Lawsuit Filed After Plutonium Exposure at INL

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (AP) — A new federal lawsuit has been filed involving a 2011 accident at an eastern Idaho nuclear facility that exposed 16 workers to plutonium. The Post Register reports the suit was filed Thursday on behalf of Ralph Stanton. It follows up on a 2013 whistleblower complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Labor by Stanton and then-colleague Brian Simmons. The complaint alleged Battelle Energy Alliance created an unsafe work environment and retaliated after Stanton and Simmons raised health and safety concerns.

The Department of Labor never took action on the complaints, leading Stanton to file this week's lawsuit. Stanton's complaint says Battelle violated a federal law providing protection to whistleblowers who raise concerns about nuclear safety. A Battelle spokeswoman declined comment.