for immediate release: October 7, 1997

SEVEN ALTERNATIVES TO CHEMICAL WEAPONS INCINERATION PASS INITIAL PENTAGON SCREEN; ACTIVISTS PRAISE COLLABORATIVE PROCESS

The Department of Defense Alternative Chemical Weapons Assessment Program (ACWA) announced today that seven non-incineration technologies for destroying the nation's toxic agent arsenal have passed its initial evaluation process.

Last year in response to pressure from anti-incineration activists, Congress instructed the Pentagon to identify and demonstrate at least two alternative approaches for the disposal of the chemical agent filled munitions stockpiled at six sites in the U.S. and the one stockpile in the Pacific. The ACWA program broke new ground in the ongoing controversy by including citizens in the process to determine criteria for evaluating the technologies.

In announcing the technologies that made it through the preliminary evaluation, Deputy ACWA Program Manager, Bill Pehlivanian said, "I am very enthusiastic about the response from private industry and look forward to working with them in the next phase of evaluations leading to demonstration."

Craig Williams, spokesperson for the Chemical Weapons Working Group, a national coalition of citizens organizations supporting safe disposal methods said, " Today's announcement shows that citizens, private industry and the government can work together to develop solutions to complex problems. It also indicates that safe options to burning chemical weapons in our communities are out there and appear to be viable. Unlike the incineration program, the Alternative Program is on schedule and within budget and working in a collaborative framework. This is a tremendous step towards getting on with the mission."

The Army's incineration program, as currently projected, is 10 years behind schedule and more than 700% over budget. Lawsuits have been filed in three states where the Army is either burning or attempting to construct incinerators, and recently two whistleblowers at the Utah facility have been found to have been either illegally fired or discriminated against for raising safety or compliance issues at the incinerator. In Maryland and Indiana, where alternative technologies have already been approved with citizen involvement, there is a collective effort to expedite the permit process and move forward with the construction of the neutralization plants.

"Today we have seen proof that the approach endorsed by the CWWG works." said Williams. "Just as we predicted it would succeed in Maryland and Indiana, involvement facilitates accomplishment, while arbitrary decrees from the government facilitate confrontation."

The next step in the ACWA process is to fill any data gaps that may be identified in the proposals submitted by those that passed the initial screening, and then move into demonstrations.

"We're making significant progress towards the solutions we all want", said Williams.
" It's a good day for the citizens at stockpile sites across this nation."

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