News Release No. 426

MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
NAMES JUNE 2005 EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH

Volume 33-426

Contact: Philip J. Tremblay

(For immediate release)

573-751-7629

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, OCT. 14, 2005 --- Tom Judge, an environmental specialist with the Hazardous Waste Program, has been selected as the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Employee of the Month for June 2005. Judge provided oversight and management on an extensive cleanup effort in Crawford County that resulted in removal of high levels of cadmium and lead from 20 sites.

Department attorney Kara Valentine, who nominated Judge for the recognition, said that his efforts resulted in Burlington Northern (BN) Railroad removing and disposing of more than 171,000 tons of highly toxic material from widely scattered private properties where it had been dumped as clean fill.

The railroad also agreed to pay a $900,000 civil penalty to the Crawford County School Fund and $500,000 to Missouri's Natural Resources Damages Fund. Judge's investigations also resulted in criminal charges, with BN pleading guilty to violations of federal CERCLA (Superfund) law and the Clean Water Act. As a result of that plea and settlement, BN paid a fine of $7 million and restitution to the State of Missouri totaling $3 million. Judge adds that he and other department investigators received excellent cooperation and assistance from the U.S Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) criminal investigation division. Special agent Dave Brown of the EPA, assistant U.S. attorney Patrick Flachs and department attorney Valentine provided key criminal investigation and legal assistance, he said.

"Tom's diligence created a favorable impression of the Department of Natural Resources with a group of citizens who were initially distrustful and suspicious of state government," said Valentine. "Tom was also able to earn the respect of BN; they quickly perceived him as fair and chose to cooperate with him in his role of overseeing the cleanup rather than to contest his decisions. He was always diligent and demanding, yet completely professional in dealing with BN to carry out the terms of the court order."

After the consent judgement was filed with the Crawford County Court in 1999, Judge worked for six years to establish good relationships with the many locals who had railcar waste dumped on their property. He maintained contact with the public to keep locals informed of his investigations and BN's cleanup progress. Judge's efforts led to the evacuation of one family from their home due to high levels of lead contamination. He also worked with the local health agency to test children and adults for lead.

"Tom devoted extensive amounts of his time to manage this investigation," said Valentine. "His extra efforts in getting to know the locals resulted in their willingness to share information with him about other possible sites where railcar waste might have been dumped."

Judge lives in Jefferson City and has worked for the Department of Natural Resources for more than 19 years.

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