Group: Pentagon hasn't spent funds allocated for chemical weapons destruction

By Brian Lyman
Star Staff Writer
02-17-2005

The Pentagon has not spent $400 million in earmarked funds that would have been used to build chemical weapons neutralization facilities in Colorado and Kentucky, according to a group critical of the Army’s handling of chemical weapons diaposal. The Chemical Weapons Working Group, based in Berea, Ky., came up with the figure after an analysis of budget appropriations against budget requests since 2001. The Pentagon has cited a shortfall of funds in its decision to study alternative ways of destroying the nation’s chemical weapons stockpile by 2012. One option under consideration is the delay or cancellation of the construction of chemical weapons disposal facilities in Richmond, Ky. and Pueblo, Colo. That could mean the shipment of chemical weapons to existing disposal facilities like Anniston’s incinerator. The Pentagon on Wednesday declined comment on the Chemical Weapons Working Group’s analysis. The price tag for the destruction of all chemical weapons has ballooned from an initial estimate of $2 billion to a projected $25 billion. “They shouldn’t be trying to conceal the overall cost growth in this program,” said Craig Williams, director of the Chemical Weapons Working Group. “Relatively speaking, it’s nothing compared to the supplemental bill that Bush put in for one fiscal year for Iraq and Afghanistan.” Colorado Sens. Wayne Allard and Ken Salazar wrote a letter last week to Defense undersecretary Michael K Wynne, urging the Defense Department to release any and all funds to complete construction of the Pueblo, Colo. facility.

About Brian Lyman

Brian Lyman covers infrastructure and the cities of Heflin and Lincoln for the Anniston Star. He lives in Anniston.