October 18, 2007
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STAR TRIBUNE: “BRIAN MCCLUNG: FEDERAL REGS MAKE BRIDGE INFORMATION CONFIDENTIAL”
By Michael B. Brodkorb | October 18, 2007
This commentary from Governor Pawlenty’s communications director Brian McClung is a must read.
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“This week, Star Tribune reporters and editors may have outdone themselves in crafting controversy and intrigue where none exists.
In a front-page article Sunday and in an editorial on Tuesday (“Seeking answers from bridge probes”), the newspaper creates the impression that state officials are willfully intending to keep “secret” a report that will be prepared by outside forensic investigation experts regarding the causes of the Interstate 35W bridge collapse.
The truth is much more straightforward, but less controversial than the spin the Strib put on it: Federal regulations require information related to the bridge-collapse investigation to be nonpublic until the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) approves its release. State officials are not voluntarily choosing to keep the data private; they are simply following federal regulations, which preempt state data practices law. When the law allows, we’ll make all available information public.
If the newspaper has a beef here, it should be with that law. A case can be made for changing federal regulations to allow for more openness. But reporters and editorial writers should not be surprised that state officials will indeed follow the law.” Source: Star Tribune, October 16, 2007
Click here for the complete story.
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One Response to “STAR TRIBUNE: “BRIAN MCCLUNG: FEDERAL REGS MAKE BRIDGE INFORMATION CONFIDENTIAL””
October 18th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
I’ll cross-post this http://riverbridgecollapse.com The Strib has since reported that the bridge bearings/hinges appeared to be sticking. I believe that I was the first to publicly post that this could be a significant factor in the bridge collapse.
Here is a paste of an email I sent to someone watching this.
“New Minneapolis Star Tribune story says my main bridge culprits, hinges/bearing were likely stuck but they haven’t opened them yet. The other, more immediate cause of bridge failure was a lower “gusset plate”. This is a steel plate that steel beams are bolted to. One was perfectly designed to catch dirt, salt and mositure, much like those old cars that, in the Northern rust zones would have the fenders rust at the bottom. Essentially, the stuck bearings/hinges would not let the bridge expand or contract with temperature changes. The “gusset plates” took the stress. I didn’t know the specifics of the gusset plates but I believe I was the first to point out stuck bearings/hinges and the stress they could cause. More later, I can describe this in great detail.