George Washington University
Office of University Relations
Washington, DC 20052

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                   MEDIA CONTACT: NORA KELLEY
   August 2, 1994                           (202) 994-6460


     GW LAW PROFESSOR JONATHAN TURLEY FILES AGAINST THE EPA 
FOR FAILURE TO INSPECT SECRET AIR FORCE BASE FOR VIOLATION
OF FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS

                                
     Washington, D.C. -- The George Washington University
National Law Center Professor of Environmental Law Jonathan
Turley, in an unprecedented move, filed suit today against the
Environmental Protection Agency for failing to live up to its
duties to inspect violations of federal environmental laws.  This
will be the first in a series of legal actions planned by
Professor Turley.

     Turley is representing current and former workers at Area
51,  a secret Air Force base in Nevada -- also known as Dreamland
or Groom Lake.  The suit alleges serious injuries, and at least
one death, to employees due to the burning of hazardous and toxic
wastes at the facility.  Turley's suit further alleges that
workers were denied requests for protective clothing -- including
gloves -- in handling hazardous wastes.  Workers, who signed 
secrecy agreements upon employment at the base, will be
represented as "John and Jane Does" to prevent possible
retaliation, including physical threats.  

     This case is the first of its kind.  Area 51 is generally
considered the most secret, classified base in the U.S. military
network.  "By forcing compliance at Area 51, we hope to establish
a precedent whereby the military will be forced to acknowledge
its responsibilities in every base and facility," says Turley.
"Ultimately, this case is a direct confrontation between national
security laws and environmental and criminal laws."  

     Specifically, Turley will be asking the D.C Court to force
the EPA to inspect and monitor the secret base.  He will argue
that the federal hazardous waste law does not give any exception
for secret bases in its provisions and will be asking the court
to force the EPA to fulfill a mandatory duty under the law.

     "We want to establish that workers at secret bases should
not be forced to rely on the arbitrary protections of the
military, but should be able to go to court to receive remedies 
for violations," says Turley.  He also intends to establish that
secrecy agreements do not preempt environmental protections. 
Eventually, Turley plans to draft a new law on the judicial
review of such cases and on issues ranging from anonymous legal
action to standing questions to citizen suit actions against the
EPA.
 
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