ADEM: Law bans importing weapons

Saturday, February 12, 2005

KATHERINE BOUMA

News staff writer

Alabama is protected from chemical weapons being imported from other states' stockpiles by a state law and by the permit allowing the Anniston chemical weapons incinerator to operate, environmental officials reported Friday.

Last month, the Army announced it is studying whether it could save money or move closer to a 2012 destruction deadline by transporting weapons among the eight sites where the nation's Cold War-era chemical weapons are stockpiled.

Anniston Army Depot's weapons incinerator has been operating since August 2003, destroying more than 660,000 weapons held there. But less than 400 miles away, at Blue Grass, Ky., a weapons destruction facility is still in the planning stages. At the same time it requested the transportation study, the Department of Defense cut its proposed budget for building the Kentucky facility.

In addition to the state prohibitions, federal law bans the transport of stockpile weapons across state lines. The Army has said it is only running a "what-if" study and will report back in March.

"I think we have the laws and permit conditions in place to deal with this," said Gerald Hardy, director of the land division at the Alabama Department of Environmental Management.

In other action at the Environmental Management Commission meeting Friday:

ADEM Director Trey Glenn reported that the department expects to break ground on a new laboratory in April. Bids still are out on the Montgomery building, but it is expected to cost about $8 million.

The current building is dilapidated, and the money that would have to be spent to repair and maintain it can be put toward a new lab, Glenn said. Payments will also come from other programs in the department, he said.

ADEM's lab is used for such tasks as testing water quality and fish and for other analytical matters.

Glenn said ADEM is pushing in the Legislature for a 32 cents-a-ton fee on garbage taken to landfills. The money would finance the inspections and permitting of landfills. Hardy said the fee is expected to cost the average Alabama household $1 a year.

E-mail: kbouma@bhamnews.com




ADEM: Law bans importing weapons Saturday, February 12, 2005 KATHERINE BOUMA News staff writer Alabama is protected from chemical weapons being imported from other states' stockpiles by a state law and by the permit allowing the Anniston chemical weapons incinerator to operate, environmental officials reported Friday. Last month, the Army announced it is studying whether it could save money or move closer to a 2012 destruction deadline by transporting weapons among the eight sites where the nation's Cold War-era chemical weapons are stockpiled. Anniston Army Depot's weapons incinerator has been operating since August 2003, destroying more than 660,000 weapons held there. But less than 400 miles away, at Blue Grass, Ky., a weapons destruction facility is still in the planning stages. At the same time it requested the transportation study, the Department of Defense cut its proposed budget for building the Kentucky facility. In addition to the state prohibitions, federal law bans the transport of stockpile weapons across state lines. The Army has said it is only running a "what-if" study and will report back in March. "I think we have the laws and permit conditions in place to deal with this," said Gerald Hardy, director of the land division at the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. In other action at the Environmental Management Commission meeting Friday: ADEM Director Trey Glenn reported that the department expects to break ground on a new laboratory in April. Bids still are out on the Montgomery building, but it is expected to cost about $8 million. The current building is dilapidated, and the money that would have to be spent to repair and maintain it can be put toward a new lab, Glenn said. Payments will also come from other programs in the department, he said. ADEM's lab is used for such tasks as testing water quality and fish and for other analytical matters. Glenn said ADEM is pushing in the Legislature for a 32 cents-a-ton fee on garbage taken to landfills. The money would finance the inspections and permitting of landfills. Hardy said the fee is expected to cost the average Alabama household $1 a year. E-mail: kbouma@bhamnews.com