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Region 7 News Release 10-1362-KAN (10-298)
Sept 30, 2010
Contact: Rich Kulczewski  Michael Shimizu
Phone: 303-844-1302   206-553-7620
Email: kulczewski.richard@dol.gov

Pfizer Global Manufacturing earns praise from US Labor Department’s
OSHA for workplace safety and health achievements

LINCOLN, Neb. — The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has recognized the management and employees of Pfizer Global Manufacturing in Lincoln for achievement in the company’s employee safety and health program.

Pfizer Global Manufacturing has been recognized as a “star” site, the highest level of recognition that OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Programs offers. The company, which produces vaccines for animal health and disease prevention, earned VPP star recognition following a comprehensive onsite evaluation by a team of OSHA safety and health experts. The company employs about 500 workers at its Lincoln facility.

“From the top down, Pfizer Global Manufacturing has displayed outstanding effort in implementing a comprehensive safety and health management system,” said Charles E. Adkins, OSHA’s regional administrator in Kansas City, Mo. “The company is an exemplar of workplace safety.”

OSHA’s recognition programs include the VPP for employers and employees who have implemented exemplary workplace safety and health management systems. Management, labor and OSHA work cooperatively and proactively to prevent injuries, illnesses and workplace hazards. As part of attaining VPP status, employers must demonstrate management commitment to the safety and health of their employees, and actively involve employees in the safety and health management system.

For additional information on the VPP, contact OSHA’s regional VPP manager at 816-283-8745.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to assure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

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U.S. Department of Labor releases are accessible on the Internet at http://www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format (large print, Braille, audiotape or disc) from the COAST office upon request. Please specify which news release when placing your request at 202-693-7828 or TTY 202-693-7755. The Labor Department is committed to providing America’s employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit http://www.dol.gov/compliance.

New Chairman, David Villarreal and Three Additional Directors Appointed to Empire Board, Three Advisors Join Advisory Board

Leawood, KS, September 29, 2010 - Empire Energy Corporation International (Empire) (Pink Sheets:EEGC) announced on Wednesday, September 28th 2010 that four new directors have joined Empire’s Board of Directors. David Villarreal Jr. will replace CEO Malcolm Bendall as Chairman with responsibility for leading the Company’s now eight directors, including new directors Mr. James Leach, Mr. William Keating and Mr. John Essmyer, and promoting shareholders’ interests. Mr. Bendall will retain his role as Chief Executive Officer.  

Mr. Villarreal submitted the following acceptance letter:  

“It is with the utmost regard for the historical efforts of the Great South Land Minerals and Empire Energy management and Board of Directors that I accept the honor of serving as the new Chairman of the Board. I believe that in today’s marketplace within the oil exploration environment, Empire is positioned to extract qualities from its new Board of Directors makeup that will drive and facilitate the long awaited exploratory processes to become a reality.  

While Empire’s business road to this juncture has been one with potential and promise, a more defined and tactical approach complimented by broader business, legal and strategic planning experience may well be the defining step to realizing both the company’s mission and shareholders realization to uncover the oil resources in the Tasmanian Basin that Empire has diligently pursued.  

Additionally, while the concerted focus and pursuit of Empire’s core and primary commitment to oil exploration will be foremost, it is also the development potential in the recovering financial markets that present an opportunity for Empire to maximize its public trading vehicle by engaging in other business opportunities with capacity for success. One such enterprise is in the recovering financial services arena facilitating credit card opportunities to specialized markets. As another accessory to expanding and diversifying Empire’s base of operations is the expanding global market for medical waste treatment currently under development within the Grand Monarch Holdings, Inc. structure.  

My interest is in the deployment of successful strategies and implementation of ideas and concepts that create results driven to satisfy the interests of all at Empire even with the full knowledge of its history of challenges and obstacles. An expression I heard and remembered many years ago said, “Encouraged people achieve the best; dominated people achieve second best; neglected people achieve the least.” So with respect to its author, I suggest that we at Empire encourage all of our investors, shareholders and supporters, dominate those that challenge our mission and neglect those that would claim or attempt to take that which they have not worked for and disrupt our due success.  

I welcome the challenge and task ahead to create new and broader opportunities and therewith a propensity for greater success with the Board of Directors leadership and insight for all at Empire Energy Corporation International.”  

Respectfully,  

David Villarreal, Jr.  

Mr. Villarreal has spent his career building and successfully managing companies primarily in the financial services industry as well maintaining significant long term organized labor and political relationships. He is the current President and Chief Executive Officer of Grand Monarch Holdings Incorporated and has been the Chairman of the Board of American Union Financial Services, Inc. (“AUFS”) since he founded it in April 2004. Previously, from 2000 to 2005, Mr. Villarreal served as the Chief Operating Officer of American Residential Funding, Inc., a multi billion-dollar national real estate and financial services company. From 1992 to 2000 Mr. Villarreal was President of L.S. Inland Ventures, Inc. which developed commercial real estate and moderate-income housing developments. Between 1998 and 2000, he was President and CEO of Solomon Trust Foundation, a philanthropic charitable organization providing direct financial assistance to low and moderate-income families to facilitate home ownership opportunities. Mr. Villarreal also served as Human Resources Director and National Director for the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 for a subsidiary of W.R. Grace & Co. during his tenure from 1980 through 1988 for which he received a Congressional Office Distinction of Service Award. From 1976 to 1980 Mr. Villarreal served as Administrative Assistant to former Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley with responsibility for all organized labor relations and employees of the City of Los Angeles. Prior to recruitment into his Mayoral office responsibilities Mr. Villarreal was the youngest Field Representative for the Laborers’ International Union of North America (“LIUNA”) from 1973 to 1976 and attended California State University Los Angeles where he studied Business Administration and was a 1978 Trade Union Fellow at Harvard University – Graduate School of Business and John F. Kennedy School of Government.  

Mr. William Keating maintains a diverse wealth of experience in financial management and business development with unique familiarity of the energy industry. He commenced his professional career in 1981 as an auditing specialist at Price Waterhouse Coopers. From there, Mr. Keating spent nine years working for Royal Dutch Shell in a corporate accounting role and then later switching to downstream retail management for the oil company. He then spent two years working at AMCOR Limited in a national sales role followed by another two years in business development at Ernst & Young. Since 2000, Mr. Keating has worked as a management consultant specializing in corporate recovery and business development for various consultancies and companies worldwide. Most recently including two year long roles as CEO for manufacturing businesses in Australia and New Zealand and for an autonomous software development company in the United Kingdom, Australia and the USA.  

Mr. Keating received a Bachelors of Business in Accounting in 1983 from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT University), a Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing from Monash University in 1998 and became a member of the Institute of Chartered Accounts in 1984 of which he was a member until 2000.  

Mr. Leach currently serves as the Senior Managing Director of National Trust, LCC a subsidiary of the Leach Family Trust, one of New England’s largest real estate developers with over 2.5 million square feet currently under development. Since his recognition in 1997 by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a pioneer in the reuse of Superfund Sites his ongoing work has been adopted by EPA and currently serves as the nationwide model for the Federal agency’s billion-dollar Superfund Program.  

For nearly two decades, Mr. Leach has imparted corporate guidance to a wide array of companies. At present, he is serving his 18th year on the board of The Oster Group, a privately owned investment banking operation specializing in providing capital and business management to emerging companies and his 6th year on the board of Kenney Manufacturing Company, a leading manufacturer and distributor of household products established in 1914 and among Rhode Island’s largest employers. Mr. Leach graduated from Nasson College in 1983 with a Bachelors of Science degree.  

Mr. Essmyer is an accomplished inventor and entrepreneur with more than thirty years experience in developing, manufacturing, and marketing his own designs for equipment and materials for the health and personal care markets. In 1982 he founded Alternative Design Systems Inc. (ADS). ADS focused on numerous unique products invented or extended by Mr. Essmyer, which were designed, tested, and moved through the FDA’s 510K approval system. Of particular note, was Mr. Essmyer and the Company’s development of three key patents (#4684558, #4706680, #5622168) for a groundbreaking hydrogel technology. Johnson & Johnson as well as Becton Dickinson are currently using this and some of Mr. Essmyer’s other innovations.  

Mr. Mark Cowan of Washington D.C.’s Patton Boggs law firm will serve as an advisor to the Board. Mr. Cowan brings with him more than 35 years of experience working on complex domestic and international public policy issues to counsel a broad range of clients, advising corporations, government entities and foreign sovereigns. Mr. Cowan previously served as President of Columbus Public Affairs, CEO of Newmyer Associates, Vice Chairman of Cassidy & Associates and was founder and CEO of the Jefferson Group. In addition to two US Presidential appointments, Mr. Cowan also served as Counsel to the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct (ethics) of the US House of Representatives as well as the Assistant Legislative Counsel to the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).  

Mr. Peter Lansell and Dr. Chuck Flynn will join Mr. Cowan as additional advisors to Empire’s Board. Since application of his first patent at eighteen, Mr. Lansell has been a prolific inventor for alternate energy processes and the water industry. As the driving force behind flare gas alternative processes Mr. Lansell brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the advisory board. Mr. Lansell has owned and run mines in South Africa, Zambia, Borneo, and Australia ranging from oil, to gold and other precious metals, utilizing efficient and environmentally safe methods for ore recovery. Mr. Lansell is expected to guide the effectiveness of the Tasmanian Oil Drilling Program as well as the development of the Flare Gas remediation technology.  

Dr. Chuck Flynn maintains experience as both an engineering management advisor for McDonnell Douglas Corporation for both the Saturn V Rocket and DC10 airplane and as a business ethics pastor and lecturer. Dr. Flynn received a doctorate in Theology in 1965 from Vanguard University.  

Mr. Bendall commented, “This new Board leadership has armed the Company with an amalgamation of political, legal, and financial as well as business expertise. With completion of the acquisition of Grand Monarch Holdings Incorporated, Empire will have expanded the breadth of its business and provided the Company with short-term, diversified revenue streams. With this new arsenal of ability Empire will not only develop the depth of the Company’s new expanded business but is now poised to undertake an aggressive posture to realize commercialization of oil and gas in the Tasmania Basin using its $3.3 billion valuation.”  

Management intends to shortly be traveling to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar for a series of meetings to finalize its $180 million structured finance, secure the first $45 million disbursement and complete the $300 million investment in development of the Company’s flare gas remediation technology – to be rolled out in tandem with drilling operations in Tasmania. Additionally, the Company intends to meet with its potential joint venture partner to solidify contractual terms.  

Empire Energy Corporation is an international oil and gas exploration company, focusing on developing assets in one of the world’s last virgin basins and to become a leading low-cost finder of hydrocarbons. The Company is currently operating in Tasmania’s central and northern basins.  

This press release contains forward-looking statements based on our current expectations about our company and our industry. You can identify these forward- looking statements when you see us using the words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “believes,” “plans” and other similar expressions. These forward- looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of our ability to complete required financings and other preconditions to the completion of the transactions described herein and Empire’s ability to successfully acquire reserves and produce its resources among other issues. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements for any reason, even if new information becomes available or other events occur in the future. We caution you not to place undue reliance on those statements. For a more detailed discussion of risks and other factors related to Empire Energy Corporation International, please refer to 10-K and 10-Q reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

For More Information Contact
Malcolm Bendall
Empire Energy Corporation International
913-663-2310
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Release Number: 10-1325-NAT
Sept. 28, 2010
Contact Name: Jason Surbey    Diana Petterson
Phone Number: 202-693-4668    202-693-1898
E-mail: surbey.jason@dol.gov    diana.petterson@dol.gov

US Labor Department’s OSHA reports on state-run
occupational safety and health programs
Agency calls for corrective actions to keep workers safe

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration today announced that it has concluded a special evaluation of state-run occupational safety and health programs under its jurisdiction. Enhanced Federal Annual Monitoring and Evaluation reports provide detailed findings and recommendations on the operations of state-run OSHA programs in 25 states and territories. The enhanced review was initiated after a 2009 special OSHA report on Nevada’s program, prompted by numerous construction-related fatalities in Las Vegas, identified serious operational deficiencies in that state.

“Our goal is to identify problems in state-run programs before they result in serious injuries or fatalities,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. “While we found many positives in the state programs, we also found deficiencies including concerns about identification of hazards, proper classification of violations, proposed penalty levels, and failure to follow up on violations to ensure that workplace safety and health problems are corrected.”

The EFAME report and appendices for each of the 25 states, as well as each state’s comment and fiscal year 2009 self-evaluation report, are now available on OSHA’s website at http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/osp/efame/index.html.

States will have 30 days to provide a formal response, including a detailed corrective action plan for addressing findings and recommendations. Each state’s formal response will be public information and available online as soon as it is received.

The EFAME review also identified areas where states have adopted standards and procedures exceeding federal OSHA’s requirements, such as injury and illness prevention programs in California, Washington, Oregon, Minnesota and other states; the adoption of a cranes and derricks rule prior to OSHA’s in North Carolina, Washington and Maryland; and Oregon’s requirement that employers abate serious workplace violations during the contest period, a legal tool under consideration in Congress but still lacking in federal OSHA.

The review of the Hawaii program highlights significant performance problems resulting from staffing and funding cutbacks. OSHA is addressing these problems directly with the governor’s office and has offered to provide supplemental federal enforcement assistance until the state can address its problems. If Hawaii is unable to present a reasonable strategy for expeditiously improving its worker safety and health oversight, consideration will be given to the state’s current authority to operate its own program independently and could result in a federal takeover.

“We recognize that some of the problems we identified could stem from significant budget constraints in many of the states and may also be the result of less intensive federal oversight in recent years,” Michaels added. “OSHA, through its regional offices, intends to provide assistance in the implementation of corrective actions and will work closely with state officials to review progress. We are confident that by working together to address identified problems, we can improve state operations and provide more consistent protection to all of America’s workers.”

The 25 states and territories evaluated are Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming. No reports are being issued on the Nevada and Illinois state plans; a special study was issued on the Nevada state plan in October 2009, and the Illinois state plan was not approved until September 2009. The status of each state’s efforts to improve its plans will be reflected in the fiscal year 2010 Federal Annual Monitoring and Evaluation report expected in 2011. For more information about those states operating their own plans, visit http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/osp/index.html.

When Congress enacted the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, it created an opportunity for federal-state partnerships to promote safety and health. Section 18 of the law allows states to develop and enforce occupational safety and health standards in the context of an OSHA-approved state plan. Twenty-seven states and territories have sought and obtained approval. Twenty-one states and Puerto Rico have complete programs covering both the private sector and state and local governments. Four states and the U.S. Virgin Islands have programs limited in coverage to public sector employees. Currently, state plans deliver the OSHA program to 40 percent of the nation’s workplaces, with federal OSHA responsible for the other 60 percent.

State plan standards and enforcement must be at least as effective as federal OSHA in providing safe and healthful employment to workers. In addition, state plans operate under authority of state law, not delegated federal authority. Thus, in order to operate its own plan, a state must enact an equivalent of the federal OSH Act and must use administrative and regulatory procedures to adopt its own standards, regulations and operating procedures, all of which must be updated within six months of any change in the federal program.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to assure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

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U.S. Department of Labor releases are accessible on the Internet at http://www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format (large print, Braille, audiotape or disc) from the COAST office upon request. Please specify which news release when placing your request at 202-693-7828 or TTY 202-693-7755. The Labor Department is committed to providing America’s employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit http://www.dol.gov/compliance.

Joe Boivin Named Head of Gas Company’s Strategic Initiatives Department

Honolulu, September 29, 2010 - The Gas Company (TGC), Hawaii’s clean gas energy provider, named Joe Boivin as Senior Vice President of Marketing & Strategic Initiatives. He is leading critical company initiatives and developing programs to increase customer awareness of the importance of gas as part of a balanced approach to energy conservation and use.

In this role, Boivin is overseeing a number of renewable and advanced energy initiatives. These include biofuel refining to produce gas from fats and oils, hydrogen distribution for fuel cell vehicles and solar water heating with gas providing backup service.  

“These are exciting times for our Company as we create jobs here in Hawaii that will help move us away from petroleum-based fuels and develop technology to deliver clean renewable energy to our community and elsewhere,” said Jeffrey Kissel, TGC’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Joe’s skills are a critical part of our effort to achieve our goals.”  

Boivin was previously Vice President of Operations, responsible for overseeing daily operations throughout Hawaii and developing and executing strategic business initiatives. He is an engineer with experience in project management. Before joining TGC in October 2009, he served as a Senior Associate at Booz Allen Hamilton in Honolulu where he managed the Economic and Business Analysis team across the Pacific Region providing management and technology consulting services to both public and private sector clients. His background also includes private equity investment management and aerospace engineering. He served four years in the United States Air Force and completed his service in 1992.  

Boivin earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Arkansas.  

The Gas Company has been in business since 1904 and has a workforce of 300 professionals. It provides clean, reliable and energy-efficient gas to residential, business and government customers throughout the state of Hawaii — Oahu, Maui, Hawaii, Kauai, Molokai and Lanai. The Company manufactures synthetic natural gas (SNG) at its 16.7-million-cubic-foot-capacity plant located on Oahu and supplies SNG through a 1,100-mile pipeline network, and supplies propane gas (LPG) statewide. TGC is developing technology to further reduce its carbon footprint by incorporating domestically produced, renewable alternatives to petroleum for gas supply in Hawaii.  

The Gas Company LLC (www.hawaiigas.com) is a Hawaii-based, wholly owned subsidiary of Macquarie Infrastructure Company (NYSE: MIC — www.macquarie.com/mic). MIC owns, operates, and invests in a diversified group of infrastructure businesses that provide basic services to customers across the United States.

For More Information Contact
Stephanie C. Ackerman
The Gas Company
808-535-5913
sackerman@hawaiigas.com
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Region 4 News Release: 10-1306-ATL (555)
Sept. 28, 2010
Contact: Michael D’Aquino     Michael Wald
Email: D’Aquino.Michael@dol.gov     Wald.Michael@dol.gov
Phone: 404-562-2076     404-562-2078

US Department of Labor’s OSHA cites Atlanta paper recycler with $48,000
in proposed fines for failing to correct previous workplace hazards

ATLANTA – Nexus Pulp and Paper has been cited by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration with $48,000 in proposed penalties for allegedly failing to correct workplace health hazards at their Atlanta facility.

During an inspection in May, an OSHA compliance officer found the company had not made corrections to violations uncovered during a 2009 inspection of the location. These failure-to-abate violations include failing to develop a written personal protective equipment hazard assessment to determine the protection needed by workers for each job and failing to provide employees with training in how to use personal protective equipment.

Employees were exposed to chemicals without access to material safety data sheets with information on those chemicals, a written hazard communication program warning them concerning their exposure to chemicals and training on the hazards of the chemicals used in their work areas.

“OSHA will not accept or tolerate an employer’s failure to correct conditions that threaten workers’ health,” said Andre Richards, director of OSHA’s Atlanta-West Area Office.

Nexus Pulp and Paper is a paper recycler located in northwest Atlanta.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply, request a conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The site was inspected by OSHA’s Atlanta-West Area Office, 2400 Herodian Way, Suite 250, Smyrna, Ga., 30080; telephone 770-984-8700. To report workplace accidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call OSHA’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-6742.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to assure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

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U.S. Department of Labor releases are accessible on the Internet at http://www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format (large print, Braille, audiotape or disc) from the COAST office upon request. Please specify which news release when placing your request at 202-693-7828 or TTY 202-693-7755. The Labor Department is committed to providing America’s employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit http://www.dol.gov/compliance.