BAYER CROPSCIENCE KEEPING EXPLOSION DETAILS SECRET

(04/04/2009)
West Virginia Sen. Jay Rockefeller is taking a critical stance in a dispute between Bayer Cropscience in the Kanawha Valley and the National Chemical Safety Hazard Investigation board.

Bayer Cropscience, during last August's explosion, failed to notify Kanawha County 911 regarding critical information related to helping responders identify the problem.

Two employees died.

Bayer Cropscience is now invoking a federal law to limit the amount of information the board can release at a public hearing later this month.

Bayer says details about the plant should be kept out of the report as a matter of national security under the Maritime Transportation Safety Act.

Rockefeller says, Bayer's reliance on the act could harm future investigations and curb the public's right to know.