Residents skeptical of cost-cutting proposal at weapons depot
Associated Press
Wed, July 20, 2005

RICHMOND, Ky. -- A proposal to change the way some deadly chemical weapons would be destroyed at Blue Grass Army Depot is being met with skepticism by citizens' groups.

The Army's proposal would shear in half more than 69,000 M55 rockets armed with the nerve agent GB, or Sarin, and VX that date from the 1960s. Military officials say the process would cut costs.

But residents who attended a meeting with officials on Tuesday voiced concern after five fires earlier this year that broke out as rockets were being sheared at incinerator plants in Arkansas and Oregon.

The process would separate the rocket motors from the chemical agent. The military had planned to cut apart the rockets during, instead of before, the chemical neutralization process at a $2 billion plant the military wants to build in Madison County.

The Army is not expected to decide on the destruction method until next month. But citizens who attended a meeting with military officials Tuesday said they don't like the new plan.
Doug Hindman, a member of a citizens advisory board, on Tuesday called the plan "pretty darned scary."

Residents said they were concerned with the fires that started at the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility in Oregon and the Pine Bluff Chemical Agent Disposal Facility in Arkansas. No one was hurt during the incidents. The Army is investigating the fires.

"I'm concerned about the speed with which the decision-makers may be moving on this, without really understanding what caused the fires," said Peter Hille.

Rockets stored at Blue Grass have not caused any fires or explosions, said Jim Fritche, site project manager at Blue Grass for the assembled chemical weapons alternatives program.

But Fritche said officials want to know more about the condition of the fuel stored in the aging rockets.

"If it is deteriorating, we want to know that sooner than later," Fritche said. "If we don't have an emergency, we're not going to go forward on this."

Craig Williams, co-chairman of the advisory board, said too little is known yet about the Army's proposal for the advisory board to make many recommendations. The group on Tuesday signaled that it wants to continue working closely with those designing the plant to resolve its concerns.

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Information from: Lexington Herald-Leader, http://www.kentucky.com