Star Staff Writer
| No processing, just retooling. Crews at the Anniston Chemical Agent Disposal Facility continued refitting equipment this week to accept the next round of projectiles. The facility has all but destroyed its inventory of 8-inch artillery shells filled with sarin, and is reconfiguring the machinery to accept 155-mm sarin rounds. “We’re still forecasting for the work to be completed toward the end of the month,” said Donovan Mager, a spokesman for Westinghouse Anniston, the contractor at the facility. “We’re targeting the 28th, but it could slide a little bit.” Dummy rounds have already gone through the facility. Crews are performing a variety of tasks in order to get the machinery ready, including changing magnetic heads and sensors to accept the smaller rounds. Anniston has destroyed 56,593 weapons and 617,153 pounds of chemical agent since beginning operations in August, 2003. The Pine Bluff Chemical Agent Disposal Facility in Pine Bluff, Ark., destroyed 286 sarin-filled M55 rockets from Thursday, April 7 through Wednesday. It has destroyed 605 rockets since processing began late last month. The Tooele Chemical Agent Disposal Facility in Tooele, Utah, destroyed 1,891 VX filled mines. To date the facility has destroyed 1,002,101 munitions and 14.6 million pounds of chemical agent. The Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility in Umatilla, Ore. destroyed 245 sarin-filled M55 rockets and 8,303 pounds of nerve agent between Thursday, April 7 and Wednesday, April 13. To date the facility has destroyed 10,874 rockets and 114,702 pounds of nerve agent. A fire broke out in the facility’s explosive containment room on April 7, halting processing; the cause of the fire is under investigation.
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About Brian Lyman
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Brian Lyman covers infrastructure and the cities of Heflin and Lincoln for the Anniston Star. He lives in Anniston. |
| Phone: Fax: E-mail: |
256-235-3544 256-241-1991 blyman@annistonstar.com |