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BRYAN CALLS MERCURY PROPOSAL "MISGUIDED"

by Keith Rogers, Las Vegas Review Journal

LAS VEGAS, United States, 21 May 1999 -- U.S. Sen. Richard Bryan has sent a letter to American Ecology Corp. objecting to, in his words, the company's "misguided proposal" to move contaminated mercury waste from Taiwan to a dump near Beatty.

"This is a clear example of the efforts of some in corporate America to make our state their official dumping ground. We have got to draw the line in the sand when these types of outrageous proposals are continually heaped upon Nevada," said Bryan, D-Nev.

He noted that Formosa Plastics' efforts to dump highly contaminated sludge laced with high amounts of poisonous mercury have already been rejected by Cambodia and California.

"While the practice of U.S. companies importing hazardous waste from other nations is in itself very questionable, your company's proposal to accept highly toxic sludge is particularly egregious," Bryan said in his letter Tuesday to American Ecology Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jack Lemley.

American Ecology is the parent company of the Beatty dump's operator, US Ecology.

Lemley responded to Bryan in a letter Thursday, saying the company's position is "straightforward and unchanged."

He said the company contracted with Formosa Plastics to dispose of the waste -- 7,233 tons of it -- if it meets provisions of the company's permit from the Nevada Environmental Protection Division and import regulations administered by the division and the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

Division officials have expressed concerns with the levels of mercury in the waste, which the company said can be treated to meet all regulations.

"US Ecology has worked very hard the last two decades to abide by those laws and regulations. We are proud of our record of compliance which is available for your review," Lemley said in his letter to Bryan.

He was responding to comments in Bryan's letter.

"Once again, I strongly oppose this proposal and will take any steps necessary to block your company's efforts to bring this waste to Nevada," Bryan told Lemley.

In seeking comments from Lemley on Thursday, the company released a May 18 letter to EPA Administrator Carol Browner from Hsung-Hsiun Tsai, administrator of the Republic of China Environmental Protection Administration.

The letter said there are no approved landfills in the Republic of China to deal with the type of hazardous wastes from Taiwan's Formosa Plastics Corp.

"We know that the U.S. has stringent environmental regulations and many companies with advanced techniques of dealing with industrial wastes, as well as many qualified landfills to be used," the letter to Browner said.

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