FBI Extends Its Inspection of Rocky Flats Arms Plant
Federal investigators extended their search of the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons facility for 10 days longer and established a special telephone line to receive scores of tips flooding in from whistle-blowers, angry neighbors and other concerned citizens, the FBI said Wednesday.
The search warrant was being renewed because “the size and number of documents involved make this a very voluminous, monstrous operation,” Bob Pence, special agent-in-charge of the FBI in Colorado, said.
Additional agents from both the FBI and the Environmental Protection Agency have been brought in “from around the country” to help look for evidence of environmental crimes allegedly committed at the plant 16 miles northwest of Denver.
Pence said the Department of Energy and its Rocky Flats contractor, Rockwell International Corp., were cooperating in the investigation.
Both the Energy Department and Rockwell are suspected of illegal dumping, burning of hazardous wastes and falsifying documents.
Agents in special protective clothing have been posted around the clock at the plant, which manufactures plutonium triggers for nuclear weapons, since a massive raid was mounted there nine days ago.
Pence said that the FBI and the Environmental Protection Agency have received well over 100 calls from people offering new information about suspected wrongdoing at the plant, Pence said.
“Some of it seems to be pretty significant,” he said, but he would not discuss any of the tips in detail.
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