[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 150 (Friday, November 2, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1979]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING THE CITY OF WESTMINSTER'S ROCKY FLATS COORDINATOR MARY HARLOW

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, November 1, 2001

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the 
important work of Mary Harlow, the Rocky Flats Coordinator for the City 
of Westminster, Colorado.
  Mary, known to her friends and colleagues as ``Mickey'', is leaving 
this post after nearly seven years of service to her community on the 
vast array of issues regarding Rocky Flats--the Department of Energy's 
former nuclear weapons production facility located just west of 
Westminster. I join with her friends and co-workers in wishing her well 
in her future endeavors, which I understand may involve retiring to 
North Carolina.
  The site was originally used for processing plutonium and other 
materials to fashion triggers for nuclear weapons in a nearly 400 acre 
industrial complex surrounded by a 6,000 acre open buffer zone. That 
mission now is done, and DOE is working to clean up Rocky Flats so it 
can be closed. This is a complex, highly technical, and politically 
charged project--one of the more extensive cleanup efforts in Colorado 
and the nation, and one that poses unique and serious challenges. 
Mickey has met these challenges and developed a mastery of the issues 
and effective strategies to influence the decisions affecting the 
cleanup to ensure protection for the citizens of Westminster and people 
throughout the Front Range region.
  She also has been very effective in building coalitions with other 
surrounding communities and citizen groups to address pressing issues. 
Many have relied on her to sift through the thick, technical documents 
and provide input. Her work has resulted in better plans and approaches 
to the cleanup and closure and enhanced citizen involvement at the 
site--not to mention the valuable advice she has provided to 
Westminster officials.
  Mickey began her work on Rocky Flats for the city in 1994. Since then 
she has recorded many accomplishments. Among other things, she served 
as an official with the Rocky Flats Citizens Advisory Board, 
represented Westminster on a task force to determine potential future 
uses of the industrial area of the site, and helped create a focus 
group to evaluate the cleanup agreement governing the site. In 
addition, she co-chaired the oversight panel that evaluated the proper 
and safe level for the cleanup of radioactive contamination of the soil 
at the site. On the national level, she participated with 
representatives from other nuclear weapons sites to develop long-term 
stewardship of DOE nuclear weapons sites, examine the effects of low-
level radiation, and promote development and use of innovative cleanup 
technologies.
  For all of this and more, especially her positive outlook and 
personable demeanor, Mickey has been a valuable asset in our efforts to 
ensure a thorough, effective and safe cleanup of Rocky Flats. Her 
legacy of service will help Colorado and the nation to transform Rocky 
Flats from a problem into an open space and wildlife asset for 
generations to come.

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