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Home My WebLink AboutDSHW-1996-002334 - 0901a0688013acb8DEFENSE AND LAUNCH VEh P.O. BOX 689 BRIGHAM CITY, UT 84302-0689 801-863-3511 LE DIVISION THtaKOL SPACE-DEFENSE-FASTENING SYSTEMS 14 February 1996 W300:FY96:ST055 Dennis R. Downs, Executive Secretary State of Utah Department of Environmental Quality Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste 288 North 1460 West P. O. Box 144880 Sah Lake City, Utah 84114-4880 ^PB 2 0 1996 Dear Mr. Downs Subject: 1996 Work Plans and Thiokol Environmental Staffing Reference: "1996 Work Plans", D. Downs letter to J. D. Thompson dated 12 Febmary 1996 (Attachment 1) This letter is to acknowledge your 12 Febmary 1996 letter and the concems expressed relative to our work and staffing plans for 1996. 1 am aware ofthe intense level of activity required of Thiokol in the coming months. In that time fi"ame we will work RCRA corrective actions; our OB/OD permitting and Subpart X; and ongoing permits as we continue to develop altemate means to handle rocket fijel for waste processing, demilitarization, and motor regrain. You mav be aware that Thiokol has experienced a more than two fold decrease in employment levels in recent years. In that same time period, our environmental staff has both shmnk and changed flmctions several times. Notably, we elected to outsource our hazardous waste pickup service in the early '90's. Following a major decease in waste arisings, we recently elected to bring that function back in house. I believe that both moves made sense. Devolving the hazardous waste function avoided constmction and staffing ofa waste handling facility and saved operating expense. Bringing the function back in house now also makes sense, as it allows us some additional flexibility in using staff within the Waste Operations group. Thiokol is committed to protecting human health and the environment and meeting the requirements and commitments found in our permits, cleanup plans, and the Regulations. Thiokol's Defense and Launch Vehicle Division's Vision Statement (Attachment 2) has, as its first guiding principle, a safe and environmentally sound workplace. D. R. Downs 14 Febmary 1996 Page 2 Consistent whh the hopes expressed in your reference letter, Thiokol commits to continued pmdent environmental stewardship and an ongoing positive relationship with the State. At the same time, Thiokol reserves the right to assess staffing requirements, including the advisability of layoffs, use of subcontracted services, and electing to more actively pursue some environmental needs at the expense of others, within the limits defined by permits, agreements with the State, and Regulations. J. D. Thompson, Director Safety, Environmental & Support Attachments: As stated cc: Diane Nielson