Monday, August 16, 2004 - Dow Community Advisory Panel Minutes

The Dow Community Advisory Panel met on August 16, 2004 at 6:00 p.m. at the Dow Conference Center in Plaquemine, Louisiana.

Responsible Care Performance Measurement
Mr. Davis provided the CAP with Responsible Care Performance Measurements for June 15-August 16, 2004 (attachment). There have been 17 site OSHA injuries thus far in 2004. During the June 15-August 16 reporting period, there were 2 Dow injuries: 1) an employee slipped on a landing while loading a valve assembly into a truck, breaking his foot; and 2) another employee received an ergonomic injury, requiring a cortisone shot (making it a recordable injury). There were 5 contractor injuries also: 1) a contractor cut his head and leg while working on the Chlor Alkali 2 demolition project; 2) a contractor smashed his finger while attempting to unjam a band saw; 3) a contractor broke his finger when a compression piston dropped on it; 4) a contractor experienced a heat-related stress at the Grand Bayou Operations; and 5) a contractor cut and fractured his arm while working in Design and Construction.

Mr. Trusty stated that a Dow Pipeline employee was killed while working on the installation of a water line that crossed the Dow pipeline near Lafayette. A pipe pole was knocked over, and the power lines attached to the pole on which he was standing hit him, electrocuting him. An investigation into the accident is being conducted.

Dow Louisiana Operations' performance has been one of the best in the company. There are spikes in injuries from time to time. Dow is trying to identify those spikes and improve safety performance. Twenty employees will be working all next week to measure and understand performance. CAP members will be provided the information obtained by this group of employees.

Mr. Trusty suggested that a discussion on employee safety and the lengths Dow goes to protect its employees and contractors be added as a future agenda item.

Mr. Davis then provided the CAP with details on agency reportables during that same time period (attachment).

In response to a question about a rumored chlorine spill during July that required some engineering personnel to be relocated to another area of the site, Ms. Bentley stated that that spill was a Category A spill which was upgraded to a Category B spill. Category A spills are those releases into the plant. Those spills are monitored; if they become larger and may affect an adjacent plant, then they become Category B spills. Category C spills are those that go offsite and may affect the community. Information on the chlorine spill will be provided to the CAP. A panel member asked that these types of spills be reported to the CAP so that CAP members will be knowledgeable enough to answer questions in the community. Another panel member stated that although this may be helpful information, the information about "spills" may snowball. The facilitator stated that there is a clause in the Dow CAP guidelines that provides for confidentiality between Dow and the panel members. If Dow states that something is not for public knowledge at a particular time, then that request must be honored. Also, the CAP is an advisory group and not a decision-making body. Dow does have to make decisions from time to time as to what information is important for the CAP members to know and what information should not be provided to the panel. Ms. Carville stated that every spill (no matter how small) is reported to Dow employees because the mindset is that it is important. However, not all Category A spills are agency reportable.

A panel member recommended that Dow determine if a chemical burned some of the trees surrounding the site. Mr. Boudreaux stated the root systems of the live oaks were damaged by pipeline work in the area. He was unsure as to why the pine trees in the area are dying; however, nutrias were eating the bark, so Dow enclosed those trees with wire fences to prevent that from happening.

Another panel member asked that Dow provide information as to what makes an incident reportable. Another panel member asked Dow to provide to the panel the age of the failed weld that occurred in the EDC area of July 31, 2004.

All public notices can be found at www.ldeq.org Dow will continue to work with that agency to make sure that Dow is on top of things.

"Dow in the News"
Ms. Babin provided the panel with a copy of "Dow in the News" (attachment). The "Back to School" event, which was held last Saturday, was a huge success with over 500 volunteers, children and parents attending the event. Ms. Babin thanked the CAP members who were able to attend the event for doing so. Habitat Build in White Castle begins in White Castle for the first time on September 17. Door-to-Door visits will be held on October 27.

Ms. Bentley asked that those CAP members who are interested in obtaining a red Dow golf shirt provide her with the necessary sizes. The shirts will be delivered at the next CAP meeting.

Presentation
After a driving tour of Lighthouse Road, Dow representatives led further discussion of the Lighthouse Road project. The actual excavation of the project will consist of about 30,000 cubic yards of material. The timeline of the project was reviewed in more detail: Lighthouse Road was used by Dow as an occasional and temporary disposal area from the 1950s through the early 1970s. Under the supervision of DEQ, Dow removed almost 500 cubic yards of high-level contamination, and burned it onsite using a permitted incinerator. A risk analysis of the remaining material was conducted in 1993. The study showed that the remaining material did not pose public health or safety concerns.

DEQ recommended further clean-up of the area in the event that the Mississippi River might some day change its course. Dow agreed, and under DEQ's direction, proceeded forward with plans to move the material to a secured, permitted hazardous waste landfill located within Dow's facility. After public notices and public hearings were completed, permits were completed and approved in Summer 2004.

The soil at Lighthouse Road contains primarily hexachlorobenzene and hexachlorobutadiene, with volatile organics. The hexes are crystallized materials, and they are non-water-soluble. There is no indication that Lighthouse Road is related to the vinyl chloride contamination at Myrtle Grove.

Preliminary work has begun. Once the necessary equipment is in place, the actual excavation will begin. Excavation is expected to begin in mid-September. Dow projects that approximately 30,000 cubic yards of material will be excavated, although not all of the removed material will be contaminated. The excavation work is planned to take place Monday through Friday and should be completed before the seasonal rise of the Mississippi River this winter.

Traffic implications from this project should be minimal, as the trucks will be on Dow property. Extensive monitoring will be performed both on and off-site by Dow and DEQ to ensure cleanup activities do not adversely impact the air, land or water.

CAP members' suggestions of information to be communicated to the public [?]:

The contamination will be placed in a permitted and regulated landfill. The entire excavation portion of the project can be completed in about 2 months.
Though DEQ has referred to the area as "Lighthouse Road landfill" in at least one of the public notices, the area has never been a landfill.
The Lighthouse Road site is not the Australia Point Landfill.
The contamination is being moved from the Lighthouse Road area (which is outside the plant) into a regulated, secure area within the borders of the plant.
The project's time line.
The size of the area of excavation, approximately 30,000 cubic yards, is the equivalent of one football field, approximately 18 feet deep.

Suggestions by CAP members for communicating the information to the public included the following:

Placement of an ad about the project in the local newspapers (including a contact telephone number).
A direct mail letter signed by the site manager to area residents. Ms. Carville stated that Dow is not allowed to do direct mailouts to Plaquemine residents at this time because of pending lawsuits against Dow.
Posting a letter relative to the project on the Dow website.
Providing information to those requesting it.

Next Meeting
The next CAP meeting will be held on Monday, September 13, 2004 at 6:00 p.m. at the Dow Conference Center. Per the CAP members' requests, steaks will be the main dinner item.

Attendees: Ms. Mary Alice Crockett, Mr. Lee Trusty, Mr. Jim Dickerson, Ms. Donna Carville, Mr. Wayne Fourroux, Ms. Babs Babin, Mr. Prince Gray, Sr., Ms. Karen Dugas, Ms. Bonnie Kleinpeter, Mr. Dennis Davis, Mr. Tim Smith, Mr. Lucius Boudreaux, Mr. Corey Thomas, Mr. Len Conley, Mr. Jesse Wilson, Jr., Mr. Ivy Dupree, Dr. Dottie Vaughn, Mr. Corey Dugas, Ms. Rebecca Bentley, Ms. Fran Comeaux, Mr. Joey Dugas, Tim Johnson

Absent: Dr. Debbie Barker, Mr. Bruce Billups, Mr. Jason Cavalier, Ms. Joannette Gullotto, Ms. Ginger Smith, Mr. Randy Ware, Rev. Matthew Young

®™*Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow") or an affiliated company of Dow.


About Us News Center Community Involvement Careers at Dow Contact Us Dow in Louisiana Plaquemine/Grand Bayou	Monday, August 16, 2004 - Dow Community Advisory Panel Minutes The Dow Community Advisory Panel met on August 16, 2004 at 6:00 p.m. at the Dow Conference Center in Plaquemine, Louisiana. Responsible Care Performance Measurement Mr. Davis provided the CAP with Responsible Care Performance Measurements for June 15-August 16, 2004 (attachment). There have been 17 site OSHA injuries thus far in 2004. During the June 15-August 16 reporting period, there were 2 Dow injuries: 1) an employee slipped on a landing while loading a valve assembly into a truck, breaking his foot; and 2) another employee received an ergonomic injury, requiring a cortisone shot (making it a recordable injury). There were 5 contractor injuries also: 1) a contractor cut his head and leg while working on the Chlor Alkali 2 demolition project; 2) a contractor smashed his finger while attempting to unjam a band saw; 3) a contractor broke his finger when a compression piston dropped on it; 4) a contractor experienced a heat-related stress at the Grand Bayou Operations; and 5) a contractor cut and fractured his arm while working in Design and Construction. Mr. Trusty stated that a Dow Pipeline employee was killed while working on the installation of a water line that crossed the Dow pipeline near Lafayette. A pipe pole was knocked over, and the power lines attached to the pole on which he was standing hit him, electrocuting him. An investigation into the accident is being conducted. Dow Louisiana Operations' performance has been one of the best in the company. There are spikes in injuries from time to time. Dow is trying to identify those spikes and improve safety performance. Twenty employees will be working all next week to measure and understand performance. CAP members will be provided the information obtained by this group of employees. Mr. Trusty suggested that a discussion on employee safety and the lengths Dow goes to protect its employees and contractors be added as a future agenda item. Mr. Davis then provided the CAP with details on agency reportables during that same time period (attachment). In response to a question about a rumored chlorine spill during July that required some engineering personnel to be relocated to another area of the site, Ms. Bentley stated that that spill was a Category A spill which was upgraded to a Category B spill. Category A spills are those releases into the plant. Those spills are monitored; if they become larger and may affect an adjacent plant, then they become Category B spills. Category C spills are those that go offsite and may affect the community. Information on the chlorine spill will be provided to the CAP. A panel member asked that these types of spills be reported to the CAP so that CAP members will be knowledgeable enough to answer questions in the community. Another panel member stated that although this may be helpful information, the information about "spills" may snowball. The facilitator stated that there is a clause in the Dow CAP guidelines that provides for confidentiality between Dow and the panel members. If Dow states that something is not for public knowledge at a particular time, then that request must be honored. Also, the CAP is an advisory group and not a decision-making body. Dow does have to make decisions from time to time as to what information is important for the CAP members to know and what information should not be provided to the panel. Ms. Carville stated that every spill (no matter how small) is reported to Dow employees because the mindset is that it is important. However, not all Category A spills are agency reportable. A panel member recommended that Dow determine if a chemical burned some of the trees surrounding the site. Mr. Boudreaux stated the root systems of the live oaks were damaged by pipeline work in the area. He was unsure as to why the pine trees in the area are dying; however, nutrias were eating the bark, so Dow enclosed those trees with wire fences to prevent that from happening. Another panel member asked that Dow provide information as to what makes an incident reportable. Another panel member asked Dow to provide to the panel the age of the failed weld that occurred in the EDC area of July 31, 2004. All public notices can be found at www.ldeq.org Dow will continue to work with that agency to make sure that Dow is on top of things. "Dow in the News" Ms. Babin provided the panel with a copy of "Dow in the News" (attachment). The "Back to School" event, which was held last Saturday, was a huge success with over 500 volunteers, children and parents attending the event. Ms. Babin thanked the CAP members who were able to attend the event for doing so. Habitat Build in White Castle begins in White Castle for the first time on September 17. Door-to-Door visits will be held on October 27. Ms. Bentley asked that those CAP members who are interested in obtaining a red Dow golf shirt provide her with the necessary sizes. The shirts will be delivered at the next CAP meeting. Presentation After a driving tour of Lighthouse Road, Dow representatives led further discussion of the Lighthouse Road project. The actual excavation of the project will consist of about 30,000 cubic yards of material. The timeline of the project was reviewed in more detail: Lighthouse Road was used by Dow as an occasional and temporary disposal area from the 1950s through the early 1970s. Under the supervision of DEQ, Dow removed almost 500 cubic yards of high-level contamination, and burned it onsite using a permitted incinerator. A risk analysis of the remaining material was conducted in 1993. The study showed that the remaining material did not pose public health or safety concerns. DEQ recommended further clean-up of the area in the event that the Mississippi River might some day change its course. Dow agreed, and under DEQ's direction, proceeded forward with plans to move the material to a secured, permitted hazardous waste landfill located within Dow's facility. After public notices and public hearings were completed, permits were completed and approved in Summer 2004. The soil at Lighthouse Road contains primarily hexachlorobenzene and hexachlorobutadiene, with volatile organics. The hexes are crystallized materials, and they are non-water-soluble. There is no indication that Lighthouse Road is related to the vinyl chloride contamination at Myrtle Grove. Preliminary work has begun. Once the necessary equipment is in place, the actual excavation will begin. Excavation is expected to begin in mid-September. Dow projects that approximately 30,000 cubic yards of material will be excavated, although not all of the removed material will be contaminated. The excavation work is planned to take place Monday through Friday and should be completed before the seasonal rise of the Mississippi River this winter. Traffic implications from this project should be minimal, as the trucks will be on Dow property. Extensive monitoring will be performed both on and off-site by Dow and DEQ to ensure cleanup activities do not adversely impact the air, land or water. CAP members' suggestions of information to be communicated to the public [?]: The contamination will be placed in a permitted and regulated landfill. The entire excavation portion of the project can be completed in about 2 months. Though DEQ has referred to the area as "Lighthouse Road landfill" in at least one of the public notices, the area has never been a landfill. The Lighthouse Road site is not the Australia Point Landfill. The contamination is being moved from the Lighthouse Road area (which is outside the plant) into a regulated, secure area within the borders of the plant. The project's time line. The size of the area of excavation, approximately 30,000 cubic yards, is the equivalent of one football field, approximately 18 feet deep. Suggestions by CAP members for communicating the information to the public included the following: Placement of an ad about the project in the local newspapers (including a contact telephone number). A direct mail letter signed by the site manager to area residents. Ms. Carville stated that Dow is not allowed to do direct mailouts to Plaquemine residents at this time because of pending lawsuits against Dow. Posting a letter relative to the project on the Dow website. Providing information to those requesting it. Next Meeting The next CAP meeting will be held on Monday, September 13, 2004 at 6:00 p.m. at the Dow Conference Center. Per the CAP members' requests, steaks will be the main dinner item. Attendees: Ms. Mary Alice Crockett, Mr. Lee Trusty, Mr. Jim Dickerson, Ms. Donna Carville, Mr. Wayne Fourroux, Ms. Babs Babin, Mr. Prince Gray, Sr., Ms. Karen Dugas, Ms. Bonnie Kleinpeter, Mr. Dennis Davis, Mr. Tim Smith, Mr. Lucius Boudreaux, Mr. Corey Thomas, Mr. Len Conley, Mr. Jesse Wilson, Jr., Mr. Ivy Dupree, Dr. Dottie Vaughn, Mr. Corey Dugas, Ms. Rebecca Bentley, Ms. Fran Comeaux, Mr. Joey Dugas, Tim Johnson Absent: Dr. Debbie Barker, Mr. Bruce Billups, Mr. Jason Cavalier, Ms. Joannette Gullotto, Ms. Ginger Smith, Mr. Randy Ware, Rev. Matthew Young ®™*Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow") or an affiliated company of Dow.
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