Brown v. Northeast Nuclear Energy Co.

118 F. Supp. 2d 217, 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16291, 2000 WL 1651326
CourtDistrict Court, D. Connecticut
DecidedSeptember 25, 2000
DocketNo. 3:98CV405 (JBA)
StatusPublished

This text of 118 F. Supp. 2d 217 (Brown v. Northeast Nuclear Energy Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Connecticut primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Brown v. Northeast Nuclear Energy Co., 118 F. Supp. 2d 217, 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16291, 2000 WL 1651326 (D. Conn. 2000).

Opinion

RULING ON DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT [DOC. #40]

ARTERTON, District Judge.

This diversity action arises from defendant Northeast Nuclear’s decision to deny plaintiff Kenneth Brown’s unescorted access to its Millstone Nuclear Power plant and its subsequent decision to revoke his security clearance thereby resulting in his termination from Cataract.

On March 31, 1999, the Court granted Defendant’s motion to dismiss Count One (Fourteenth Amendment claim), Count Two (enforcement of federal regulations), and Count Nine (third party beneficiary breach of contract claim) for failure to state a claim, but denied Defendant’s motion to the extent it contended that Plaintiffs state law claims were preempted by federal statutes regulating nuclear safety. The Court reserved decision until summary judgment whether defendant could show the imposition of state common law liability would conflict with the federal nuclear regulatory scheme. In this motion, Northeast Nuclear moves for summary judgment on the remaining state law claims: 1) intentional interference with contractual relations; 2) negligent infliction of emotional distress; 3) intentional infliction of emotional distress and 4) breach of implied contact and 5) defamation by false light. See Doc. # 40.

For the following reasons, summary judgment is granted on the remaining claims.

Factual Background

Plaintiff Kenneth Brown, a resident of Kennesaw, Georgia was employed by Cataract, Inc. (“Cataract”), a subcontractor for Northeast Nuclear Energy Co. Under the terms of his employment contract with Cataract, he was assigned to work at Northeast Nuclear Energy Co.’s Millstone Nuclear Plant located in Waterford, CT. His contract with Cataract included a “Fitness for Duty” clause requiring him to “be fit for duty at any time that access to a nuclear site is requested” and warning “[a]ny time an employee tests positive for alcohol or drugs he/she runs the risk of having their [sic] access denied or revoked ... [and] can result in denial of access at future nuclear facilities for 3-5 years.” Although plaintiff does not claim the existence of a written contract with Northeast Nuclear, he alleges an implied contract with Northeast Nuclear by virtue of Northeast Nuclear’s Fitness For Duty Manual.

Northeast Nuclear maintained its “Fitness for Duty Manual” (FFDM) in compliance with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s regulations governing nuclear power licensees, 10 C.F.R. Part 26. The FFDM sets forth the policies and procedures Northeast Nuclear has designed to ensure the “fitness for duty” of its employees as well as its independent contractors. It outlines in detail the procedures for investigating an individual suspected of alcohol and/or drug use. First, the employee should if practical be observed by at least one supervisor, medical or security personnel. The employee should be asked for an explanation of the observed findings that suggest that the employee is not fit for duty. Next, the employee should be taken to a collection facility for “For Cause” testing. If the employee refuses to go, the employee should be taken home and notified that his or her refusal to undergo testing will result in an “administrative positive” equivalent to a positive test result.

Northeast Nuclear revoked Mr. Brown’s security clearance based on the events of October 28, 1996. On that date, Mr. Brown reported to work at the Millstone facility after an early morning flight from Georgia. At the time, he was feeling ill. Mr. Norman Williams, a security guard also subcontracted by Northeast Nuclear, [220]*220stopped him at the security checkpoint on his belief that he smelled alcohol on Mr. Brown’s breath. Mr. Brown stated to Mr. Williams he was feeling ill. Mr. Brown alleges that Mr. Williams failed to comply with the Fitness for Duty Manual requirements by: 1) not demanding that Mr. Brown remain at the checkpoint, 2) not arranging for a supervisor, medical or security personnel to observe or evaluate Mr. Brown, 3) not asking Mr. Brown for an explanation, 4) not escorting Mr. Brown directly to the collection facility for evaluation, and 5) not informing Mr. Brown that he was required to take an alcohol test and the consequences of failing to do so. Although Northeast Nuclear has proffered Mr. Williams’ testimony that he told Mr. Brown to remain, Mr. Brown disputes this. In a motion for summary’judgment, the Court must construe all facts and inferences in the plaintiffs favor and therefore assumes for purpose of this motion that Mr. Brown was never informed he was required to remain at the checkpoint. Thereafter, Mr. Brown attempted to call his supervisor, Mr. Przekop for his observation of plaintiffs condition. In Mr. Przekop’s absence, Mr. Brown’s colleague, Mr. Clotfelter observed his condition and detected no smell of alcohol. Soon after, Mr. Brown returned to Mr. Williams and told him he would be going to see a doctor, and consulted with one several hours later. The doctor diagnosed Mr. Brown with shingles, and did not observe any trace of alcohol. Thereafter, Mr. Brown returned to his hotel room in Connecticut. Later that day, Northeast Nuclear notified Mr. Brown’s employer Cataract that his security clearance was revoked. Subsequently that day, Cataract informed Mr. Brown that his unescorted access had been revoked.

Pursuant to federal regulations, the identity of persons denied unescorted access to nuclear facilities must be “made available” to all such facilities and contractors. Northeast Utilities, like other nuclear facilities in the country, utilizes the Personal Access Data System (“PADS”) to maintain and disclose this background information. Once Mr. Brown’s security clearance was revoked, his entry in PADS was updated to reflect the fact that “additional information” was available; upon inquiry by member utilities, accompanied by Mr. Brown’s signed consent form, they would be notified that he had been denied unescorted access at Millstone. Since this change, Mr. Brown has applied and been granted unescorted access at two separate nuclear facilities. Brown Dep. at 227-229.

On October 31, 1996, Mr. Brown appealed this unfit finding and on November 25, 1996, Northeast Nuclear notified him of its conclusion that he would be denied unescorted access to the Northeast Nuclear for 365 days. On November 18, 1997, Mr. Brown requested reinstatement of his security clearance and expungement of his record, but reinstatement was denied.1 This suit followed.

Standard

Summary judgment is now appropriate “if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c). A dispute regarding a material fact is genuine “if the evidence is such that a reasonable jury could return a verdict for the nonmoving party.” Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). When viewing the evidence, the court must “assess the record in the light most favorable to the non-movant and ... draw all reasonable inferences in [the non-movant’s] favor.” Weinstock v. Columbia [221]*221Univ., 224 F.3d 33 (2d Cir.2000).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
118 F. Supp. 2d 217, 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16291, 2000 WL 1651326, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/brown-v-northeast-nuclear-energy-co-ctd-2000.