Trial Date Set In Halliburton Water Case
Sun, 04/17/2016 - 3:28am Steve Metzer
A trial date has been set for the first civil case brought against Halliburton Energy Services Inc. by people who claim to have suffered illness, injury or losses in property values as a result of groundwater contamination caused by Halliburton north of Duncan.
U.S. District Court Judge Vicki Miles-LeGrange has ordered jury selection to begin Aug 9. According to an order the judge issued April 7, the trial is to involve specifics of cases involving two plaintiffs who claim bodily injury, two who claim property damage and two who claim to have suffered emotional distress resulting from actions by Halliburton.
The plaintiffs' lawyers contend that beginning around 1962 and continuing through 1992 the company, under contract with the Department of Defense, stored, burned or otherwise disposed of some 500,000 pounds of waste fuel residue taken from over 5,000 used missile casings on a four-acre site owned by Halliburton in rural Stephens County.
Additionally, according to court documents, in 1983 Halliburton garnered a contract with the Omaha Public Power District and received a Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) permit to process nuclear materials there. Radioactive steel was subsequently stored and later cut into pieces by Halliburton employees using plasma cutters at a site called the Rod Rack Restricted Area. The NRC did an inspection in 1987 and reported violations of federal regulations, court papers reflect.
Plaintiffs in multiple civil suits have said groundwater in the area was left contaminated by high levels of perchlorate, which some believe has caused or aggravated thyroid problems. Others say groundwater contamination has devalued their homes and other property. In 2011, Halliburton agreed that groundwater contamination had been found and agreed to pay to link homes in the area to public water supplies miles away. The company has recently declined comment on the civil cases other than to say some settlements have been reached and a remediation plan is being developed in conjunction with regulatory authorities.
Bill Romanellii, of the Perchlorate Information Bureau, issued a statement that any claims of health problems caused by perchlorate exposure can't be supported by scientific research.