NCD980602163_19951208_Warren County PCB Landfill_SERB C_Joint Working Group Science Advisor - Conference Call-OCR

I
CO-CHAIRS:
JOINT WARREN COUNlY/STATE PCB LANDFILL
WORKING GROUP
DOLLIE BURWELL
KEN FERRUCCIO
HENRY LANCASTER
TO: Working Group Member
FROM: Henry M. Lancaster, n'W0,i~
DATE: December 8, 1995
SUBJECT: Conference Call -Science Advisor Proposal Review Process
There will be a conference call Monday night December 11 , 1995 at 7:30pm to discuss issues
raised concerning the review process for the Group's science advisor. Please call Rosalind
Kamara at either 919/715-4153 or 919/715-4148 to give her the phone number at which you can
bJ reached to participate if your choose to do so. The attached information will be the substance
of the call.
HML:rak
Attachments
PO BOX 578 . WARRENTON, NC 27589
CO-CHAIRS:
JOINT WARREN COUNlY/STATE PCB LANDFILL
WORKING GROUP
DOLUE BURWELL
KEN FERRUCC/0
HENRY LANCASTER
6 December 1995
Ken Ferruccio
Route 2, Box 163 J
Norlina, NC 27563
Dear Mr. Ferruccio:
This letter is sent in response to your December 5, 1995 communication referencing "the ranking
process" conducted by the co-chairs for the Joint Warren County/State PCB Landfill Working
Group. The allegations of racial bias and partisanism made in your communication are
inaccurate, unfair and without substance. Nothing was done as part of the proposal review that
was not discussed with you beforehand or done in your presence after discussion and input. If
you have a problem with any action taken by the Working Group or the executive committee,
then you have every right and opportunity to raise your concerns during Working Group meetings
be they regularly scheduled or specially called as provided for by the Group's bylaws.
~rrely, ~
~~:ierll
Co-chair
cc: Secretary Jonathan B. Howes
\.rfr ~tl-
~e11
Co-chair
PO BOX 578 . WARRENTON, NC 27589
12/05/1995 08:58 91 92572504
December 5, 1995
To : Dollie Burwell and Henry Lancaster
From: Ken Ferruccio J~
Subject: The Ranking Process
EELC FERRUCCI□ PAGE 01
1 find that I have serious concerns about the recent ranking of applicants for the
position of science advisor for the Joint Warren County State PCB Landfill Working
Group. I believe that the integrity and reliability of the decision needs to be contingent
upon an impartial assessment of qualifications as related to criteria and that
considerations concerning race and partisan politics need to b6 excluded.
To begin, I was uncomfortable about the conversation in executive session that
occurred after the ranking decision --namely, that we inform the full committee that we
have a chance to hire an African American. I would have been equally uncomfortable
had the suggestion concerned a white, an Indian. or a member of any other race. I
stand by my position that environmental justice for Warren County requires that we
hire the most qualified person for science advisor. that we exclude racial and political
considerations, and that we judge applicants only on documented merits (references
and qualifications as related to criteria).
The ranking of the applicants was informed not only by racial but by partisan bias.
The state had biased the ranking process even before the executive committee
met The committee knew the game plan: Pauline Ewald of the Environmental
Compliance Organization was not to be considered. Bill Meyer had made it dear in a
private executive meeting and to Joint Committee members that if Pauline were
rehired as science advisor, he would request that he be removed from the process and
that if the request were denied, he would not cooperate. The state had thus made Its
decision to remove from the process the organization representing the strongest case
against it before the executive committee met to rank the applicants. This was not only
discriminatory. it was probably illegal. The ranking decision was clearly based on
considerations pertaining to race and party.
Because of conflict of interest, the state of North Carolina should have removed itself
from the ranking process. However, the state chose instead to violate the constitutional
rights of the Environmental Compliance Organization through an arbitrary use of
power in order to dismiss from serious consideration as science advisor a scientist and
organization representing a crucial perspective concerning the status of the site and
to undermine the strongest case for detoxification --namely. that the dump is leaking.
12/05/1995 08:58 9192572604 EELC FERRUCCI□ PAGE 02
Copies: James B. Hunt, Jr.
Governor of North Carolina
Jonathan 8 . Howes, Secretary
Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources
William L. Meyer, Director
Division of Solid Waste Management
Mick Harrison, Attorney
Greenlaw