city has since provided enough evidence to show the former oil tank farm can be made safe for housing.” [Saint Paul Pioneer Press, 1/14/05] Home Construction Commenced In 2006 On Land Formerly Owned By Flint Hills. According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, “Brighton Development has already started construction on a 22-acre parcel formerly owned by Flint Hills, and Shalom Community Alliance is planning a campus of senior housing on a smaller parcel. David Wickiser, president of the Fort Road Federation, said the decision is a relief. The neighborhood group has been an ardent supporter of the plan, and Wickiser said leaving out one phase would weaken the project. Taken together, the parcels would create an enduring neighborhood, he added.” [St. Paul Pioneer Press, 6/30/06]
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MONTANA Matador Cattle Company Ranch Held Grazing Permits Under Federal Program That Costs Taxpayers $140 Million Annually MATADOR CATTLE COMPANY AND FEDERAL GRAZING PERMIT PROGRAM Koch Brothers Paid $27,000 Less Annually On The Matador Cattle Company Ranch Than If They Were Leasing Private Land, Due To Federal Grazing Permit Program. According to Washington Monthly, “While western lawmakers invoke the mythic cowboy and small-time rancher to defend the subsidies, just as they do in mining, the average beneficiaries of this program aren’t Hoss and Little Joe, they’re Hewlett and Packard (they own the San Felipe Ranch in Mackay, Idaho). The billionaire Koch brothers, owners of Koch Industries, an independent oil concern, pay $27,000 less each year on their Matador Cattle Company ranch than if they were leasing private land. And the John Hancock company gets a break on its ranch of about $50,000 a year.” [Washington Monthly, 7/1/92]
40 PERCENT OF KOCH INDUSTRIES’ CATTLE OPERATIONS WAS ON LAND LEASED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING MATADOR CATTLE COMPANY’S BEAVERHEAD RANCH 40 Percent Of Koch Industries Cattle Operations Was On Land Leased From The Federal Government, Including Beaverhead Ranch In Montana. According to OpEd News, “The Koch Brothers have an interest in the issue because they operate three cattle ranches: Matador Ranch in Texas, Beaverhead Ranch in Montana, and Spring Creek in Kansas. Forty percent of the Koch Industries half-million-acre cattle operation is on land leased from the federal government.” [OpEd News, 4/29/14]
FEDERAL GRAZING PERMIT PROGRAM Federal Grazing Permit Program Fee Calculation Had Not Been Updated Since 1965 Federal Grazing Permit Program Fees Were Kept Artificially Low, And The Base Number Used To Calculate The Fees Had Not Changed Since 1965. According to Washington Monthly, “While Day fervently denies he is ‘subsidized’ by the government, fees charged under the grazing program--set up in the thirties--are kept artificially low. Although the fee takes into account the fluctuation of yearly beef and forage-value prices, oil prices, and other variables, the base number used to calculate it was set in 1965 and hasn’t budged since.” [Washington Monthly, 7/1/92]
Federal Grazing Fee For 2013 Was $1.35 Per Animal The Federal Grazing Fee For 2013 Was $1.35 Per Animal Unit Month. According to the Bureau of Land Management, “The Federal grazing fee for 2013 will be $1.35 per animal unit month (AUM) for public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management and $1.35 per head month (HM) for lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service. The 2013 fee is the same as last year’s.” [Bureau of Land Management, 1/31/13] The Grazing Fee Was At The Minimum Allowable Level For Seven Consecutive Years. According to The Associated Press State & Local Wire, “The federal grazing fee will stay at the minimum allowable level for a seventh consecutive year, a development that has rekindled a longstanding debate in the West between conservationists and ranchers.” [The Associated Press State & Local Wire, 3/2/13] 37
The Formula Was Set In 1978 And Was Based On Market Conditions, Including Private Grazing Lease Rates, Beef Cattle Prices, And The Cost Of Livestock Production. According to The Associated Press State & Local Wire, “The formula used to determine the grazing fee, set by Congress in 1978, is based on market conditions, including private grazing lease rates, beef cattle prices and the cost of livestock production. An AUM is the amount of forage a cow and her calf can eat in one month.” [The Associated Press State & Local Wire, 3/2/13]
Federal Grazing Fee Allowed Ranchers To Pay Less Than They Would For Grazing On Private Land Biodiversity Director Of Western Watersheds Project Said The Fee Was Set On A Formula That Allowed Ranchers To Pay Less Than They Would For Grazing On Private Land. According to The Associated Press State & Local Wire, “Katie Fite, biodiversity director of the Western Watersheds Project based in Hailey, Idaho, said the fee is unrealistically low because it’s set by an outdated formula that allows ranchers to pay far less than they would for grazing on private land.” [The Associated Press State & Local Wire, 3/2/13]
Fite Said Taxpayers Foot The Bill For Killing Predators Of Livestock, For Spraying Weeds Spread By Livestock, And For Sagebrush- And Tree-Removal Projects To Create More Grass For Cattle And Sheep. According to The Associated Press State & Local Wire, “The fee falls well short of covering government costs to manage grazing, she said, and taxpayers end up footing the bill for killing predators of livestock, for spraying weeds spread by livestock and for sagebrush- and tree-removal projects to create more grass for cattle and sheep.” [The Associated Press State & Local Wire, 3/2/13]
Fite Said This Was “Another Huge Form Of Subsidy To Public Lands Ranchers Who Are Already Massively Subsidized By Us All.” According to The Associated Press State & Local Wire, “‘It represents another huge form of subsidy to public lands ranchers who are already massively subsidized by us all,’ Fite said. ‘This also brings up a whole other cost of the public lands grazing program the cost of water lost, fouled, wildlife habitat lost, etc. due to grazing.’” [The Associated Press State & Local Wire, 3/2/13]
Public Land Ranchers Paid Less Than 25 Percent Of The Costs Of The Federal Grazing Program Over 10 Years. According to Washington Monthly, “According to a grazing fee study by the Departments of Agriculture and Interior released this spring, public land ranchers have paid less than 25 percent of the costs of the federal grazing program over the past 10 years.” [Washington Monthly, 7/1/92]
Federal Grazing Program Cost Taxpayers Over $140 Million Annually In 2005 The Government Accountability Office Reported That Federal Agencies Spent $144 Million Managing Grazing Programs But Collected Only $21 Million In Grazing Fees. According to the Center for Public Integrity, “In 2005, in fact, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that 10 federal agencies spent $144 million managing such grazing programs, yet collected only $21 million in grazing fees.” [Center For Public Integrity, 4/20/10] Managing Federal Grazing Lands Cost Federal Taxpayers $140 Million A Year. According to Omaha.com, “Managing federal lands for the grazing program costs federal taxpayers about $140 million a year and the government collects about $21 million in grazing fees, according to a 2005 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office.” [Omaha.com, 10/23/11]
Cattle Grazed On Public Land Accounted For Less Than 5% Of American Beef Production Cattle Grazed On Public Land Accounts For Less Than Five Percent Of American Beef Production. According to KCET, “In addition to California, the 2014 grazing fee applies to animals grazed on BLM and USFS land in 15 other states, most in The West. Cattle grazed on public land in these states accounts for less than five percent of American beef production.” [KCET, 2/10/14] 38
Matador Cattle Company Received Warning Letter From The EPA For Potential Clean Water Act Violations Matador Cattle Company Received A Letter Of Violation Under The Clean Water Statute From The EPA. According to the EPA’s Enforcement and Compliance History Online database, the Matador Cattle Company received a Letter of Violation/Warning Letter from the EPA under the Clean Water Act on March 18, 2014. [ECHO, accessed 5/13/14]
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NEW HAMPSHIRE Environment KOCH SUBSIDIARY PAID NEW HAMPSHIRE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO SETTLE ACCUSATIONS OF CONTAMINATING STATE GROUNDWATER Flint Hills Resources Paid $350,000 To Settle Charges That It And Other Oil Companies Had Contaminated The State’s Groundwater. According to the New Hampshire Business Review, “The decade-old lawsuit was filed by the administration of then-Gov. Craig Benson against 15 oil companies for contaminating the state's groundwater. All of the cases -- save the one against ExxonMobil -- have been settled. […] Flint Hill Resources and Giant Oil broke the ice, paying $350,000 each, followed by the first larger settlement - with BP Products - for $2.4 million in January 2011. Five other others followed during the summer of 2011, with settlements totaling about $6 million, half of that coming from Hess Corp. None of that money has any restrictions on it.” [New Hampshire Business Review, 3/22/13]
Flint Hills Resources Settlement Was Part Of $136 Million Lawsuit. According to the New Hampshire Business Review, “New Hampshire has won $136.5 million as a result of a massive lawsuit it filed a decade ago over the gasoline additive MTBE, and it may win more, pending a case currently being heard in Merrimack County Superior Court against ExxonMobil. While not all of the settlement money is in the state's hands just yet, it appears that it is sitting in a bank account, shrouded in secrecy.” [New Hampshire Business Review, 3/22/13]
MTBE Was A Gasoline Additive Found To Contaminate Groundwater In The 1990s; It Was Banned In New Hampshire In 2007. According to the New Hampshire Business Review, “Some argue that almost any project that prevents or mitigates water contamination is related to the ubiquitous MTBE, which was added to gasoline beginning in the 1970s to increase octane and reduce smog-causing emissions. While it was credited with cutting air pollution, it was found in the late 1990s to contaminate drinking water when gasoline is spilled or leaks into surface water or groundwater. New Hampshire banned it as of January 2007.” [New Hampshire Business Review, 3/22/13]
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NORTH CAROLINA Layoffs WILMINGTON INVISTA LAYOFFS Koch Industries Subsidiary Laid Off 100 Workers From Its Wilmington Plant At The End Of 2013. According to the Wichita Business Journal, “Invista will lay off 100 workers at a plant in Wilmington, N.C. by the end of January as it shuts down production of dimethyl terephthalate, or DMT, a chemical compound it had been producing there. […] It will continue to produce other chemical compounds at the site and 50 other employers will remain there ‘beyond February 2014,’ Standifer said. Invista is a subsidiary of Koch Industries Inc., both of which are based in Wichita.” [Wichita Business Journal, 11/6/13]
Invista Had Announced In 2012 That It Would Stop Manufacturing A Particular Chemical By The End Of 2013. According to the Wilmington Star News, “Invista, which is owned by Kansas-based Koch Industries, said in September 2012 that it would stop making DMT at Wilmington. At the time, Standifer said the company didn't know how many people would be affected, but the company said it needed ‘a stable workforce through the end of 2013.’” [Wilmington Star News, 11/6/13]
50 People Would Remain Employed At The Factory After Layoffs. According to the Wilmington Star News, “About 50 employees will remain ‘beyond February 2014’ at the plant on U.S. 421 North as it continues to produce Terate HT polyols, a product used in the manufacture of insulation.” [Wilmington Star News, 11/6/13] Koch Industries Subsidiary Had Previously Laid Off 60 Employees In March 2012. According to the Wilmington Star News, “In March 2012, Invista said it was cutting 60 employees at the plant, but that 225 people remained employed there.” [Wilmington Star News, 11/6/13]
WHITEVILLE GEORGIA-PACIFIC LAYOFFS In 2008, Georgia-Pacific’s Whiteville Lumber And Plywood Plant Laid Off 400 Workers. According to WWAY, “On the local employment front, the Georgia-Pacific Lumber and Plywood Plant in Whiteville has announced it will be laying off 400 employees. The news is not good, and obviously has Whiteville residents concerned. Georgia-Pacific blames the layoffs on the slumping housing market. The company makes plywood and lumber, and said it will shut down the Whiteville facility by Christmas.” [WWAY, 10/3/08]
Georgia-Pacific Held Open The Possibility Of Reopening Whiteville Plant If Economic Conditions Improved. According to WWAY, “Julie Davis, Georgia-Pacific spokesperson said, ‘These are very difficult decisions, ones that the company doesn’t take lightly. We understand the impact that this has on the employees and the community, and we’re doing everything we can to help our employees as we wind down our operations over the next 60 days.’ A small staff of workers will stay on board to maintain the facility. The plant could reopen if the economy turns around, but that is a distant hope for current workers facing a grim Christmas season.” [WWAY, 10/3/08]
As Of April 2014, The Whiteville Plant Was Still Listed As “Idled.” According to a Georgia-Pacific North Carolina State Fact Sheet, “Georgia-Pacific North Carolina; A Look At Our Facilities […] Location: Whiteville- Softwood Plywood (Idled) […] Location: Whiteville- Southern Pine Sawmill (Idled).” [Georgia-Pacific North Carolina State Fact Sheet, Viewed 4/1/14]
ROXBORO GEORGIA-LAYOFFS In 2010, Roxboro Georgia-Pacific Plant Laid Off 118 Workers. According to Triangle Business Journal, “Georgia-Pacific has notified the North Carolina Department of Commerce that it will permanently lay off 118 employees at its wood products 41
plant in Roxboro, but the company leaves open the option of recalling employees to restart the plant if market conditions improve. Georgia-Pacific’s Roxboro plant manager, Michael Golden, said in a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act letter to Commerce that only a ‘select few’ employees will remain to operate the plant’s I-line. The plant had already begun temporary layoffs in June and July with the anticipation that the reductions would last less than six months, but as market conditions in the engineered lumber market continue to decline, Golden says, the plant needed to lay off more employees.” [Triangle Business Journal, 9/17/10]
SHELBY INVISTA LAYOFFS Koch Subsidiary Laid Off 330 People From Shelby, North Carolina Polyester Plant In 2001 And 2003 Koch Industries Owned 50% Stake In KoSa Before September 2001, And Subsequently Became Sole Owner Of KoSa. According to the Wichita Business Journal, “Koch International Equity Investments BV and Koch Equities Inc., both subsidiaries of Wichita-based Koch Industries Inc., have acquired the 50 percent ownership interest in KoSa held by IMASAB S.A. de C.V., making them owners of KoSa. KoSa, which is based in Houston, makes commodity and specialty polyester products as part of four global businesses: packaging resins, technical fibers, textile fibers and intermediates and polymer. The sale is subject to regulatory approval. A closing is expected in the next two months.” [Wichita Business Journal, 9/25/01] KoSa Laid Off 180 Workers From Its Shelby, North Carolina Polyester Plant In March And April 2001. According to the Charlotte Business Journal, “Polyester fiber maker KoSa Ltd. will cut more than 25% of its 700-person work force in Shelby as it refocuses its efforts on more profitable products. KoSa will lay off 180 hourly and salaried employees during the coming two months as it sheds its commodity polyester fiber products and concentrates on specialty lines, says Erica Luongo, a company spokeswoman. KoSa, which in December said it would spent $135 million to modernize the plant, will first seek volunteers for the job cuts. The plant, a part of KoSa’s textile filament division, makes polyester fibers used in seat belts, awnings, lawn chairs and soft-sided trucks. Houston-based KoSa has its regional headquarters in Charlotte. The company’s other Carolinas plants are in Salisbury, Wilmington and Spartanburg, S.C.” [Charlotte Business Journal, 2/27/01] KoSa Laid Off 150 Workers From Its Shelby Plant In 2003. According to the Charlotte Business Journal, “KoSa will discontinue a polyester thread production line in its Shelby plant and lay off 150 employees by the end of the year. The company, a polyester fiber producer with a regional headquarters in Charlotte, will provide severance packages to laid-off workers. ‘This decision, while extremely difficult, is necessary to ensure the company’s long-term business success,’ says Marc Simpson, KoSa’s Shelby site production manager. ‘We value all employees and the contributions they have made to the Shelby site, but today’s challenging textile industry mandates this move.’ After the layoffs, the plant will employ 180. The Shelby site will continue to produce low denier industrial filament polyester for sewing thread and other industrial applications.” [Charlotte Business Journal, 10/10/03]
SALISBURY INVISTA LAYOFFS Koch Subsidiary ‘Invista’ Owned Polyester Plant In Salisbury, North Carolina INVISTA Was An ‘Indirect Wholly Owned Subsidiary’ Of Koch Industries. According to Troubled Company Reporter, “INVISTA is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of privately held, unrated Koch Industries Inc.” [Troubled Company Reporter, 9/5/11] INVISTA Operated Polyester Fiber Plant In Salisbury, North Carolina. According to the Salisbury Post, “Invista, a wholly owned subsidiary of Koch Industries, operates its Salisbury polyester fiber plant off U.S. 70. The plant started as Fiber Industries in 1966 and also went by Hoechst Celanese for many years. Koch Industries has had an ownership interest since December 1998, though the plant has never gone by that name. Trivera and KoSa have been other names in its more recent history. […] In 2001 Koch bought out Saba. In 2003, Koch announced it would buy a DuPont division called Invista and apply that name to the local plant.” [Salisbury Post, 9/16/05] 42
Koch Industries Possessed Ownership Interest In Salisbury Plant Beginning In 1998. According to the Salisbury Post, “Invista, a wholly owned subsidiary of Koch Industries, operates its Salisbury polyester fiber plant off U.S. 70. The plant started as Fiber Industries in 1966 and also went by Hoechst Celanese for many years. Koch Industries has had an ownership interest since December 1998, though the plant has never gone by that name.” [Salisbury Post, 9/16/05]
Koch Industries Acquired Full Ownership Of Salisbury Plant In 2001. According to the Salisbury Post, “In 2001 Koch bought out Saba. In 2003, Koch announced it would buy a DuPont division called Invista and apply that name to the local plant.” [Salisbury Post, 9/16/05]
Koch Industries Acquired Related Division Of DuPont In 2003 And Changed The Name Of The Subsidiary Owner Of Salisbury Plant To Invista. According to the Salisbury Post, “In 2001 Koch bought out Saba. In 2003, Koch announced it would buy a DuPont division called Invista and apply that name to the local plant.” [Salisbury Post, 9/16/05]
Salisbury Plant Made Tire Cord And Technical Filament Out Of Polyester Yarn. According to the Salisbury Post, “In an economy where change is the watchword, one of Rowan County’s success stories is KoSa. […] And the plant also produces two other types of products: * Tire cord, which it sells to almost every major tire manufacturer in the United States. The KoSa plant remains one of the largest producers of tire cord in the country and the world. * Technical filament, or specially engineered fibers, that go into products as varied as fabric roofs and tents, flexible signs and billboards, truck tarpaulins, reinforced belts and hoses and even automobile air bags. In the past two years, the company has invested $80 million in new equipment that now enables it to produce the best polyester yarn in North America and compete with newer plants in Asia, according to Plant Manager Tony Branecky.” [Salisbury Post, 6/25/02]
Threats Of Early Retirement Or Downsizing In 2003, Koch Industries Threatened 49 Workers At Salisbury Plant With Downsizing Unless They Accepted Early Retirement. According to the Salisbury Post, “In 2003, Koch announced it would buy a DuPont division called Invista and apply that name to the local plant. […] Hughes says the company pushed workers to take early retirement, telling 49 in the maintenance department they could ‘leave gracefully’ or be victims of downsizing.” [Salisbury Post, 9/16/05]
Koch Industries Informed Workers At Salisbury Plant That They Could ‘Leave Gracefully’ Or Risk Being ‘Victims Of Downsizing.’ According to the Salisbury Post, “In 2003, Koch announced it would buy a DuPont division called Invista and apply that name to the local plant. […] Hughes says the company pushed workers to take early retirement, telling 49 in the maintenance department they could ‘leave gracefully’ or be victims of downsizing.” [Salisbury Post, 9/16/05]
Declining Employment Figures At Salisbury Plant Under Koch Industries 2005: 1,200 Employees In 2005, Total Number Of Employees At Salisbury Plant Was 1,200. According to the Salisbury Post, “Invista produces polyester at the Salisbury plant. It changed its name from KoSa to Invista in May 2004 when DuPont sold a subsidiary, DuPont Textiles Interiors, to Koch Industries Inc. Koch then combined DuPont Textiles with some of its subsidiaries, including KoSa, to create Invista. As of January, Invista in Salisbury was Rowan County’s sixth largest employer with 1,200 employees.” [Salisbury Post, 6/4/05]
2007: 750 Employees In 2007, Total Number Of Employees At Salisbury Plant Was 750. According to the Salisbury Post, “The top 72 employers in Rowan County have shed 1,045 jobs from last year, according to figures compiled by the Rowan County 43
Chamber of Commerce. […] The other companies in the top 10 remained mostly unchanged from last year: […] Performance Fibers at 660 (which dropped one spot while changing its name from Invista and having 750 total employees last year).” [Salisbury Post, 9/26/08]
2007 Sale And Continued Decline In Employment Koch Subsidiary Sold The Salisbury Plant To Private Equity Firm In December 2007 Koch Subsidiary Sold Salisbury Plant To Performance Fibers Holdings Inc In December 2007. According to the Salisbury Post, “An affiliate of Performance Fibers Holdings Inc. announced Monday it will buy the North America tire cord and polyester industrial filament businesses of Invista, including manufacturing facilities in Salisbury, Shelby and and Winnsboro, S.C.” [Salisbury Post, 12/4/07]
Performance Fibers Was Owned By Private Equity Firm Sun Capital Partners. According to Performance Fibers, “Sun Capital Partners is a leading private investment firm focused on leveraged buyouts, private equity, debt and other investments in market-leading companies. In December of 2004 an affiliate of Sun Capital acquired Performance Fibers from Honeywell International. Since then, Sun Capital Partners has been working with Performance Fibers to strengthen their business model and improve market position.” [Performance Fibers, Viewed 4/1/14]
Private Equity Firm Laid Off Hundreds More Employees At Salisbury Plant December 2007: Salisbury Plant Was The Sixth Largest Employer In Rowan County At Time Of Sale, Employing Around 800 Workers. According to the Salisbury Post, “The Invista plant on U.S. 70 between Salisbury and Statesville reportedly employs 800 people and is the sixth largest employer in Rowan County, according to the Salisbury-Rowan Economic Development Commission.” [Salisbury Post, 12/4/07] 2008: Rowan County Chamber Of Commerce Estimated 660 Employees At Salisbury Plant. According to the Henderson Daily Dispatch, “Performance Fibers didn’t say how many employees worked at the plant but the Rowan County Chamber of Commerce estimated it at 660 a year ago.” [Henderson Daily Dispatch, 1/30/09]
160 Of Those Employees Were Contracted. According to the Salisbury Post, “A 2008 Rowan County Chamber of Commerce survey put the number of employees at Performance Fibers at 660, including 160 contracted employees. It was listed as Rowan County’s seventh largest employer.” [Salisbury Post, 12/2/09]
2008: Salisbury Plant Had Fallen To The Seventh Largest Employer In Rowan County. According to the Salisbury Post, “A 2008 Rowan County Chamber of Commerce survey put the number of employees at Performance Fibers at 660, including 160 contracted employees. It was listed as Rowan County’s seventh largest employer.” [Salisbury Post, 12/2/09] January 2009: Performance Fibers Laid Off 20% Of Its Workforce At Salisbury Plant. According to the Henderson Daily Dispatch, “An industrial fiber manufacturer says it will lay off 20 percent of its work force at a North Carolina plant. The Salisbury Post reported Thursday that Performance Fibers of Richmond, Va., said the cuts were effective immediately. The firm manufactures polyester fiber used in tires, conveyor belts, fire hoses and safety belts. Company spokesman Jay Pomeroy said the layoffs were tied more to long term profitability and customer service than the current economic recession.” [Henderson Daily Dispatch, 1/30/09] 2012: Performance Fibers Salisbury Plant Was No Longer One Of The Top 10 Employers In Rowan County. According to Rowan Works Economic Development, “Major Employers and Industries 2012 […] Company Name: 1. Food Lion 2. Rowan Salisbury Schools 3. Daimler Trucks 2572 Vehicle Manufacturing 4. W.G. (Bill) Hefner VA Medical Center 5. Rowan Regional Medical Center 6. Rowan Cabarrus Community College 7. Rowan County 8. Magna Composites LLC 9. Piedmont Correctional Institute 10. City of Salisbury.” [Rowan Works Economic Development, Viewed 4/1/14] 44
October 2013: Salisbury Plant Employed Only 234 People. According to the Salisbury Post, “After laying off 36 people in August, Performance Fibers in Salisbury has eliminated 16 more jobs because of declining demand for the product they make, a company official said. […] The second round of layoffs leaves 234 employees at the plant, which operates around the clock. Pennington said he does not expect any additional job losses. ‘That’s hard to say. Today, I will tell you we don’t anticipate any,’ he said. ‘If business changes dramatically, that could change.’ The company has locations on several continents, but only Salisbury was affected by the layoffs. Performance Fibers bought the plant in 2008. Before that, it was known as Invista. According to Salisbury Post files, 550 people worked at the plant at that time, not including contract employees.” [Salisbury Post, 10/1/13]
36 Employees At Salisbury Plant Were Laid Off In August 2013, And 16 More Employees Were Laid Off In October 2013. According to the Salisbury Post, “After laying off 36 people in August, Performance Fibers in Salisbury has eliminated 16 more jobs because of declining demand for the product they make, a company official said. The plant laid off the 16 additional full-time, hourly workers Sept. 12 and 13, according to Tony Pennington, human resources director for the Americas at Performance Fibers.” [Salisbury Post, 10/2/13]
Environment COLONIAL PIPELINE SPILL Koch Industries Owned A Percentage Of The Colonial Pipeline In 1994, Colonial Pipeline Was Owned By 10 Oil Companies, Including Koch. According to the Houston Chronicle, “Colonial Pipeline Co. is owned jointly by 10 oil companies: Unocal, Amoco, Texaco, Citgo, Mobil, Conoco, Phillips, Koch, Marathon and Arco.” [Houston Chronicle, 10/21/94] In 2002, Koch Became The Largest Shareholder Of Colonial Pipeline Co. According to Wichita Business Journal, “Koch Business Holdings LLC, a subsidiary of Wichita-based Koch Industries Inc., agreed Friday, Nov. 1 to purchase a 17.97 percent ownership in Colonial Pipeline Co. from BP America. With the acquisition, which is subject to regulatory approval, Koch Business Holdings will own 25.27 percent of Colonial Pipeline's shares, making it the largest shareholder in the company.” [Wichita Business Journal, 11/2/02] In 2012, Koch Industries Owned A 20% Interest In The 5,500 Mile Long Colonial Pipeline. According to Forbes, “Koch Industries Estimated 2012 revenue: $115 billion Estimated 2012 earnings before taxes and depreciation: $11 billion […] Pipelines 4,000 miles of pipelines and terminals, plus a 20% interest in the 5,500-mile Colonial Pipeline Co.” [Forbes, 12/24/12] Colonial Pipeline Ran From Houston Area To New York Harbor And Delivered 95 Million Gallons Of Oil And Gas A Day. According to the Associated Press, “Colonial Pipeline delivers a daily average of 95 million gallons of gasoline, diesel fuel, home heating oil and aviation and military fuels through its 5,519 mile pipeline stretching from the Houston area to the New York harbor.” [Associated Press, 11/2/02]
Colonial Pipeline Ran Under Greensboro Colonial Pipeline Ran Under Greensboro, North Carolina. According to the Greensboro News & Record, “But the lingering pollution beside this pleasant, suburban street illustrates the downside of Greensboro’s prominent role in the nation’s vital network of fuel pipelines. The city acts as a major juncture for both the multistate Plantation and Colonial pipeline systems, privately owned competitors that run large-scale tank farms near Piedmont Triad International Airport amid intricate networks that serve millions of consumers.” [Greensboro News & Record, 5/5/13]
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Colonial Pipeline Was Three To Six Feet Underground For Much Of Guilford County. According to the Greensboro News & Record, “The two pipelines travel side by side, 3 to 6 feet underground through a big chunk of Guilford County, burrowing underneath High Point’s Oak Hollow water-supply lake in two places and bordering very close to Lake Brandt before going their separate ways to Washington, New York City, Roanoke, Va., and many points in between.” [News & Record, 5/5/13]
Oil Spilled Into The East Fork Deep River In 2000, Resulting In A $34 Million Settlement In 1996 And 2000, Colonial Pipeline Spilled 754 Gallons Of Fuel Into The Deep River And An Unnamed Creek. According to the Greensboro News & Record, “Colonial Pipeline officials acknowledge today that they operated through much of the 1990s without proper respect for the environment. The era culminated in a $34 million court settlement that Colonial paid for violating the Clean Water Act after a series of spills between 1996 and 2000, including two events in Greensboro that spilled a total of 754 gallons of fuel into the east fork of the Deep River and another unnamed creek.” [News & Record, 5/5/13]
In 2000, 17 Barrels Of Kerosene Spilled Into A Pond That Flowed Into The East Fork Deep River In Greensboro. According to the EPA, “Greensboro, East Fork Deep River, North Carolina: At least 714 gallons (17 barrels) of kerosene spilled, some of which entered a pond that flows into a tributary of the East Fork Deep River in Greensboro around May 19, 2000. The kerosene spill caused a sheen about 40 feet by 40 feet in the pond.” [EPA, Viewed 3/31/14]
In 1996, 1.2 Barrels Of Gasoline Spilled Into An Unnamed Creek In Greensboro. According to the EPA, “Greensboro, North Carolina: Approximately 50 gallons (1.2 barrels) of gasoline spilled, some of which entered an unnamed creek and adjoining shoreline in Greensboro, N.C., around May 17, 1996.” [EPA, Viewed 3/31/14]
Colonial Pipeline Put New Measures In Place For Safety After The Incidents In The 1990s. According to the Greensboro News & Record, “The company instituted rules giving all employees the power and responsibility to stop the whole system if they reasonably suspect something’s amiss, Baker said. Company training put added stress on environmental stewardship and safety measures. Colonial’s system wide spending on measures to protect the environment rose to $100 million last year, he said.” [News & Record, 5/5/13]
Colonial Pipeline Paid $34 Million Court Settlement For Spill. According to the Greensboro News & Record, “The era culminated in a $34 million court settlement that Colonial paid for violating the Clean Water Act after a series of spills between 1996 and 2000, including two events in Greensboro that spilled a total of 754 gallons of fuel into the east fork of the Deep River and another unnamed creek.” [News & Record, 5/5/13]
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WEST VIRGINIA Environment CONNECTED TO COMPANY RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVASTATING CHEMICAL SPILL Freedom Industries Distributed Koch Products Freedom Industries Distributed Products Produced By Koch-Owned Companies; The Kochs Spent Millions Campaigning Against Environmental Regulations. According to Gazette-Mail "In 2008, Freedom Industries secured a contract to distribute a line of products called Talon that are used as a binder in coal processing, according to a news release issued at the time. Freedom distributed Talon to eight states, including West Virginia. … Talon is made by Georgia-Pacific Chemicals LLC. Georgia-Pacific is owned by the billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch. The Koch brothers have, through a conservative group called Americans for Prosperity, spent millions of dollars campaigning against a wide array of environmental regulations." [Gazette-Mail, 1/12/14] 2008: Georgia-Pacific Chemicals Named Freedom Industries As A Distributor Of Its Talon Mining Reagents For West Virginia And Other States. According to a Georgia Pacific press release published by PR Newswire "Georgia-Pacific Chemicals has named Freedom Industries, a supplier of specialty chemicals for the mining, steel and cement industries, as a distributor of its Talon Mining Reagents for West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Minnesota, Kentucky and Michigan." [PR Newswire, 4/29/08] 2008: Georgia-Pacific Chemicals Announced That Freedom Industries Would Serve As A Distributor Of Its Talon Mining Reagents In Eight States. According to Bloomberg Businessweek "Much of Freedom’s commerce comes from distributing products made by larger companies, including a chemicals unit of Georgia-Pacific owned by billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch. In May 2008, Georgia-Pacific Chemicals announced that Freedom would serve as a distributor of its Talon mining reagents—compounds that reduce ash content and prevent the loss of combustible coal—in eight states: West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Minnesota, Kentucky, and Michigan. (Four years later, Georgia-Pacific ended Freedom’s distribution role, the manufacturer said in a written statement. Georgia-Pacific didn’t explain the change and said the West Virginia company is ‘still a customer of ours.’)" [Bloomberg Businessweek, 1/30/14]
January 2014: Freedom Industries Leaked 5,000 Gallons Of Chemicals Into West Virginia’s Elk River, Leaving 300,000 Residents Without Tap Water ANd Costing The Economy $61 Million Freedom Industries Leaked The Chemical Crude MCHM, Consisting Mostly Of 4-Methylcyclohexane Methanol, Into West Virginia’s Elk River. According to Was Virginia Gazette, “The state Department of Environmental Protection said Freedom Industries violated the West Virginia’s Air Pollution Control Act and the Water Pollution Control Act by allowing the chemical ‘Crude MCHM,’ consisting mostly of 4-methylcyclohexane methanol, to escape from its facility, just upstream from West Virginia American Water’s regional intake in the Elk River.” [Was Virginia Gazette, 1/10/14] 5,000 Gallons Of Industrial Chemical 4-Methylcyclohexane Methanol Were Released Into Elk River. According to Reuters, “Tap water in Charleston, West Virginia, and nearby communities will remain unsafe in the coming days, an official said on Saturday as residents spent a third day unable to bathe, shower or drink from the faucet due to a chemical spill tainting the Elk River. As much as 5,000 gallons (18,927 liters) of industrial chemical 4-methylcyclohexane methanol, or Crude MCHM, leaked into the river on Thursday, state officials said.” [Reuters, 1/11/14] 300,000 West Virginians Were Unable To Use Their Tap Water. According to Reuters, “The Federal Emergency Management Agency sent 75 tractor trailers full of bottled water to distribute, with National Guard assistance, to the over 300,000 people unable to use their tap water.” [Reuters, 1/11/14] 47
Tap Water In Charleston And Nearby Communities Were Unsafe To Use, Residents Were Unable To Bathe, Shower, Or Drink Tap Water Due To The Chemical Spill. According to Reuters, “Tap water in Charleston, West Virginia, and nearby communities will remain unsafe in the coming days, an official said on Saturday as residents spent a third day unable to bathe, shower or drink from the faucet due to a chemical spill tainting the Elk River.” [Reuters, 1/11/14] Marshall University Center For Business And Economic Research: The Chemical Spill Cost $61 Million. According to West Virginia Gazette, “The economic impact of the Jan. 9 chemical spill that contaminated the water supply for 300,000 people is $61 million, according to a preliminary study. The Marshall University Center for Business and Economic Research conducted a preliminary investigation, which looked at establishments such as schools, medical offices, restaurants, hotels and some retail stores that needed clean water to provide service.” [West Virginia Gazette, 2/4/14]
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WISCONSIN Jobs GREEN BAY GEORGIA-PACIFIC PLANT 2005-2006 December 2006: Georgia-Pacific Announced That They Were Eliminating 73 Jobs From A Converting Plant In Green Bay. According to Green Bay Press-Gazette, “Georgia-Pacific Corp. on Thursday notified the state it will close its West Mason Street converting plant at the end of January, eliminating 73 jobs. When the company announced a restructuring of its Green Bay operations in May, it said that the 1100 W. Mason St. operation would be replaced by five new production lines installed at the Broadway mill, 1919 S. Broadway. ‘It’s part of the streamlining we’ve been going through,’ said Mary Jo Malach, Georgia-Pacific spokeswoman in Green Bay.” [Green Bay Press-Gazette, 12/1/06] March 2006: Georgia-Pacific Announced It Would Be Cutting An Unspecified Number Of Corporate Jobs In Green Bay. According to Green Bay Press-Gazette, “Georgia-Pacific Corp. is eliminating an unstated number of corporate service sector jobs. Company representatives said there were several factors involved, including fewer reporting requirements now that Georgia-Pacific is a private company and a desire to streamline its information technology organization. […] all workers effected were salaried and some were in Green Bay. Georgia-Pacific employs more than 3,000 workers in Green Bay, some 560 of them are corporate employees.” [Green Bay Press-Gazette, 3/21/06]
2009 Dec 2009: Georgia-Pacific Laid Off 158 Workers At Its Day Street Tissue-Converting Facility In Green Bay. According to the Green Bay Press-Gazette, “Georgia-Pacific’s decision to lay off 158 workers at its Day Street tissueconverting facility on Green Bay’s northeast side is unexpected and devastating, according to a union leader at the mill. ‘You see (layoffs) happening all around you and you are always hopeful it doesn’t strike your workplace,’ said Dennis Delie, president of United Steelworkers Local 213. ‘It’s basically an overcapacity issue.’ The company filed a notice with the state Department of Workforce Development on Tuesday outlining its plans.” [Green Bay Press-Gazette, 12/2/09]
Georgia-Pacific Shut Down The Secondary Fiber Plant, Paper Machine No. 8, And North Wall Tissue Converting Lines. According to the Post-Crescent, “The Green Bay papermaker said in a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act notice dated Dec. 1 that it would permanently reduce operations at the Day Street plant, including shutting down some operations on Monday. They include the secondary fiber plant, paper machine No. 8 and the north wall tissue converting lines. The company said it also would indefinitely curtail two retail towel converting lines.” [Post-Crescent, 12/3/09]
Most Of The Eliminated Positions Were Line Workers, Including Machine Operators And Mill Laborers. According to the Associated Press State & Local Wire, “But in a letter dated Tuesday, the Atlanta-based company tells the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development that 158 workers will be laid off as of February 2. The company’s Web site says the plant has about 600 manufacturing employees. Most of the eliminated positions are line workers, including machine operators and mill laborers.” [Associated Press State & Local Wire, 12/3/09]
Georgia-Pacific Spokeswoman Said The Shut Down Machines Were “Obsolete.” According to the Green Bay Press-Gazette, “Machines being shut down at Georgia-Pacific’s Day Street mill in Green Bay are among the most obsolete in the company, a spokeswoman said Thursday. ‘Day Street employees operated these outdated lines as safely and efficiently as possible,’ Mary Jo Malach, public affairs manager for Green Bay operations, said Thursday. ‘They were able to maintain them better than at any mill in our system. The machines are obsolete.’” [Green Bay PressGazette, 12/4/09] 49
Fifteen Of Those That Were Laid Off Were Salaried Workers And 143 Were Hourly Union-Represented Employees. According to the Green Bay Press-Gazette, “Fifteen of those to be laid off are salaried workers and 143 are hourly union-represented employees. Layoffs of union workers will be by seniority, much of which has yet to be worked out through the union’s bumping procedures. Some of those who are laid off will have as much as 20 years with the company, Malach said.” [Green Bay Press-Gazette, 12/4/09]
Herald Times Reporter Editorial: “Onions To Georgia-Pacific, Which Has Told Wisconsin Officials It Will Lay Off Almost 160 Workers…It’s Another Big Hit To The Area’s Economy That We Don’t Need.” According to a Herald Times Reporter editorial, “ONIONS to Georgia-Pacific, which has told Wisconsin officials it will lay off almost 160 workers from its papermaking plant in Green Bay. That represents as much as a quarter of the employees there, who produce napkins, paper towels and bath tissue. Most of the eliminated positions are line workers, including machine operators and mill laborers. It’s another big hit to the area’s economy that we don’t need.” [Editorial – Herald Times Reporter, 12/5/09]
Environment FOX RIVER POLLUTION Paper Mills Including Georgia-Pacific Polluted The Fox River With PCBs; PCBs Were Shown To Cause Developmental Problems And Harm Pregnant Women Who Ate Contaminated Fish. According to Green Bay PressGazette, “The Fox River is polluted with polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, released by seven area paper companies, including Georgia-Pacific and NCR, in the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s. The federal Environmental Protection Agency labels PCBs a probable carcinogen. There’s evidence that PCBs also cause developmental problems in babies exposed to the chemicals when pregnant women eat contaminated fish.” [Green Bay Press-Gazette, 4/21/05] EPA Identified Georgia-Pacific As A Potential Responsible Party For PCBs In The Fox River. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “Eight potential responsible parties for PCBs in the Fox River, identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: * Appleton Papers Inc. * CBC Coating Inc. (formerly Riverside Paper Corp.) * GeorgiaPacific Consumer Products (formerly Fort James Operating Co.) * Menasha Corp. * NCR Corp. * P.H. Glatfelter Co. * U.S. Paper Mills Corp. * WTM I Co. (formerly Wisconsin Tissue Mills Inc.)” [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/29/09] Scientists Estimated That It Would Take Fish Up To 40 Years To Recover From The PCB Pollution In The Fox River If The Cleanup Went According To Plan.According to Green Bay Press-Gazette, “Biologists think it might take up to 40 years for fish populations to fully recover from PCB pollution in the river -- if a $400 million cleanup moves ahead without a hitch.” [Green Bay Press-Gazette, 4/2/06] Fox River Was The Largest Source Of PCBs On Lake Michigan. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “The 39mile Fox is the largest source of polychlorinated biphenyls on Lake Michigan. An estimated 620 pounds of PCBs flow into Green Bay every year.” [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/29/09] DNR Estimated That Company Acquired By Gergia Pacific Was Responsible For 22 Percent Of Pollution. According to Green Bay Press-Gazette, “The DNR estimated that Appleton Papers and NCR Corp. discharged 40 percent, P.H. Glatfelter discharged 27 percent, Fort James West (now Georgia-Pacific) discharged 22 percent, Wisconsin Tissue Mills (now Chesapeake Products) discharged 10 percent, and the other companies discharged 1 percent.” [Green Bay Press-Gazette, 4/13/09]
COAL PILES Coal Dust And Debris Were Blown By Winds Into Neighborhoods Or Deposited In Streets By Coal Trucks Leaving C. Reiss Coal Co. According to the Green Bay Press-Gazette, “Q. What’s the problem? A. Coal dust and debris blown by 50
winds into neighborhoods or deposited in streets by coal trucks leaving C. Reiss Coal Co., 111 W. Mason St.” [Green Bay Press-Gazette, 1/21/03]
Coal Piles Dried Up Because Of Dry And Above-Normal Temperatures And Winds Carried Debris, Leaving A Black Swath On The Fox River. According to the Green Bay Press-Gazette, “Q. Why is the Fox River black? A. C. Reiss Coal Co. normally wets the coal piles with water in early winter to reduce the blowing of dust. The wet piles normally freeze. But this year, the coal piles dried up because of dry and above-normal temperatures. West winds have carried debris east, leaving a black swath on the Fox River.” [Green Bay Press-Gazette, 1/21/03]
C. Reiss Coal Co. Was Cited By The State Department Of Natural Resources For Possible Violations Of The State’s Air Pollution Laws. According to the Green Bay Press-Gazette, “A company on the Fox River that nearby residents say is fouling their lives with coal dust has been cited by the state Department of Natural Resources for possible violations of the state’s air pollution laws. A DNR letter to C. Reiss Coal Co. alleges the company is violating a law against release of particulate matter -- coal dust -- and a second law that requires operators to take precautions to prevent releases.” [Green Bay PressGazette, 1/24/03] Green Bay Press-Gazette Editorial: “The Continued Presence Of The Coal Piles On The Back Porch Of Downtown Deters Riverfront Rehabilitation In Green Bay. Possible Environmental Threats, From Runoff And The Blowing Of Coal Dust, Loom As An Even More Pressing Concern.” According to an editorial by the Green Bay Press-Gazette, “The continued presence of the coal piles on the back porch of downtown deters riverfront rehabilitation in Green Bay. Possible environmental threats, from runoff and the blowing of coal dust, loom as an even more pressing concern.” [Editorial – Green Bay Press-Gazette, 1/26/03]
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