When inspecting . . . the concrete floor: Ibid., 50.
In this case, the decision would have gone up to Karen Hall’s boss: Steven David, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, November 19, 1997.
Faragher proposed new investments and upgrades . . . those investments were delayed: Faragher, interviews by author, 2015; Faragher, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, December 19, 1997.
“If the payback of the investment was going to be less”: Faragher, interviews by author, 2015.
At the Pine Bend refinery, Koch was allowed to expel: WWTP Spec Sheet, Pine Bend refinery, May 1995; Faragher, interviews by author, 2015.
One day, Steve David . . . Koch method of wastewater treatment: Notes and drawings of charts at meeting, made extemporaneously and provided later to author; Faragher, interviews by author, 2015.
Things started going wrong around June 1, 1996: Timothy Rusch, plant manager, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, November 18, 1997, 22–23; Karen Hall, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, November 4, 1997.
Doing so would require a partial outage: Roos, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, November 17, 1997, 59.
The fine for doing so would have only been about $30,000: Rusch, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, November 18, 1997, 30.
Brian Roos discussed this problem: Roos, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, November 17, 1997, 44, 66–67, 74.
From the control room . . . water that was flushed: Aalto, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, November 6, 1997.
In June of 1996, operators like Aalto . . . detention ponds: Roos, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, November 17, 1997, 74; Rusch, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, November 18, 1997, 22.
As water kept stacking up . . . a novel idea: Roos, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, November 17, 1997, 44.
Roos downplayed the risk: Ibid.
Nobody told Heather Faragher: Faragher, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, December 19, 1997, 23–25.
Every weekday morning at seven: Faragher, interviews by author, 2015; Faragher, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, December 19, 1997, 23–25.
On October 24, 1996, Heather Faragher sent a memo: Faragher, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, December 19, 1997, 40; Roos, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, November 17, 1997, 62–63; Estes, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, October 31, 1997, 41.
Todd Aalto . . . at the wastewater plant: Aalto, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, November 6, 1997, 24–28; Roos, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, November 17, 1997, 63–64; Rusch, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, November 18, 1997, 24; David, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, November 19, 1997, 95.
“I hope these moves prove sufficient”: Roos, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, November 17, 1997, 64.
Estes was the shift supervisor on duty: Estes, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, October 31, 1997, 44–45.
At seven o’clock . . . to the hydrants: Ista, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, October 31, 1997, 31–36, 54; Russ Hawkinson, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, December 19, 1997, 8, 17; Aalto, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, November 6, 1997, 20.
On the morning of November 4 . . . detention ponds: Faragher, interviews by author, 2015; Faragher, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, December 19, 1997, 24.
Estes later told state investigators: Estes, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, October 31, 1997, 35–38.
They reached Jim Voyles . . . in Wichita: Faragher, interviews by author, 2015; Faragher, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, December 19, 1997, 25–28.
Faragher reported directly to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency: Faragher, interviews by author, 2015; Faragher, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, December 19, 1997.
Ruth Estes was the shift supervisor on Saturday: Estes, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, October 31, 1997, 32–61; Roos, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, November 17, 1997, 42; Faragher, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, December 19, 1997, 31–37; Karen Hall, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, November 4, 1997, 49–52.
Aalto walked along a tree line that bordered an empty field: Aalto, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, November 6, 1997, 20.
Heather Faragher returned . . . glass-walled office: Faragher, interviews by author, 2015; Faragher, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, December 19, 1997.
On January 17, Faragher . . . dozens of employees: Heather Faragher to Pine Bend supervisors and employees, memo, January 17, 1997.
Before she sent the letter to the state: Faragher, draft letter, 1997.
Voyles deleted that entire paragraph: Faragher, interviews by author, 2015; edited version of Faragher draft letter, 1997.
Faragher spilled her story: Ibid.
On February 18, Brian Roos sent a memo: Roos, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, November 17, 1997, 82–85.
Koch Industries opened the fire hydrants and spewed ammonia-laden water: Faragher, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, December 19, 1997, 142–44; Roos, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, November 17, 1997, 74–77; Ista, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, October 31, 1997, 45–46; Chadwell, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, November 20, 1997; Stormoen, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, November 6, 1997.
This was just one . . . during the 1990s: Grotjohn, background sources, interviews by author, 2015.
Longtime employees like Charlie Chadwell wanted: Chadwell, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, November 20, 1997; Dennis Lien, “Koch Casts Doubt on Whistle-Blower’s Motives; His Mental State and Conduct Are Scrutinized,” Pioneer Press, January 12, 2000; Dennis Lien, “Former Koch Employee Says She Was Subjected to Retaliation; Engineer’s Testimony Supports Whistleblower,” Pioneer Press, January 11, 2000; Charles S. Chadwell v. Koch Refining Company, United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit ruling, May 17, 2001.
On April 8, 1997, Steve David: Faragher, interviews by author, 2015; Faragher, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, December 19, 1997, 147–51.
David would later say that he hid the fact: David, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, November 19, 1997, 73–79.
This was how Koch Industries wanted it: Tromberg, interviews by author, 2015.
On May 12, Faragher called Kriens: Faragher, interviews by author, 2015; Faragher, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, December 19, 1997.
Faragher kept her mouth shut at work: Faragher, interviews by author, 2015; Faragher, transcript of interview by MPCA investigators, December 19, 1997; Lien, “Former Koch Employee Says”; Lien, “Koch Casts Doubt.”
On March 18, 1998, Faragher was home: Faragher, interviews by author, 2015; copies of business cards, John Bonhage and Maureen O’Mara.
In 1998, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency fined Koch Industries: “Koch Refinery Hit with Fines,” Oil & Gas Journal, October 11, 1999; United States of America and the State of Minnesota v. Koch Petroleum Group, Consent Decree.
Koch did not retaliate against Faragher by firing her: Faragher, interviews by author, 2015; Lien, “Former Koch Employee Says.”
Terry Stormoen, the other shift worker: Interview attempt with Stormoen by author, 2015.