From Bend.com news sources Posted: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 Reference Code: PR-19701 January 26 - SALEM - In a letter sent Wednesday to U.S, Army Secretary Francis Harvey, Gov. Ted Kulongoski stated his opposition to the relocation of chemical weapons among states with existing stockpiles. The letter is as follows: -- January 26, 2005 Dr. Francis J. Harvey Secretary of the Army 101 Army Pentagon Washington, DC 20310-0101 Re: Relocation of Chemical Weapons Dear Secretary Harvey: I understand that the Army is exploring relocating chemical weapons among already existing stockpile sites as part of a strategy to maximize the destruction of chemical weapons in the United States to meet the Chemical Weapons Convention Treaty 2012 deadline. As you know, the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility (UMCDF) is located in Oregon and has been safely and successfully destroying munitions since August 2004. I have supported agent operations at Umatilla because it is in the best longterm interest of the people of Oregon to expedite the destruction of harmful chemical agents that currently reside in our communities. However, I would strongly oppose any proposal to allow weapons to be brought in from other states. Oregonians have made a serious commitment to destroy the weapons at the Umatilla Depot, and we must honor that commitment. Nearly two decades ago, states and the federal government agreed that chemical weapons would not be transported for destruction. Such transport could increase the likelihood of accidents and terrorist attacks along the transport route, threatening the health and safety of Americans nationwide. Oregon allowed the chemical weapons disposal facility to be built because federal law expressly prohibited us from moving the weapons away from Umatilla to another destruction facility. Those federal laws still exist to protect Americans from the very real dangers of transporting chemical weapons across country--on trains, on barges, on our roads. It is far less dangerous to destroy chemical weapons on-site, and the permit issued by Oregon's Environmental Quality Commission prohibited the Umatilla Depot from accepting weapons from other sites for that reason. As Governor of the State of Oregon, I cannot support a proposal tha t would put our citizens at risk. I urge you to reconsider any proposal that would change federal laws or policies to allow either the inter-state transportation of chemical weapons or increase the stockpile of weapons in Oregon. Yours very truly, THEODORE R. KULONGOSKI Governor TRK:art:tlem Copy: The Honorable Gordon Smith, United States Senator The Honorable Ron Wyden, United States Senator The Honorable Darlene Hooley, United States Representative The Honorable Greg Walden, United States Representative The Honorable David Wu, United States Representative The Honorable Peter DeFazio, United States Representative The Honorable Earl Blumenauer, United States Representative The Honorable Peter Courtney, President of the Oregon Senate The Honorable Karen Minnis, Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives The Honorable Dave Nelson, Oregon State Senator The Honorable Greg Smith, Oregon State Representative Morrow County Commissioners Umatilla County Commissioners The Honorable Bob Severson, Mayor, City of Hermiston The Honorable F.E. Glenn, Mayor, City of Boardman The Honorable Phil Houck, Mayor, City of Pendleton The Honorable David Trott, Mayor, City of Umatilla The Honorable Don Baxter, Mayor, City of Irrigon The Honorable Thomas McCann, Mayor, City of Stanfield |