I am not skilled in the arts of aggregate curing and occupational exposure, but I wonder if it’s the “silicic acid” or a non-table-variety of “sodium salt” (from the MSDS) that’s sloughing the firefighters’ skin off here… or something that happens when the sodium oxide (from the TDS) hits water? Chemistry class was a lifetime ago but does that turn it back into lye? Is the oxide technically a “sodium salt”?
Seems like something impeachable, this doesn't strike me 'faithful execution of the laws'. Impeachment requires a 2/3 majority in the state senate, which would require only one vote from the Governor's party. The corruption will continue until people do something about it.
From what I've read in the local news, the chemicals were already in the soil, but dumping the waste into the (only) drainage system available without treating it first is apparently a no-no.
This reminded me of another local story (I live in both locations). The local swimming hole was fined for releasing seawater back to where it came from, cleaner than it was beforehand.
Proves again that fines aren't the answer, jail time is. Fines only matter for the poor, the rich just see fines as a cost of business, and the truly rich and powerful just call their friends and problems just magically go away.
Screw this. OSHA and other safety violations should, by default, pierce the corporate veil. Particularly ones where those that help others in need get injured.
The vast majority of violations that lead to loss of life result in charges that are dropped or acquitted. In the US it’s very, very hard to get anyone in jail for gross negligence in construction projects. Look up Plainly Difficult on YouTube, pick one of his hundreds of videos about negligent construction, and there is roughly 99% probability that all the charges were dropped, especially if it was in the US. (It seems to be a bit easier to get people in jail overseas.)
I don’t know why this is, only that it is. And it’s unclear how to change it. You could lobby for new laws, but those tend to be lobbied by the very companies that would stand to lose from those new laws.
> Proves again that fines aren't the answer, jail time is.
Correct. In terms of cost-effectiveness in preventing crime, 30 days in jail for an executive is much more useful than 3 years for a shoplifter. Courts should routinely be handing out short sentences, rather than fines, to suits.
Had a acquaintance who was in a billionaire family. Trick is never ask them for money. They will invite everyone to lunch, parties at the beach house, ect.. The guy drove a Tesla and parked it anywhere. First time I went with the group, there was a ticket on the windshield, he pulls it off, and he says, "It is just a tax." He puts it on the pile of other parking tickets and says, "it is what accountants are for."
They will only do the business so long as it is profitable. If the fines are high enough that they internalize the negative consequences of the business's behavior, you should get a good outcome. For example, there should be a very large fine if a waymo hits and kills someone. It should not be an infinitely large fine or result in jail time for waymo executives. To operate self-driving cars, they should have to put enough money in escrow to prove they can pay the fine.
You don't want an infinite punishment and you don't want no punishment. You want to align the incentives. Fines are probably the best way to do that for rational actors
Nevada is making a mockery of its own laws by giving Boring Co special exceptions treatment for tunnels that likely get abandoned due to its impracticality.
This isn't the first time: In 2019 Tesla illegally prevented OSHA officials from entering a Tesla site in Nevada (with a warrant and officer from the sheriff's office) to address serious workplace injuries.
These are what are claimed to be the onerous regulations slowing down innovation.
> When Boring Co.’s Davis called the Governor’s office the day the company received the citations, he spoke to Chris Reilly, the governor’s point person for state infrastructure, who was hired in 2024 after working at Tesla for more than seven years.
The revolving door continues to spin. Wouldn’t have guessed that a former Tesla executive now leading state infrastructure policy would give special treatment to another Musk-owned company.
Unsurprising but still despicable that the Boring Company disregards worker and emergency responder safety to this level, and that even a slap on the wrist fine was enough for them to go crying to the governor.
With former pharmaceutical execs working at the FDA regulating drugs, former Boeing execs working at the FAA to regulate airlines and countless more examples it’s staggering corruption in the US isn’t talked about more.
It’s almost like the media companies no longer serve the population, and only serve the corrupt.
Live drills can be very dangerous and this was no exception, especially in unique environments where folks have little experience. We lose many first responders and military personnel from their regular work here.
Who failed to inform the firefighters that quickening agents can leech from walls?
alwa|3 months ago
(Long may it live)
As to the grout accelerant in question:
TDS [PDF]: https://assets.ctfassets.net/ctspkgm1yw3s/DMSY-1685695220-39...
MSDS [PDF]: https://assets.ctfassets.net/ctspkgm1yw3s/3Tp3imoxG5XfZlrlzU...
I am not skilled in the arts of aggregate curing and occupational exposure, but I wonder if it’s the “silicic acid” or a non-table-variety of “sodium salt” (from the MSDS) that’s sloughing the firefighters’ skin off here… or something that happens when the sodium oxide (from the TDS) hits water? Chemistry class was a lifetime ago but does that turn it back into lye? Is the oxide technically a “sodium salt”?
EdwardDiego|3 months ago
And yep, Na2O + H20 -> 2 NaOH, sodium hydroxide :)
[1] https://www.epa.govt.nz/database-search/chemical-classificat...
ndkap|3 months ago
Off topic, I found out that my university blocks archive.is or any of its mirrors. Why does the university care about this?
anigbrowl|3 months ago
b00ty4breakfast|3 months ago
bdangubic|3 months ago
anonymousiam|3 months ago
https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/environment/no-boring-co-...
https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/politics-and-government/c...
This reminded me of another local story (I live in both locations). The local swimming hole was fined for releasing seawater back to where it came from, cleaner than it was beforehand.
https://www.dailybreeze.com/2010/01/20/redondo-beach-asks-li...
https://documents.coastal.ca.gov/reports/2018/8/th13b/Th13b-...
zaptrem|3 months ago
mschuster91|3 months ago
Screw this. OSHA and other safety violations should, by default, pierce the corporate veil. Particularly ones where those that help others in need get injured.
sillysaurusx|3 months ago
I don’t know why this is, only that it is. And it’s unclear how to change it. You could lobby for new laws, but those tend to be lobbied by the very companies that would stand to lose from those new laws.
Animats|3 months ago
Correct. In terms of cost-effectiveness in preventing crime, 30 days in jail for an executive is much more useful than 3 years for a shoplifter. Courts should routinely be handing out short sentences, rather than fines, to suits.
tremon|3 months ago
I favour this penalty especially for crimes related to worker unions.
dataviz1000|3 months ago
an0malous|3 months ago
ants_everywhere|3 months ago
My sense is it would be significantly worse than it is now.
ChadNauseam|3 months ago
They will only do the business so long as it is profitable. If the fines are high enough that they internalize the negative consequences of the business's behavior, you should get a good outcome. For example, there should be a very large fine if a waymo hits and kills someone. It should not be an infinitely large fine or result in jail time for waymo executives. To operate self-driving cars, they should have to put enough money in escrow to prove they can pay the fine.
You don't want an infinite punishment and you don't want no punishment. You want to align the incentives. Fines are probably the best way to do that for rational actors
madhacker|3 months ago
lazide|3 months ago
foobarqux|3 months ago
These are what are claimed to be the onerous regulations slowing down innovation.
csb6|3 months ago
The revolving door continues to spin. Wouldn’t have guessed that a former Tesla executive now leading state infrastructure policy would give special treatment to another Musk-owned company.
Unsurprising but still despicable that the Boring Company disregards worker and emergency responder safety to this level, and that even a slap on the wrist fine was enough for them to go crying to the governor.
testing22321|3 months ago
It’s almost like the media companies no longer serve the population, and only serve the corrupt.
ChrisArchitect|3 months ago
Boring Company fined nearly $500K after it dumped drilling fluids into manholes
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45862674
Boring Company cited for almost 800 environmental violations in Las Vegas
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45540585
mensetmanusman|3 months ago
Who failed to inform the firefighters that quickening agents can leech from walls?
jgalt212|3 months ago