The Rocky Mountain Labs are attempting to destroy a house pictured on this site at 801 and 803 S. 4th St. in Hamilton, MT outside Federal Law for environmental review.
FEDERAL CASE AGAINST US DHHS, NIH, RML approved to continue for health and safety, environmental issues associated with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). See press release on this page.
FIRE SAFETY CORRIDOR FOR NIH BLOCKED BY HIGH WINDS:
HWY 93 Blocked by 50 MPH Winds
Photo by David Erickson, Ravalli Republic. (copied 5/4/10)
Where are the fire trucks from Missoula? This type of blockage compromises safety to the RML lab. As does accidents. See the white cross on the right side of photo. Trees are known to blow across this road on a regualr basis along the HWY 93 corridor.
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In addition, RML apprears to be in Violation of a court agreement to keep employees and the community "safe". This lawsuit was brought in 2004. Without fire resources on site, this is an aspect of the allegation: with high wildfire indicies, who will protect the lab?
David Erickson photo
The Downing Fire, evacuating 70 homes and more than 400 acres burned within 5 miles of the NIH-RML site. A helecopter sucks up water from the Bitterroot River, adjacent from the Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML) in Hamilton, MT in late August, 2010.
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Roof fans are supposed to be at 55 dba (Decibels) but can be heard 200 yrds. day and night. Perhaps in this wilderness setting along a river, and riparian area the 100 species of birds listed in NIH-RML final EIS for the Master Plan can't hear the fans, only us stupid humans?
Will NIH comply with a court agreement, or will they end up in court?
Thank you NIH for turning off our water to cap the watersupply to that house. Our faucets are filled with sand, just so you can illegally demolish a house in our community.
The Rocky Mountain Lab (RML) at Hamilton, MT is an affiliate of The National Institutes of Health, or NIH, and is under the direction of The Health and Human Services Department of the US Gov't. These entities are all named, including the Directors in Bethesda, MD and Hamilton, MT in the case.
Photo of house at 801 and 803 S. Fourth St. in Hamilton scheduled for demolition without the necessary NEPA requirements. Impacts, alternatives to project and historical review.
WE THE PEOPLE OF MONTANA
PO BOX 416
HAMILTON MT 59840
For immediate release: For more information:
August 12, 2010 www.mtd.uscourts.gov
see PACER Electronic viewing of documents
US MAGISTRATE APPROVES HEALTH & SAFETY LAWSUIT AGAINST US DEPT. OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, ROCKY MOUNTAIN LABS.
Hamilton, MT-- A National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) case was filed against Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML) and approved by the US District Court for Montana.
In the suit, allegations of violations of the NEPA act are made for projects on the RML campus in Hamilton, MT. Alternatives to projects, and impacts required by NEPA were alleged to be omitted. Also, the suit alleges that safety lapses, such as adequate fire protection lacking on campus that contains a Bio Safety Lab 4 (BSL-4). Bubble suits are worn by scientists who srub prior to, and after working on substances without vaccines such as Ebola. The NIH facility in Hamilton is the only NIH BSL-4 Lab in the United States protected by volunteer fireman, whereas the NIH headquarters in Bethesda, MD has 30 federal firefighters onsite, and well respected, equipped Bethesda Fire Department within a few minutes response of NIH's Bethesda Campus, within 15 minutes of Washington, DC.
Rocky Mountain Labs relies upon the Missoula Fire Department (45 mi. from RML) for materials safety and professional fire response at RML when roadway accidents, fallen trees, and inclimate weather can make asset delivery to a potential RML site emergency impossible. The suit seeks declarative and injunctive relief, meaning a judges decicion on possible NEPA violations, and force RML to make changes via court intervention, and court supervision until the court is satisfied with the result.
In 2004, a successful NEPA suit was filed by Womens Voices of the Earth, Friends of the Bitterroot, and a third organization for violations of the required elements of NEPA. NIH settled out of court in an agreement that required arbitration of any return by the 2004 parties against NIH. The settlement had RML design a public emergeney plan, better filters for the BSL-4 laboratory, a promise not to weaponize or analyze weaponized substances, and to communicate to the public the substances being worked on at RML. A treatment protocol was also established for local hospitals in Missoula, MT and Hamilton, MT.
The current suit is for the benefit of the public, asks for no monetary relief, and asks the US DHHS, NIH, and RML to follow Federal Law that they are alleged of violating. The aim is to protect the public from potiential harm, protect resource use at the RML facility, uphold environmental laws, and ask the court to ensure RML's compliance with NEPA provisions in current and all future actions at RML.
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Rocky Mountain Lab in Hamilton Montana is proudly planning on building a new laboratory west of the new level 4 Integrated Research Facility (IRF). They also plan on retrofitting an old steam boiler building or power building to laboratory space. That is packing quite a bit of lab sqare footage inside the growing boundry of the NIH-RML facility. With a military officer assigned as an associate director, what is DHHS doing? Weaponizing?
Fill site on NIH-RML property that was not included in the EIS statement. This is on the NW Corner of the property, near the river. Note canal with sluice gate below fill area. The grassy area in forreground is to be used for their parking lot, zoned as residential property, not in the final EIS.
Photo facing NE of neighborhood intrusion by NIH-RML. As Federal property, no taxes will go to the city of Hamilton, MT. The property line would go to the edge of the center right photo.
Ultiltiy movement for the NIH parking lot include: Water, Sewer, Telephone, Electric, and US Mail cluster box. At the top of the photo in red roof is the current guard shack at S. 5th St. Note the light brown "tennis fence" protecting the Bio-level-4 Lab in Hamilton, MT. Photo on 6th St.
Section of 6th St. Hamilton MTneighborhood that will be abandoned for the RML-NIH lab parking lot. Can a Federal entity such as NIH allowed to purchase residential property for their industrial purposes?
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Ravalli Republic Photo
We are happy for Dr. Marshall Bloom who is getting a Trout Unlimited award for 30 years of work on the Bitterroot River ecosystem. He has fallen very short with respect to safety at the Rocky Mountain Lab (NIH-RML) facility as associate director. To be on an anti terrorist panel in Montana when no fire station (only facility with BIO-LEVEL 4 in US without it), and a chain link fence is the only barrier to roadway intrustion. What were they thinking? Dr. Bloom chaired the committee for the new laboratory in Hamilton Montana for the NIH-RML facility five years prior to construction.
The City of Hamilton welcomes the new faces, many highly educated to our community. "We the People" wish to reach out to them: we are trying to improve the safety of your work environment. We are also trying to curb the very real bias in the Hamilton Police Department, with better supervision of HPD, we can all enjoy a better community. Welcome to our new residents from RML.
In late October, 2009 Dr. Taubenberger gave a talk on the history of the Influenza virus at the Hamilton Performing Arts Center at Hamilton High School. It was very informative, but a bit above the level of the crowd, which he made up with humor. The difference between Taubenberger's NIH lab in Bethesda, Maryland, and Dr. Bloom's NIH-RML lab in Hamilton MT with respect to safety, and incident response is very different:
Bethesda, Maryland Hamilton, Montana
| 30 Federal firefighters on site | No Federal firefighters on site |
| material, biological, radiological teams on site | No Haz Mat team on site or in county. |
| Support agreement with Bethesda Fire Department, MD | No Professional support within 45 miles |
| Metro setting with many departments to respond | Wilderness setting, volunteer fire called by 1950 air raid siren. Very intense fire hazard due to dry summer conditions. |
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Could the NIH police who are attempting to "community police" keep their vehicles on the Federal property? With the POLICE on the back of their Suburbans, isn't this impersonating a police officer (out of their jurisdiction)?
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Proof of Mail Theft by Rocky Mountain Labs on February 26,2009
Certified # 7007 2560 0002 2505 6649
visit www.usps.com to find that this certified package headed for NIH Bethesda was stolen from the Hamilton, MT post office. It contained fire safety documents. RML was notified days earlier that this information was heading for NIH HQ.
this is for all of the "colleagues" at NIH. Be proud of each other.
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In a letter to area residents surrounding the RML lab, for the first time an understanding of:
1) loss of property tax income, and
2) a need for a federal fire station.
This was sent out on July 21, 2009. This is a good first step for Hamilton and RML. Since no PILT funds nor property taxes can be given by RML, it is time for this facility to cover it's assets. We salute them for recognizing these issues.
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We wonder if the post-docs and scientists that work at this lab think about the corner cutting of RML. What is the likelihod of them being death #6?
In conversation and in research, we know of no other lab without a federal firestation with a Bio-level 4 facility in the United States, except RML.
Instead of Where's Waldo, its WHERE'S THE FIRESTATION?
clown-ministry.com
Can an area say its safe when there is no professional responders in a 50 mile radius? Do we want local people to respond to an incident with a 21st century lab with the most complex substances on the planet? Think about this NIH....perhaps they are thinking its ok to compromise only 40, 000 Americans who live in the Bitteroot Valley of Montana. What about downstream/wind?
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The encroachment into the historic neighborhood has come up in Mayoral campaign discussions. These lots are planned residential type zoning, yet they become industrial/commercial when used for NIH-RML. Don't forget the fact that the EIS was not done on demolishing this dwelling on 4th St.
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This is the Block of Neighborhood NIH wishes to destroy for an interpretive center. The street was torn up on April 13, 2010 so the water was shut off.
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The 20 year master plan was spoken to by three Bethesda NIH personnel. No mention of a fire station, they will destroy a duplex dwelling (801 & 803 S. 4th St), and buy property to add onto their parking lot plans; they will permaently take our tax base, and was exempt from EIS. As Hamilton residents, we are here to provide water, power, and (substandard) local personnel to the NIH lab via our corrupt municipalities.
Montana is like a dreamland to industry: kill its residents (Libby) and extort other places like Hamilton, Montana.
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A 45 second video clip: Demolishing a House:
http://travel.webshots.com/video/3052528010015076657MQRpdZ?vhost=travel
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As an example, a house lot with 1.5 city lot spaces (10,500 square feet) pays approximately $350/yr in taxes. When RML wants to buy 6 city lots and make them permanent US property, the city loses $2100.00 per year in tax base income. Make that 100 years and we are looking at $210,000 income loss to the city of Hamilton. What else may we do for you so you may park your cars, engander us with infectious agents, reduce our property values, and rip down our neighborhood?
******
A Picture of the Integrated Research Lab (IRF) or the Bio-Level 4 Safety Lab (BSL-4) at RML: Hamilton, Montana.
Completed: a $66 Million dollar facility which is constructed on rollers to counter any earthquake activity. What is done to protect the contents and structure of this strategic building? The most sophisticated substances in the world are analyzed there:
- Flesh eating bacteria
- Viruses such as SARS (asian) AIDS, and Ebola
- Biological Hazards
- Radiological Hazards
- Strategic Storage of Vaccines
Picture of Bio-level safety 4 protections at NIH-RML. This is a very water intensive procedure. Scrubbing is required prior to and after work in the level 4 at RML.
The City of Hamilton is billing NIH for a 10" water line. Many residents feel the lab is not being truthful about the size (and therefore charge) for their water use. NIH estimates say up to 16,000 gpd (gallons per day) are used, treated, and released into the city's watewater sewer. This is like Dr. Bloom's Trout Unlimited (the catch and release part).
The NIH head research scientist was placed in charge of security and protection. He wrote assurances of safety in a letter dated in 2008. NIH decided to protect the $66M investiment with a chain link fence. Fifth and Sixth St. south of Hamilton led directly into thier buildings with only a chain link fence stopping any roadway intrusion. Dr. Alfred Johnson should be looking for a new job.
This fence on the northern boundry is there due to the "manifest destiny" of the RML staff who are outwardly saying the purchase of 6 city lots in Hamilton is in the works. We are wondering when the NEPA and Master Plan comments from the public would be considered for these purchases, and use of federal property.
Here is an example of a roll-over federal response from the EPA. Notice that it is dated April 9,2009 eleven days prior to the close of NEPA public comment for RML on April 20, 2009.
Your Environmental Protection......or no Protection:
coutesty of your US Environmental "blank check" Protection Agency:
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
REGION 8, MONTANA OFFICE
FEDERAL BUILDING, 10 WestlSth Street, Suite 3200
HELENA, MONTANA 59626
Ref: SMO
April 9, 2009
Ms. Valerie Nottingham. Chief,
Environmental Quality Branch
Division of Environmental Protection
Office of Research Facilities
National Institutes of Health, B
13/2S 11
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, Maryland 20892
Re: CEQ 20090078: Final EIS for Rocky
Mountain Laboratories Master Plan
Dear Ms. Nottingham:
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region VIII Montana Office has reviewed
the March 2009 Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Rocky Mountatn
Laboratories (RML) Master Plan in accordance with our responsibilities under the ?satjonal
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Section 309 of the Clean Air Act.
The EPA appreciates receipt of responses in the FEIS to agency and public DEIS
comments. We acknowledge the inclusion of additional information and discussion regarding
environmental justice in the FEIS. as well as responses explaining that the National Institutes of
Health and Rocky Mountain Laboratory have extensive safety, security, bosafetv and
biocontainnient proram and requirements that will be incorporated into existing programs and
systems under the Master Plan. We are pleased that safety and security audits are conducted
throughout the year internally and externally including by agencies as as the Centers for
Disease Controi, US. Dept. of Agricuiture and. Nuclear Regulatory Conimission. Safety and
security issues area also addressed by the Institutional Biosafety Committee and Security
Operations Committee and in regular
meeting regarding general safety radiation
safety and security and emergency response. This information resolves our concerns. The EPA appreciates the effort that vent into the preparation of this EIS. If you have any
questions please feel free to call Mr. Stephen Potts of my staff in Helena at 406-457-5022 or in
Missoula at 406-329-33 13. We thank you br the opportunity to participate in the NEP.\
process.
Sincerely,
/ ,
John F. Wardell
Director
Montana Office
cc: Larry Svobodal, Connie Collins, EPA, 8EPR-N, Denver
(Printed on Recycled Paper)
This letter is like saying that they like the Porsche, Ferrari, and Corvette Z06 in the garage, and we expect your 15 year old driver (without a drivers license) to drive these cars without a scratch.... The Master Plan does not include a fire station or Haz-Mat team.
The construction at RML included an Administration Building, and the new, complex lab. No fire station was planned with this new construction. With a high level lab built, and more square feet of building space (350,000 sf when completed), and 395 federal employees, why no on-site protection for fire or other emergencies? They have had "...only one gas leak..." as per their safety officer.
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US Department of Health and Human Services
National Instututes of Health
Rocky Mountain Labs--Hamilton, Montana
Logo of the NIH, a public agency, representing their locations and labs as below:
NIH's other labs are in major population centers such as 1) Raleigh-Durham, NC; 2) Frederick, MD; and 3) Bethesda, MD: where in addition to 30 Federal Firefighters on site at their NIH Headquarters, they are within 15 minutes of DC metro, the nation's capital.
Hamilton, MT currently has approximately 20 volunteer (now 29 on Hamilton Volunteer list) fireman covering the highest wildland fire hazard in the nation. Ravalli County was the first presidential emergency for wildfire in the year 2000. The closest Haz-Mat team, or professional firemen are in Missoula, MT which is 45 miles away, with response of over an hour if roads are clear and dry. Large trees frequently close the only open highway from professional help to RML; check the ER records, the highway can be shut down when this happens for hours. Tick...tock....
Should 29 volunteers respond to a $66M state of the art facility with the bulleted items above, or should the NIH and DHHS adequately protect their investment and our community for bringing in the risk and liability that they did to RML? The Deputy Director for Fire and Rescue Services (DFRS) has also resently written his letters of assurance. We invited him to move to Hamilton, MT near RML.
Our group is assuring them that a company from Columbia, Maryland, WR Grace has found out what happens when an entity knowingly endangered residents of Libby, MT. US Criminal Indictment. We just want a fire station to protect the RML property, and our community. Very reasonable.
THE US FIRE ADMINISTRATION--Working for a fire-safe America (except in Hamilton, MT)
Comment to the US Fire Administration: sent via email
The Rocky Mountain Laboratories of NIH in Hamilton, MT does not have any fire protection. The surrounding community has 29 volunteer firemen. The area had the first presidential declaration for wildland fire in the year 2000. The lab has just opened a level 4 biosafety lab to work on infectious agents (ebola, sars, flesh-eating bacteria).
The NEPA comment sent to the USFA by fax today with more details. Please protect our community, and the NIH lab in Hamilton, MT.
Thank you. [This agency did not respond to this email at all]
No worries USFA, we got it handled....no need to break a sweat, or work or protect American citizens. Enjoy your pensions on taxpayer expense. You all are tops.
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Fire Safety issue has been raised to the NIH directors in Bethesda, MD for the last 18 to 24 months.
courtesy of google
- A $250,000 fire truck was purchased for the Hamilton Volunteer Fire Dept. Many people think this was the bribe, or pay off so NIH would not have to protect RML with a federal firestation.
- After speaking with Ravalli County Commissioners, it was revealed that NIH gives the county monies to the County Government to "train" the volunteers. Isn't this like saying that a Ford Pinto is safe with a new muffler? Why didn't this money make it to the HVFD?
Electronic comments to RML public affairs can be made at: askrml@naid.nih.gov Please ask them why they have not built a firestation to protect thier federal employees or county residents.
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Here are 5 suggestions for naming a firestation at RML:
coutesy of mmperry.com 
William E. Gettinger '22 Firehouse Martin L. Nolan '31 Firehouse
George H. Cowan '24 Firehouse Philip L. Jones '44 Firehouse
Leroy A. Kerlee '28 Firehouse
These federal employees lost thier lives reserching at Rocky Mountain Labs (RML). That lab would now be classified as BSL-2 infectants at RML. Shouldn't we name a firehouse before we have to have a memorial for the Bitterroot Valley now that we have a BSL-4 Laboratory?
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Scientist Magazine named RML as the 8th best place for Post-Doctorates to do reasearch in the United States in 2009. This is a significant award, and recognition. Why does DHHS and NIH not protect these scientists who wish to do reaserch at this facility? Send the magazine an email at info@the-scientist.com (we did) to tell them about the safety issues at RML. The facility should not get such a high rating (#8) due to safety issues like fire protection, transporting and manipulating infectious agents without a fire dept. at RML.
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FIRE SAFETY IN HAMILTON, MT AT THE HANDS OF VOLUNTEER FIREMEN (2007)
Ravalli Republic Photo of destroyed Feed & Farm
This Just in: The Hamilton Volunteer Fire Dept. has successfully contained a burning buidling. It was a total loss. The Hamilton Feed and Farm, within 2 miles of the firestation does not contain infectious, radioactive, nor hundreds of personnel. Will NIH rebuild if any of their buidlings are destroyed, and what will be the collateral loss if this happens to RML?
Dennis Ross Photo (Bitterroot Star Weekly)
Notice the fire personnel at the scene, Dr. M. Bloom, and Dr. Wheeland of NIH..... This same fire company is responsible for responding to Rocky Mountain Labs (RML). Thanks for your assurances.
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The following was submitted to the NIH Driector's for public comment at a "Council on Public Relations" or COPR; it is a bi-annual meeting with the Directors, and the publc. Since NIH Personnel are viewing this site, it should be published here.
NIH April 3, 2009
Director’s Council of Public Representatives
Building 31 C Wing, 6th Floor Conference Room 6
NIH Campus
Bethesda MD
RE: April 17, 2009 Meeting; Public Comment
Dear Council of Public Directors,
This letter is to express grave concern to your Council about the safety of the Rocky Mountain Lab (RML) in Hamilton, MT. Dr. Alfred Johnson, a lead research scientist for NIH has written and assured us of safety measures around the lab. If you consider chain link fences as a deterrent to roadway intrusion to a BSL-4 lab, then it should be safe.
Further, if you consider protecting this $66M lab with volunteer fireman, then Dr. Johnson is also correct in assuring us about fire protection. The other major laboratories in the country are protected by being in semi-major population centers: Raleigh-Durham, NC; Frederick, MD; and Bethesda, MD. At the site where you are sitting, there are 30 federal firefighters on the NIH campus. The NIH campus at Hamilton, MT known as RML has none. There are 40,000 people in the valley, and the nearest professional fire station (read: Haz-Mat team) is 50 miles away.
The substances that are worked on at RML include:
• Flesh Eating Bacteria
• Virology Studies such as AIDS, SARS, Ebola
• Nuclear or Radioactive substances
• Storage of strategic vaccines for the NIH and DHHS.
The construction management for RML included building an Administration Center and a BSL-4 Lab, but no concurrent fire station. There are approximately 425 federal employees, and 350,000 square feet of proposed floor space in the campus, unprotected. In the City of Hamilton, MT which surrounds the Lab, there are approximately 5,000 residents.
For NIH to obtain this strategic location for research and storage for DHHS, there should have been a concurrent fire station planned with this construction. William Cullen, Deputy Director of Fire and Research Services (DFRS) for NIH has also written his assurances. Would any of you wish to move into our neighborhood? NIH transports, analyzes, and stores some of the most complex substances on the planet with a 29 man volunteer fire crew, no Haz-Mat team, and the most intense wildfire hazard in the country?
This is unacceptable.
NIH felt that a needy financial community, and assurances of no regulations would fly in the USA
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Dear National Institutes of Health, April 17, 2009
RE: National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) comment for Rocky Mountain Labs, Hamilton, Montana Campus.
Ms. Valerie Nottingham, NIH NEPA officer:
NOTE: the parking lot at the NW corner of the property west of S. 5th St. and the 800 block of S4th in Hamilton, MT was NOT part of the EIS which was commented on in April by residents, and the EPA. They did not own the property then, and it was "in-progess" during the summer of 2009. Residents of Hamilton are concerned.
This comment will be faxed to the US Fire Administration at (301) 447-1346 it has received a preliminary email as to the contents of this comment. Also of significance is the fact that this is our tenth (10th) document addressing this issue, with assurances from NIH personnel that this situation has their utmost attention, and priority. This is the farthest from the truth. For a government agency responsible for public health to behave this way, may end up to prove criminal in nature, something that is in progress in the Montana District of the US Courts for a defendant who also knowingly endangered in Libby Montana: Maryland’s W.R. Grace Company.
The NEPA act is to protect, maintain, and enhance the environment. Title I states that man and nature must try to live in harmony, section 102 states that the government must anticipate and prevent a decline in the quality of mankind’s world environment. An online comment was made to the US EPA regarding these issues at RML.
The Rocky Mountain Labs (RML) have recently added a Bio-Safety Lab level 4 to its campus. These substances have no known vaccine, and the highest levels of personal protective equipment must be worn to manipulate, or research these substances. See the NIH-RML page on www.Bitterroot-rising.org to see pictures of the facility, and the protection necessary to work in the level 4 lab.
The Bitterroot Valley of Montana has approximately 40,000 US residents, with 5,000 within a mile of the RML facility. There are 20 volunteer firemen in Hamilton, and approximately 50 volunteers in the valley; commanded by Ron Ehli who owns Bitterroot Laundry of Hamilton (also a volunteer). The other NIH facilities are in larger population areas such as Bethesda, MD; Frederick, MD; and Raleigh-Durham, NC which all have sufficient population and fire protection for their areas. The Bitterroot Valley was declared the first presidential wildfire declaration (DR-1340-MT) in the year 2000 which specifically impacted Ravalli County, which Hamilton as its seat.
Infectious agents are transported through the Bitterroot Valley (Ravalli County) to RML with no in-place Hazardous Materials (HAZ-MAT) team. Without federal fire protection, this area, 395 federal employees, 40,000 US residents, and the approx. $100M addition to RML is at risk. There have been 5 historic deaths of scientists at RML from 1922-1944; without protection, this facility has put itself in a precarious position.
It is completely irresponsible to transport, manipulate, and work with infectious agents without adequate protection. Over-engineering of buildings will not protect workers and the public from minor failures in valves, equipment, and simple mistakes by RML employees. The 8th place for research as stated by Scientist magazine is RML. Would they have gotten this award if it were known that insufficient fire and safety protection awaits them in Hamilton, MT?
It was proposed in the draft master plan to construct a maintenance building in the SW corner of the RML property to house NIH Police and maintenance. This building should be modified to house the apparatus, and personnel for public safety. It would include, NIH Police, and NIH FIRE. This is the reason for a modification to the NEPA plan for RML. An environmental impact must be made to the campus to accommodate a fire station, and appropriate apparatus. If a separate fire house is constructed, then this must also be accounted for in any NEPA analysis. A firehouse, or public safety building should be named after one of the fallen scientists from RML’s history in Hamilton.
RML and NIH are in violation of section 102 of the NEPA provisions for not anticipating, and preventing a decline in the potential impacts to the environment by their multi level labs at RML. To completely neglect public safety is to knowingly, and negligently act with these infectious agents, and other substances at RML.
Man has played with fire many times in their history. By manipulating the most complex substances at RML without significant and substantial protections, they are in violation of US EPA laws and Federal guidelines for constructing, and maintaining a facility like RML. To pay a county government to supposedly “train volunteer firemen” is questionable, not standardized, and unreliable as sufficient protection for the types of substances available at RML. To operate a facility such as RML without a Haz Mat team and fire personnel is knowingly endangering the public, federal property, and federal employees. This is too big a risk to take with the substances at RML.
Dr. Alfred Johnson, head research scientist for NIH was put in charge of security, and safety of the RML facility. His deputy, William Cullen of the NIH Fire and Rescue Services (DFRS) both gave written assurances to this current situation as described. A temporary chain link fence was constructed on the north boundary, leaving the $66M BSL-4 lab exposed to road intrusion, as well as the $25M (approx) administration building from South 6th and 5th Streets in Hamilton respectively. Their assurances mean nothing, and are covering for poor planning, potentially criminal behavior, and negligence with respect to safety of operations, and fire protection at RML.
Science, research, and years at RML has led head NIH officials at this facility to attempt to bend safety rules, to maximize research budgets, at the potential cost to US citizens lives. Marshall Bloom, MD the associate director of RML has had experience with this facility from 1972 as a research scientist. If anyone would be culpable for the decision to build an administration building and a BSL-4 lab without sufficient protections, it would lie on his shoulders. Dr. Johnson has abused his public trust, contributed to the endangerment of US citizens, and had no business being in charge of public health and safety of any NIH facility.
This letter is to request any and all environmental studies, impacts, and research into the proper protection of RML, and the local community in Hamilton, MT USA. There have been attempts at short cuts to safety and protection to RML, now a back-track approach needs to be taken to completely understand the containment of the infectious, and other agents at RML that have environmental impacts to the workers, and residents surrounding the NIH facility in Hamilton, MT known as RML.
The “no-option” situation is NOT an option any longer for Rocky Mountain Laboratories with respect to environmental protection from its hazardous substances. A full haz-mat team is required at RML to counter and neutralize the transportation threat, as well as the facility threat at RML. Man has played with fire and gotten burned every time. If NIH learns from this, it will protect its investment in Hamilton, MT and escape getting burned.
[Webmaster note: apparent collaboration between NIH, EPA, and US Fire Admin...covering an ooopsie!]
We the People of Ravalli County, a volunteer group interested in due process, and equal protection. Equal protection in this case means covering RML's liabilities with appropriate federal fire facilities on campus, not paying off county officials.
| 30 NIH firefighters on site with emergency structure | No firefighters on site, no structure |
| Backup by Bethesda fire in DC metr;o area if needed. | No professional backup within 45 miles; mountainous wilderness setting. |
| materials, radiological, biological teams on site | No specialty teams on site, or in county |
| response is on site | volunteer firemen dispactched by air raid siren, no specialty training for pathogens, specialty laboratories. |
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