Oregon Daily
Enters
Friday, October 31. 1986
Eugene. Oregon
Closure of Trojan
could devastate
town's economy
See Page 8
Volume 88. Number 42
Sealed records reveal
flaws in Trojan design
By B.J. Thomsen
Of ilw Enwrald
Documents questioning the
safety of the Trojan Nuclear
Power Plant were released to
the media Thursday by Lloyd
Marbet. co-director of Forelaws
on Board, a Portland-based en
vironmental group, and the
chief proponent of ballot
measures 14 and 15.
The material includes
previously sealed court deposi
tions resulting from a court case
between Bechtel Corp. and
Portland General Electric that
was settled out of court in 1981
The terms were not disclosed at
the time of the settlement, said
David Eagon, a PGE spokesman.
In 1978, problems in the
design of the control building at
Trojan were revealed to PGE by
Bechtel.
According to testimony in the
documents, POE President
Robert Short said Bechtel of
ficials "described the problem
as very severe. The direct quote
is. 'This is the worst mistake we
have ever seen in a construction
project of this size.’
Marbet obtained the
documents Oct. 25 from an
unrevealed source and said he
has not released them until now
because he was trying to deter
mine the credibility and authen
ticity of the material. Marbet
said he had to agree not to iden
tify the source of the material in
order to obtain it.
“We spent a considerable
amount of time reviewing the
material and also check
ing. . .to make sure that it was
credible." Marbet said. "We
have no more questions regar
ding its credibility. It speaks for
itself."
Lloyd Marbet
Eagon agreed that the
documents probably are
authentic.
The documents were not to be
released because of a federal
court order sealing the
documents as part of the settle
ment between Bechtel and PGE.
When PGE found out about
the construction problems, the
plant was shut down for annual
refueling and maintenence.
Eagon said. The press was
notified immediately, public
hearings were held in 1978. and
it was determined that it was
safe to run the plant while
changes were being made, he
said.
PflE brought suit against
Bechtel Corp in 1979 for costs
incurred white making
modifications on the nuclear
power plant’s control building,
which had to be redesigned
because of design flaws that
were discovered after construc
Continued on Page 3
Couple finds stolen lab rabbits
abandoned north of Roseburg
By Sarah Kitchen
(N III* Kawrald
Four of the rabbits that were stolen in Sun
day’s laboratory raid have been recovered, but
one is in serious condition, said (Ire# Stlckrod.
director of animal laboratory services
“The rabbits wore found by a woman and
hor husband on thoir way to church Sunday
morning, probably Just a few hours after the
raid occurred.” Stickrod said.
See related story
Page 4
The rabbits, taken during a break-in by a
group calling itaalf the Animal Liberation
Front, were found alongside a country road in
the Ricefield area, just north of Koseburg
• The rabbits had been dumped along the
roadside, and they were huddled together in a
group, and the woman just walked over and
picked them up and put them in her car and
took them home and took care of them.''
Stickrod said. It wasn't until several days later
that the woman heard about the laboratory raid
and contacted the University about the rabbits.
The animals were returned yesterday.
Emergency veterinary care was needed
once the animals were recovered. Stickrod
said.
Stickrod believes that the other rabbits
that were stolen have been let loose in the
same area.
The rabbits are albino and have limited
visibility. Stickrod said They are particularly
sensitive to light
"The animals clearly had no idea of what
to do out there They just sat. and obviously
any other dumped rabbits would do the same
thing, and this would make them a real visible
target for dogs, hawks, etc.," Stickrod said.
Earlier this week. People for the Ethical
Photo bv IJtrwl llfwlll
Doug Miller, supervisor of lab services,
cares for one of the rabbits stolen earlier
this week and returned Thursday,
Treatment of Animals said there would lx;
homes available for the animals, hut Stickrod
sail! that was dearly not the cast’
Virtually all the stolen animals have been
replaced and am being housed at other
laboratories.
"The rabbits will l>e moved tonight, pro
bably out of state to another institution" for
security reasons. Stickrod said.
Sen. Dole stumps for Long during Eugene stopover
Photo hy Shorty* B*orh»f*o
Senate Majority Leader Robert Dole was in Eugene Thursday to
lend bis support for 4tb District Republican congressional can
didate Bruce Long.
By Ted Fuller
(H I hr Emerald
It was the Republican party's
turn to bring a famous face into
the 4th Congressional District
campaign Thursday as Senate
Majority leader Sen Robert
Dole, R-kan., stopped at
Vlahlon Sweet Airport for a
press conference with
Republican candidate Bruce
Long
Dole's Kugene stop was one of
many in a whirlwind tour of 11
western states in an effort to
drum up last-minute support for
Republican candidates. He was
in Portland Thursday morning
and off to California for more
campaign stops on Friday.
"We’re doing what
everybody else is doing,” Dole
said. "I understand you had a
visitor in town from the
midwest yesterday.” he added,
referring to Colorado Sen. Cary
Hart's campaign stop for Peter
DeFazio, Long’s Democratic
opponent
"We're getting down to the
nitty-gritty, this is it." said
Dole, who ran for vice president
on the unsuccessful Republican
ticket with ('eraIrl Ford in 1976.
“We’re tryinK to select areas
where we believe we have good
opportunities for victory. We
checked with Republican cam
paign committees, and they ad
vised us that this would lu! a
good stop to make."
"They advised us that Bruce
Ixmg was doing an outstanding
job." Dole continued. Looking
at Long, the senior Republican
on the Senate Finance and
Agriculture committees said.
", . you did a good job in the
1‘tH4 election, and you're on the
right track when it comes to
federal spending. We need you
in Congress. We need some
help on the House side.
"I certainly hope that Oregon
understands that you have the
two most powerful committee
chairmen in the Senate of the
United States. ' said Dole, refer
ring to Oregon Sen. Mark Hat
field . who heads the Senate Ap
propriations Committee and
Sen. Bob Packwood, chairman
of the Finance Committee.
"I would guess If you could
!*«*f up your House delegation a
little hit with Tony (Meeker,
who is campaigning in Portland
for the 15th District seat in the
House) and Itruce. it woidd
really la; even more beneficial to
the state of Oregon.” Dole said.
Slipping into the spirit of a
campaign the candidates have
filled with as much mud
slinging as personal platform
statements. Dole didn't hesitate
to take aim at Long's opponent.
When asked about Long's vir
tues and Republican principles.
Dole respondeil that support of
President Reagan would la;
helpful. "I understand your op
ponent (DeFazio).. when they
asked him what percentage of
the time he could support the
President, he couldn't think of
any.
“Now I happen to believe that
we don't have to agree with
Ronald Reagan on every issue,”
Dole continued. “But I do
Continued on Page 3