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Show Daily Utah Chronicle Friday, January 14, 2005 U. Nebraska-Lincoln may have to remove toxic waste Jenna Johnson Daily Nebraskan University of Nebraska LINCOLN, Neb.—An unexpected bill for the cleanup of toxic waste will make the University of Nebraska's budget even tighter. A small part of the 9,600acre, university-run Agricultural Research and Development Center near Mead contains 30-year-old waste that may need to be removed at the university's expense. In the 1970s, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Nebraska Medical Center legally buried chemical and low-level radioactive waste—mostly research rat droppings—on the land. Now, more than 30 years later, the Environmental Protection Agency is requiring the university to conduct a study of the contamination the waste has caused and decide if it needs to be removed. "What the university did was perfectly legal at the time," said David Lechner, vice president for business and finance. "We don't get the benefit of 20/20 hindsight." The study will take at least three years, costing the university an estimated $2 million. If the waste needs to be removed, several more years would be added to the project, adding $6 million more in expenses. Lechner said he has no idea where the money will come from. "We'll have to find a place for that in the budget," he said. The university applied for a S1.4 million grant from the Nebraska Environmental Trust in September, but the application is still pending, Lechner said. The center near Mead is no stranger to toxic waste removal. Currently, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is removing waste left on the land by the Nebraska Ordnance Plant, a government-run munitions plant that closed when the university acquired the land in the 1960s. During World War II and the Korean War, the plant tested bombs, missiles and munitions and buried its explosive and solvent waste as it went. The waste has since seeped into nearby soil and contaminated the water supply. In 1990, the area was named to the EPA's Superfund Site list, a roll of the nation's worst toxic waste sites. "I think that everyone is aware and concerned about the potential danger," said Dan Duncan, director of the center. "My phone has not been ringing off the hook." The Mead cleanup project could take anywhere from 40 to 350 years to complete, Duncan said, depending on the technology that is gained in the future. According the Corps of Engineers, the project has cost $70 million thus far and could cost an additional $130 million, said John Wiltse, an NU lawyer. In 2004, the United States filed a lawsuit against the university in hopes of recovering some of the removal costs. On Saturday, the NU Board of Regents will be asked to approve a $71,939 settlement on the lawsuit. Wiltse said approving the settlement should conclude the university's financial obligation to the cleanup of munitions waste. As for the medical waste, the board also will be asked to approve the start of the $2 million investigation into the medical waste. U-WIre Armed robbers break in to U. Kentucky students' apartment Darlush Shafa Kentucky Kernel University of Kentucky and answered a knock on the door. When he opened the door, he said one man placed a shotgun to his stomach, LEXINGTON, Ky.—Five grabbed his neck and ordered people, four of them Univer- him onto the ground. Three sity of Kentucky students, other men entered and then were victims of a home inva- ordered Fister to wake anysion robbery early Wednesday one else who was there, Fister said. morning. Fister said he attempted to Four men wearing black sweatshirts, ski masks and wake Wides, and when he did gloves and carrying shotguns not answer his locked door, knocked on the door of an the intruders kicked it open, apartment on Crescent Av- Wides said. They also broke enue at midnight. After 20 open Woodward's locked door, minutes in the apartment, Woodward said, although he they duct-taped their captives' was not home at the time. hands and feet before leaving They then ordered the five with money, cell phones and onto the ground, Wides said. some electronics. "They were pretty rough to Justin Wides, 22, who is not get us on the ground," Wides a UK student; Jesse Leach, said. "Once we were on the an undeclared freshman; and ground they weren't rough at Stu Steene, a communication all." junior, live in the apartment The four intruders eventuand were there at the time of ally made off with cash, four the incident. Ryan Fister, 20, cell phones, a digital camera, of Colorado, was visiting and a camcorder, a watch, a Palm Leach's girlfriend, who was Pilot and Fister's wallet. Fister not named, was also at the said they also took his keys apartment. Another room- but did not steal his car. mate, undeclared sophomore Wides said he believed he'd Justin Woodward, was not met one of the intruders behome when the robbery oc- fore. curred. "One of them sounded faNo one was injured in the miliar, like a friend of a friend of a friend," Wides said, susrobbery. Fister said he was sleeping pecting he may have rememon the couch in living room bered him from a party. "At least one of them had been here before." After gathering up the stolen items and money, the men bound the five's hands and feet with duct tape. "They didn't do it very well," Wides said. "[It took] less than a minute [to free ourselves] and then we called the police." Police arrived within minutes and Woodward said police took some evidence from the apartment and dusted his computer forfingerprints.But after the ordeal, the emotions have not faded. "[We're] just pretty pissed off, angry," Wides said. "For all the trouble they went to get some cash and some phones, it was too much. Overkill." Woodward said it was unnerving because of how busy the neighborhood is. "There's always people walking around here," he said. The robbery at Crescent Avenue is the third home invasion in a week. The first took place Thursday on Hartston Drive and ended with the homeowner being shot several times and the robbers escaping with an undetermined amount of cash. The second robbery occurred Sunday on Post Oak Road when multiple armed robbers entered Hal Tran Daily Evergreen Washington State University PULLMAN, Wash. - Several relief programs are under way to raise contributions for the tsunami victims of the disaster that hit the South Asian region. The local Red Cross is accepting donations for the relief efforts. "We have been getting $5o-$2oo per day for the last week from both the Moscow and Pullman areas," said Denise Ortiz, Red Cross coordinator for Whitman County office. "Schweitzer Engineer Laboratory donated $10,000 to the National Red Cross a couple of weeks ago." Also, two Pullman High School clubs started fund raising this week and they are aiming for $2,500 for the relief fund, she said. Donations to the American Red Cross can be sent to 115 NW State St. Room 313 Pullman, WA 99163. "When writing checks, you can write it to the American Red Cross," Ortiz said. "If you want the money to go to the tsunami relief fund, you should designate it as 'Southeast Asia Relief.'" There will also be a collection center at Dissmores, and a collection can at the Community Action Center, Ortiz said. Washington State University students are also gearing up for helping the relief efforts. Kristine Reeves, the International Programs coordinator, said the Internation- AND SAVE UP TO 4 0 % OFF* THE LIST PRICE. How great is this? Find great savings on new or used textbooks you need this semester. Go to half.com and enter the titles or ISBN numbers. Thatfs it! an additional U-Wire Tsunami relief programs set up at WSU BUY YOUR •> TEXTBOOKS AT HALF.COM $ the home and escaped with jewelry and an undetermined amount of cash. Woodward said their landlord is planning to install a peephole in the door and more lights around the apartment building. "We're going to be more cautious about opening the door," Woodward said. "It's kinda scary that this can happen." In the apartment next door, John Lansden, an agriculture economics senior, and his friends were playing cards and watching television but were unaware that anything had happened. "We didn't even hear about it until this morning," Lansden said. "[We'll] just lock the doors more." Sgt. Pete Ford with Lexington Police's robbery unit, said police are going to keep a closer eye on the area as well as asking the public for any help at all in solving this crime. He said residents should lock their doors and check through a peephole or a window before answering the door. 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Any potential refund wUI not include the coupon or Its redemption valuo. VoW whoro prohibited. Opon only to U.S. residents IS years of agoorokfor. Promotion subject ID change wfthoul notice. Offer exp-^es on March 31,2005 at 11:59:69 EST al Programs, International Student Council and ASWSU are also sponsoring relief events. "We are coordinating the programs but everybody is welcome to participate," Reeves said. "The purpose of our programs is to bring everybody together." "We are trying to give the WSU and Pullman community the opportunity to contribute to the relief efforts, to show that this community really cares," Reeves said. "It is more than a quarter and a can. It is a comprehensive effort." The Thai Student Association is already doing fundraising for the relief efforts, said Nairat Kanyamee, President of the Thai Student Association. U-WIre |
