Deadly S. CA Toxic Site Harming Workers Exposed At Nader/Gonzalez Press Conference

http://ralphnaderpressconference.kaiserpapers.info/

kaiserpapers.info > ralphnaderpressconference.kaiserpapers.info

ralphnaderpressconference.kaiserpapers.info

Links to Victims of Downey Studios and Downey Kaiser

On May 10, 2008 Presidential Candidate Mr. Ralph Nader and his running mate Mr. Matt Gonzalez held a press conference at the Santa Monica Woman's Club. This press conference was followed by a Rally. Mr. Nader spoke about the plight of the employees that had become ill at Downey Studios and Downey Kaiser. These people are unable to receive medical care for illnesses that are a direct result of esposure to contaminants on this property. The contaminants are materials left over from the days when the property was a air force base, a Boeing/Rockwell Plant and a NASA Industrial Facility in Downey, California. The location of this property is at 12214 Lakewood Blvd, Downey, California.



A complete transcript of his speech will be provided in a few days.
Vickie Travis was asked to speak on behalf of the people that have become ill while working on the property.

Her statement is as follows:

"Thank you Mr. Nader and Mr. Gonzalez. Members of The Press -

My name is Vickie Travis and I am one of many people that volunteers their time to help people that are ill and need assistance navigating our current health insurance systems.

A former NASA Base in Downey, California has been privatized and renamed Downey Landing. Today the property contains Downey Studios, a Kaiser facility, a strip mall and a space museum. This property still has contaminants on it that are causing illnesses and disfigurement of the employees.

The people that are here today, can tell you their stories and I hope that you all will listen to them.


What is also very important:

These people need medical care and they need it now! Workers Comp only provides doctors that diagnose but seldom treat. They need doctors that will treat their illness.

The public must begin to realize that this entire mess happened because of insurance companies being allowed to do what they want when they want.

Downey Studios is owned by IRG
● IRG of CA is owned by former GSA employee
● IRAD is owned by the former GSA employee
● IRAD is a subsidiary of IRG of Colorado

International Risk Assumption - Downey, IRAD, a subsidiary of International Risk Group, was awarded a $20.5 million contract by the City of Downey, CA for the privatization and assumption of the environmental responsibility of the former NASA Industrial Plant in Downey, CA. See: http://www.irgco.com/pr_nasa_120403.htm


"IRAD will indemnify NASA, (GSA), the City of Downey, Kaiser Hospitals, Downey Landing, and other prospective purchasers for claims and costs incurred or asserted as a result of the environmental conditions and remediation at the Downey site. This indemnity and I am paraphasing now entails all claims past present and in the future.


That sounds really great, unfortunately they deny that there is a problem and consequently all these people are left out in the cold, the government has been taken advantage of and the public has been lulled into a false sense of security.

With a play of words, or in this case a play of repeating initials for the various companies involved in this property transaction that appear to be owned by the same primary person, a former GSA employee, a great deal of confusion has ensued. I don't know if that was intentional or not.

And now they want to put apartments on the property. Thank you very much for your time.


Members of the Press were also provided with a page listing pertinent information related to the property and the individuals that have become profoundly ill.

Thank you very much Mr. Nader and Mr. Gonzalez.

Here is the material that was distributed to members of the press minus the personal contact information related to some of the very ill people that were present at the press conference:

ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED IS ONLINE AT:http://downey.kaiserpapers.info/The Downey Tragedy -
PRESS INFORMATION

What was meant to be a financially feasible remediation project of a SuperFund/Brownfield site in Southern California has gone terribly wrong. A large number of employees that have worked on the property which was a former NASA facility have become ill, some seriously or have died.


Serious debilitating illnesses and confirmed deaths are being directly attributed to this property's toxic and radioactive and T-2 Mycotoxin (trichothecene mycotoxin - Yellow Rain) contamination. This land was never fully cleaned up before being used for commercial purposes as a movie studio, a medical facility/hospital and for a strip mall.


Because these employees became stuck in the Worker's Compensation system they do have diagnosing physicians but most do not have treating physicians. They need medical care and they need it NOW!.


SOME CONSISTENT SYMPTOMS OF THE DOWNEY ILLNESS:

Memory Loss - Cognitive Damage - Skin Rashes - Sores on their bodies - Bloody diarrhea and Bloody Noses - Balance Problems - Multiple cancers - (Thyroid, Testicular, Kidney, Adrenal)


BACKGROUND ON PROPERTY:

Prior to 1996, this property was designated as a SuperFund site. The site was downgraded to "brownfield" level of contamination and sold to The City of Downey.


Government documents show that this site had been used by the military to develop neutron bombs, rocket fuel, missiles, the Space Shuttle, Satellites, as well as Delta rockets, and was the site of the first nuclear reactor in the State of California.


A movie studio, a strip mall and a Kaiser facility are currently operating on the property. Future plans are to put apartments on the site.
BACKGROUND ON THE OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY:

Some of the former military buildings on the property have been converted into Downey Studios and used for filming. Downey Studios is currently owned by Industrial Realty Group (IRG) of California. The property is indemnified by International Risk Group (IRG) of Colorado, which in turn used a subsidiary for indemnification, International Risk Assumption - Downey, LLC, (IRAD) which in turn contracted the remediation to a foreign entity, ARCADIS.
http://www.irgco.com/pr_nasa_120403.htm

● Downey Studios is owned by IRG
● IRG of CA is owned by former GSA employee Stuart Lichter
● IRAD is owned by Stuart Lichter
● IRAD is a subsidiary of IRG of Colorado


So far, all of the involved insurance companies have not helped these people receive any medical care.

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND LEGISLATORS CONTACTED THAT HAVE NOT RESPONDED:

Henry Waxman, Barbara Boxer, Diane Feinstein, Lucille Roybal, John McCain, Obama, The Clintons, City of Downey, LA Board of Supervisors, Dept. of Insurance, CA Attorney General, NASA, Region 9 EPA, EPA DC,Boeing, Dept of Energy,DHS, Dept. of Public Health, CDC, and the list goes on and on.

Further Information - Contact - Vickie Travis - 661-264-2782 - http://downey.kaiserpapers.info

Additional information that was not presented at that time but has since been realized:

IRG has several different companies, all similarly named. One of them is
IRG UNDERWRITERS DBA: IRG AFFINITY INSURANCE SERVICES
And their agent in California is a Mr. Neil Ziemba who used to work over at the US EPA. Region 9, which is the California area.
Of interest in this matter is that when Mr. Ziemba went to work over at IRG the EPA records regarding the Downey property have disappeared. So the EPA is today unable to provide information on this property to the public. I have no idea if there is a connection or not to Mr. Ziemba. I just find this of interest.