PRESIDENT CLINTON ACTS TO ACCELERATE INVESTIGATION OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS INCINERATION ALTERNATIVES

President Clinton has moved to speed up federal government research into alternatives to the U.S. Army's plan to incinerate the nation's chemical weapons stockpile.

In a letter to Senator Wendell Ford (D-KY), which was released today, Clinton stated, "I remain committed to going the extra mile to explore alternative technologies for eliminating our chemical weapons stockpile. For that reason, I will take action to accelerate the timetable for our work in this area. "

The President said, "I will direct the Secretary of Defense to immediately appoint an outside agency (such as the Defense Science Board) to provide him with an assessment of alternative technologies." The investigating agency cannot be one involved in the Army's incineration program.

According to the White House letter, the assessment will be completed in the next three to six months. Depending on the findings, the Secretary of Defense will be able to spend as much as $25 million for a pilot program of incineration alternatives.

"The President's letter, along with recent Congressional actions, makes clear that the Army is rapidly losing credibility because of its fixation on burning chemical weapons instead of seriously exploring safer, more cost-effective alternatives," said Craig Williams, spokesperson for the Chemical Weapons Working Group, a national coalition which supports other methods of eliminating the stockpile. Language recently adopted by the Defense Appropriations Conference Committee of Congress would also prohibit the Army from having authority over an investigation of incineration alternatives. Williams concluded, "The President's action brings us closer to an honest comparison of approaches for destroying these hideous weapons, one that is not orchestrated by an agency with vested interest in incineration. That is what communities which host the chemical weapons stockpile have been demanding for over a decade. "

A copy of President Clinton's letter to Senator Ford is available on request.

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