From the story by Karen Dorn Steele in the December 16, 2008 issue of Spokane's Spokesman Review:
The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by Hanford’s contractors in the massive downwinders’ lawsuit – raising hopes for a legal settlement for up to 2,000 radiation-exposed people after 18 years of court battles and millions of dollars in litigation costs.
The high court’s one-line denial of the contractors’ appeal was announced today. The contractors, including E.I. Du Pont De Nemours & Co., General Electric Co. and UNC Nuclear Industries Inc., filed their appeal in August, asking the court to review two recent 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rulings that sided largely with the downwinders.
“This is very exciting for us,” said Richard Eymann of Spokane, one of the plaintiffs’ lawyers in the long-running case. “With a new administration coming in, we want a serious look at compensation for these people after years of litigation,” he said.
When weapons manufacturers are denied immunity from liability for damage to the environment, and harm to weapons plant neighbors (not to mention noncombatants!), the true cost of war may finally hit their pocketbooks.
For more news about this decommissioned nuclear weapons production facility in Washington State check out Hanford News, published by Kennewick WA's Tri-City Herald.
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