Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Vehicle; Ground Incursion Runway
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Human Factors
I was working Clearance Delivery and CIC. I had turned around to make changes to the ART to reflect the correct position assignments. The Local Controller was a newly certified Controller. Traffic was very light. Runway 4L operations had been suspended for snow removal along the outer edges. One airport operations vehicle and two snow plows were on Runway 4L. The Local Controller had been told during the relief briefing of the Runway 4L operations and had the 'runway buster' in the correct position. The BE30 had been taxied to Runway 36 for departure. The Local Controller instructed the BE30 to cross Runway 36 and cleared him for take off. A couple of seconds later I heard the Local Controller scream 'Cancel Takeoff Clearance.' At that time I turned around to see what was happening. A BE30 came to a stop about 2;000 FT down the runway; and one of the snow plows was exiting the runway near mid field. Once all vehicles had cleared the runway; the BE30 was cleared for takeoff. Scanning the runway would have prevented this from occurring. More importantly; the BE30 could have been cleared for takeoff on Runway 36; as there was nothing preventing it.
Tower CIC observed a takeoff clearance being cancelled and an airport vehicle on the departure runway.  The reporter noted the Controller apparently failed to scan the runway prior to issuing the takeoff clearance.