Anniston Star
June 26, 2003

Cleburne commissioners favor incineration start

By Nathan Solheim
Star Staff Writer
06-26-2003

The Cleburne County Commission has signed a letter urging Gov. Bob Riley to sign off on a plan that would begin limited destruction of chemical weapons currently stored at The Anniston Army Depot.

The Army has proposed an interim operations plan that would allow destruction of chemical weapons to begin chemical weapons before some community safety measures are completed.

All that's needed for the plan to begin is Riley's signature.

The Cleburne commissioners were responding to a Riley request, delivered at a meeting of affected counties about two weeks ago, for input on whether he should sign a memorandum allowing the limited plan to start.

The letter from the commission to Riley says " the Cleburne County Commission can find no substantial cause to delay the destruction of these weapons."

The letter also says Cleburne's commissioners are confident the Army is using a proven technology capable of eliminating the chemical weapons. It asks that the Army be held to the strictest enforcement of safety and environmental regulations.

All five Cleburne County Commissioners signed the letter, as did the county's chief executive and emergency management director, Steve Swafford.

"It's the opinion of Cleburne County, as far as the commission is concerned, that the utmost protection of the public comes from the elimination of the weapons," Swafford said.