Anniston Star
June 14, 2003

Riley's signature is all that's needed to start incinerator

By Nathan Solheim
Star Staff Writer
06-14-2003

EASTABOGA

Gov. Bob Riley is seeking advice from local county commissions and emergency management agency directors on whether he should sign off on a proposal that would allow the chemical weapons incinerator to begin limited operations this summer.

Riley's signature is all the Army needs to begin an interim operations plan to destroy chemical weapons at the Anniston Army Depot. Two federal officials already have signed off on it.

Army and federal officials have discussed the plan with various local authorities over the past few weeks. The proposal calls for starting the incinerator this summer, even though not all the demands Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., outlined in a January letter to the Army have been implemented.

Jim Martin, the deputy site manager at the Anniston Chemical Agent Disposal Facility, briefed local emergency management officials and county politicians at a meeting Friday morning at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in Eastaboga.

State emergency management officials asked each county affected by the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Plan (CSEPP) to submit opinions on the plan. Those counties include Calhoun, Cleburne, Clay, Talladega, St. Clair and Etowah.

"What we're asking them to do is give some written communication as to their concurrence or non-concurrence," said Bruce Baughman, who advises Riley on emergency management issues.

Baughman said there is no distinct timeline for the authorities to submit their letters, but he said they should be done in an open meeting and that "sooner is better."

The Calhoun County Commission has not yet discussed the matter formally, but Delois Champ, the interim director of the Calhoun County Emergency Management Agency, said she'd follow the commission's decision.

The commission said in a letter to Riley two weeks ago that it is for the destruction of the chemical weapons, but not until all of Shelby's safety requirements have been met.

"As far as I know, that position has not changed," said County Administrator Ken Joiner.

Several other local emergency management officials questioned some of the proposed preparations.

The directors of the Talladega and St. Clair county emergency management agencies wanted to know what would be done to address the safety of race fans at Talladega's two NASCAR races each year.

Army officials didn't have an immediate answer, but Lt. Col. Robert Jones, the commander of the depot's chemical weapons stockpile, agreed to meet next week to discuss those concerns.

"This is an issue we have to address seriously, and we will," Jones told the gathering.

The interim operations plan calls for destroying non-gelled, GB nerve agent rockets during off-school hours, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

That method of destruction would remain in place at least until October, when 36 area schools are supposed to be over-pressurized to protect children inside from chemicals released in the event of an accident.

Cleburne County officials said they would send a letter supporting the plan, according to Steve Swofford, the county's chief executive officer and head of its emergency management agency.

"That's the beginning of the end," Swofford said.