[ADEQ Media] Talley Officially Withdraws Burn Permit Application at Mesa Facility

[media@lists.azdeq.gov]

Talley Officially Withdraws Burn Permit Application at Mesa Facility

PHOENIX (Feb. 19, 2008) - Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
Director Steve Owens announced today that Talley Defense Systems has
officially withdrawn its application for an open burn permit at the
company's Mesa facility.

In a Feb. 10 letter, Talley official advised ADEQ that the company is
terminating the burn permit application it had submitted in November
2007. The letter noted that the company has found alternative ways to
dispose of propellant wastes generated at the facility.  Talley also
told ADEQ that the company is developing an improved method to obtain
U.S. Department of Transportation classifications for its experimental
research materials to ship them off-site for disposal.

Talley's previous air quality permit from ADEQ expired in mid-January,
and ADEQ had advised Talley that the department did not intend to renew
the permit. 

ADEQ Director Steve Owens said he was pleased with Talley's decision.

"Talley has not burned any waste at the site for more than a year and we
told the company that we did no believe that any future burns could be
justified," Director Owens said. "We are committed to protecting the
health and safety of the residents in the area.  This should resolve
this matter once and for all."

Owens announced in December that the agency was withdrawing a proposed
draft hazardous waste permit for the company and was giving close
scrutiny to Talley's request to burn waste materials at the site.

Talley also has committed to ADEQ to submit a plan for investigating and
cleaning up perchlorate contamination in the soil and groundwater at the
facility.

Talley makes weapons and propellant airplane escape systems for the U.S.
military at the Mesa facility. When the Talley plant was constructed in
the 1960s, the site was far removed from any residents in the area. In
recent years, however, subdivisions have been constructed closer to the
plant as Mesa has expanded northward.

-30-

News media interested in additional information on this or any other
topic concerning the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality should
contact the Office of Communications at (602) 771-2215 or via email at
communications@azdeq.gov.

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