Anniston Star
August 1, 2003

Army: Incineration to begin Wednesday

By Sara Clemence
Star Staff Writer
08-01-2003

The Army plans to begin destroying the chemical weapons stockpile in Anniston Wednesday, burning nerve agent in its controversial incinerator for the first time, officials said.

"The Secretary of the Army has directed us to begin operations," said Mike Abrams, spokesman for the Anniston Chemical Agent Disposal Facility. " The safety of this community requires that we safely treat and dispose of the weapons in the chemical weapons facility sooner rather than later."

The announcement came late Thursday afternoon, one day after the Alabama Department of Environmental Management issued a permit to the Army, removing the last legal obstacle to startup.

The Pentagon is moving ahead with operations without approval from Alabama Gov. Bob Riley, which it had requested.

There will be a series of public meetings on the startup starting Monday, Abrams said.

The information briefings for the public are intended to explain what will happen during the incinerator operations. They will be Monday and Tuesday at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., at the facility's Community Outreach Office, 11 East 10th Street. Other meetings will be scheduled in Calhoun, Cleburne, Clay, Etowah, St. Clair and Talladega counties.

Incinerator opponents said they are prepared to take rapid legal action.

"We're poised to file (for) a temporary restraining order in federal court in Washington, D.C., on Monday morning," said Craig Williams, executive director of the Chemical Weapons Working Group. A coalition of groups alleges the facility violates federal laws.

The Army said it plans to stick to its limited operations plan, which it had asked Riley to endorse. It will burn nerve agent only during weekends and weeknights between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. until protective equipment is installed in local schools.

"We will abide by all of the commitments we have made to the community," Abrams said.

Since the 1960s, the Army has stored 2,253 tons of chemical weapons in concrete igloos at the Anniston Army Depot. That includes 42,762 M55 rockets filled with GB nerve agent, also known as sarin.

The Army plans to destroy two of those rockets Wednesday, Abrams said. Using an automated system, workers will drain the nerve agent into tanks, cut up the rockets, and burn the pieces in a furnace.

"Then we'll fall back and analyze everything that we've done and prepare for the next day," he said.

Workers will begin moving the rockets late Tuesday afternoon, after contacting school systems "to ensure that there are not any students on area school campuses," Abrams said.

The Army had asked Riley to sign a memorandum approving the limited burning plan. In turn, Riley asked last week for the power to shut down the incinerator. The Army refused.

From what Abrams understood, "it came to the point where there were some last-minute requirements that the Army leadership was not in a position to accept," he said. "Despite a variety of discussions, it could not be resolved."

Riley's staffers could not be reached Thursday evening.

"I am pleased that the governor chose not to enter into the Army's (agreement), which would tie his hands," said Calhoun County Commissioner Robert Downing, who has opposed incineration.

The decision to start burning, he said, was indicative of the Army's "my way or the highway mentality."

Community protection measures in Calhoun County, including providing protective equipment to elderly and disabled residents, are nearly complete, Downing said.

Others in the community were pleased at the announcement.

"I think that's wonderful news," said Sherri Sumners, president of the Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce. "It's time to put the risk of continued storage behind us and move forward."

The state environmental agency will have inspectors at the facility around the clock. International treaty inspectors also will be on site constantly, to make sure the weapons are destroyed, as required by the Chemical Weapons Convention.