Document gbaaD3Kk7raEO6o4R3pwv8YxG

W. B. Papageorge - General Offices, B2KA March 28, 1973 TRANSFORMER FLUID SPILL KINGSTON, TENNESSEE H. S. Bergen W. R. Corey Mr. J. F. Stapleton B2SA On or about March 16, Paul BenignuB received calls from Mr. Robert Ostoph, Oeneral Electric Company, Pittsfield, Kaeeachusetta and Mr. James Kinney, Oeneral Electric Company, Rome, Georgia who Informed him that a truck de livering a transformer from Rome, Georgia to a customer was detained by officials In the Kingston, Tennessee area because of a serious leakage of fluid from the transformer onto the highway. The driver waB Informed he could not proceed until he had drained the fluid. The driver then proceeded to release the fluid to the ground adjacent to the roadway. We are informed by the General Electric representatives that this fluid contains PCBs. Following the release of the fluid severe rainstorms occurred In the area and the resulting Burface waters apparently distributed the oil over a larger area. General Electric eventually trade arrangements for the physical renroval of the soil which was obviously contaminated and we are told that this soil will be shipped to Texas for disposal. local National Guard units were also employed to manually remove the contaminated soil and place It In steel containers. It appears that the decontamination activity, along with a lack of understanding of what PCBs are,has resulted In a serious emotional problem with the people In the general area. One dairy farmer Is disposing of milk, although laboratory tests Indicate no presence of PCBs. An operator of a mallard duck farm is claiming he Is experiencing thin eggshells. The deaths of two chickens are being contributed to PCB exposure. The people in the community are extremely concerned and are not getting appropriate Information from the Sheriff's office or the county public health officials. The Environmental Protection Administration's regional office In Atlanta, Georgia b8s been involved and through Mr. Denny Dobbs has repeatedly requested that General Electric representatives discuss PCBs at town meetings end with state regulatory representatives. Mr. Ostoph 0002V5* PCB-ARCH0743199 Mr. J. F. Stapleton March 23, 1973 Fage 2 and Mr. Kinney have both requested that fSonsanto be pre sent at these discussions. We have Informed them that because of the nature of the problem we were considering their request and would Inform them of our decision. Bath Mr. Ostoph and Mr. Kinney have repeated this request several times during the past two weeks. On Tuesday, March 27, Mr. Denny Dabbs informed General Electric that they were expected to be present at a meeting scheduled for Thursday, March 29, in Knoxville, Tennessee to review the total situation. Participants in this meeting were expected to be the following! Mr. Don Owens and Mr. Earl Lerolng from the Tennessee Water Quality Control Division; Mr. Eugene Holman, the Director of the Food and Drug Division of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture; Mr. Denny Dobbs, E.P.A., Atlanta, Georgia; and Mr. Thomas Nickels and Mr. James Kinney, General Electric Company, Rome, Qeorgia, The meeting Is to be held in the Westwood Building, 5616 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, Tennessee, Mr. Ostoph and Mr. Mike Dobbins, Attorney, General Electric Company, Pittsfield, Massachusetts are meeting on Wednesday, March 28 In Knoxville, Tennessee to prepare for the meeting scheduled the following day. , J . On Wednesday, March 28, I was requested by Mr. Kinney that Monsanto should not discuss this incident with upper management within the General Electric organization because the ratter was being managed only within their Transformer Division. W. B. Papageorge At ccx Mr. L. P. MacFarlend Attorney at Law' Columbia, Tennessee 0002955 PCB-ARCH0743200