Chad Renner FBB#4-5

These two chapters elicited a myriad of emotions from me. The parts pertaining to Rocky Flats were especially tantalizing. I thought now would be the moment of justice, the moment when the plant would be terminated. However when I finished the chapter the sense of resolution I craved did I suppose my disappointment stems from the torpid pace of the entire process. Although the initial raid to close Rocky Flats was swift and meticulous the ensuing litigation proved nearly unbearable to read. Due to the preponderance of evidence against Rocky Flats with their negligent disposal methods, and extreme incompetence surely they would receive the maximum penalty for their actions. However my presumption was incorrect and Rockwell (the company which operated the plant), the Department of Energy, and plant managers escaped relatively unscathed, aside from inconsequential fines. I found the final decision outrageous and the intricacies of the courtroom could scarcely account for the lenient sentence bestowed on the defendants. Therefore I believe there was a considerable effort on the part of other government agencies to mitigate the punishment levied on Rockwell, and the Department of Energy. I wondered why it was so imperative to reduce the sentence upon a party which was unequivocally guilty of severe negligence. I hope that in subsequent chapters a more propitious outcome will finally be achieved for the countless people who have been adversely affected by Rocky Flats. Ultimately this chapter demonstrated that despite the immeasurable efforts to prosecute all those associated with the Rocky Flats debacle they still eluded justice.