DEMAGOGUERY IN RUSTON

Ruston Special meeting November 2, 2009 6 pm cont., part two, subject:

KEVIN ROCHLIN - EPA - Environmental Issues

This meeting was pure and simple a continuation of the Tacoma cabal attacks on POINT RUSTON with adverse affects on the TOWN OF RUSTON. Why, is the unanswered question. I will attempt a line by line notes of the meeting in part three. A full tape or CD of the meeting is available at the Ruston Town Hall, public records request (FOIA) required.

Is this merely a last gasp shotgun approach to development in the Town of Ruston by outgoing council members. What I can tell you is NO COMMENTS were allowed by Ruston residents in objection to the cross examination aimed at Kevin Rochlin and the EPA. That I find rather astonishing. Answers from Kevin were accurate and precise mostly responding to repetitive questioning by Council member Dan Albertson who was not getting the answers he wanted and final gave up after half an hour and time running out on the one hour meeting to the cheers of some in the audience.

It was mostly arsenic and lead exposure that were the subject of the questioning. Not a single case of anyone being harmed by fallout from the ASARCO smelter has ever been proven. Zero, none. Lead in the soil is mostly the byproduct of many years of the use of leaded gasoline. Lead additives for older cars are still being sold. Small amounts of arsenic have been proven by studies to be beneficial. Arsenic was sprayed on apple orchards in Eastern Washington for years. A lot of money has been made off of scare mongering on this issue. The Pierce County Health Department did hair sampling on anyone who may have been affected in the in the EPA cleanup zones for five years. Nothing, zilch.

What is harmful is the fear factor being spread by opponents of POINT RUSTON and STACK HILL and the TOWN OF RUSTON. Fear, even illusory, leads to anxiety and causes heart and other health problems far greater than the residual toxic elements still existing in Ruston after the environmental yard cleanup was completed. Only three yards not reclaimed due to owner refusal. The cleanup at the smelter site is mostly completed and ongoing on Ruston Way.

One ASARCO retired employee recently reached his 100th birthday. He worked in the furnace room at the smelter for almost 40 years. I, myself, was introduced into the world at a home on the corner of 51st and Shirley, a mere two blocks from the plant and played happily in the dirt and dust during the war years when the plant operated 24/7 supporting the World War II effort in the Pacific and Europe. Over 3,500 jobs at the peak. Many retirees still live happily in the area with no ill affects from working in the copper smelter.

Almost all the main participants in the Tacoma cabal have lived in the town less than four years but apparently have come down with the hypochondria syndrome. Relax, I am nearing 76 and still play golf 2-3 times a week and take no prescriptions am in excellent health and my blood pressure rivals a younger person although attending these staged attack meetings does get me riled up. Hypocrites tend to do that. Phony fear mongering. Is it out of ignorance or contrived?

Sorry, part three will feature notes. This was a frightful experience of long ago solved issues being brought forth for no good.

Town of Ruston officials:
Mayor, Bruce Hopkins
Council, Bradley Huson, Jim Hedrick, Wayne Stebner, Dan Albertson, Jane Hunt
Attorney, David Britton
Planner, Rob White
Clerk/Treasurer, Karen Carlisle
Fire Chief. Don Torbet
Police Chief, Jeremy Kunkel

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