RE: Why Didn't They Speak Out Earlier?

[Tim Waddell <twaddell@mnsci.com>]

I agree Michael.  In addition, each plant was located in separate valleys
with ridges running in between.  This helped isolate the plants from each
other and the community in the event of an accident.  There was also, due to
the TVA, an abundance of electrical power that would be needed to run the
gaseous diffusion process.  Additionally, the location was close to river
and rail lines which would be required to bring in the large amounts of
materials needed to construct and run a city and the plants.

I can also say, since I have lived in the area for 35 years, that there are
many well paying jobs within a 45 minute drive of Oak Ridge.  With the
exception of the last 4.5 years, I have always lived in Oak Ridge and worked
in Knoxville or the surrounding area.  The unemployment rate in this area is
less than 3%, so lack of other options is not a valid reason for continuing
to work at the DOE facilities.

Having said that though, it is not a valid reason to allow people to work in
a hazardous and unsafe environment.  However, one thing people need to keep
in mind is that a lot of the mistakes that were made were due to ignorance.
After all, the workers in the 1940's, 50's and 60's were pioneering the
industry and were bound to make mistakes.  Additionally, many of the older
workers in the complex were ignorant of the hazards, and believed there was
nothing to worry about.  A lot of the problems did not start becoming
evident until much later, so they could see no visible evidence of anything
wrong.  I think this led to a great deal of complacency among workers at all
levels until the late 1970's and 1980's.  By that time, a lot of the
environmental contamination and exposures to hazardous conditions had
already occurred.

-----Original Message-----
From: Kent, Michael D [mailto:Michael.D.Kent@nspco.com]
Sent: 11 April, 2000 13:48
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: RE: Why Didn't They Speak Out Earlier?




Dear Mr. Slavin,

I do not think the reason the DOE built facility's where they did had
anything to do with labor unions or cost of wages.  If my memory serves me
correctly, Oak Ridge was  referred to as the "Secret City".  The facility's
were built as to be out of the way, and not raise any suspicion about what
was going on there; not so they could mistreat workers, but because of
spying (most were built for the Manhattan Project of World War II).

I agree with many things you say, but please do not try and make everything
the DOE did a conspiracy to mistreat and defraud the workers.  I'm sure when
the AEC started they had good intentions, as many things do.  But the lack
of outside oversight in the name of secrecy led the AEC, then DOE down a
misguided road.

Thank you,

Michael D Kent RRPT
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