Defense Environment Alert
October 8, 2002

POLITICIANS TROUBLED BY ARMY CSEPP PROPOSAL FOR ALABAMA

Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby (R) and local government officials are expressing alarm over an Army proposal outlined in a series of internal emails showing plans to effectively blame local and state emergency agencies in Alabama for the community's lack of readiness to respond to an emergency, should one occur at the chemical weapons storage and disposal facility in Anniston, AL.

The Army has moved one key staffer involved in the matter to a different position, but it is downplaying this change.

The uproar erupted over an exchange of internal Army emails that proposed to "challenge" Alabama state and local emergency agencies to a series of emergency chemical response exercises as part of the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP). In the emails, Army officials say they would propose "an aggressive, proactive approach" for CSEPP that would include monthly exercises focused on specific response activities, such as the medical component of the response system, knowing full well the state and Calhoun County would probably refuse to participate because of local concerns over a lack of certain emergency equipment. Then, the Army would launch a media campaign highlighting the Army's willingness to conduct the exercises, and pointing out the local and state government's refusal, the emails suggest.

One email, from Larry Skelly, a contractor who led the Army CSEPP office, says a high level Army official was aware of the likely result. Mario Fiori, assistant secretary of the Army for installations and environment, "understands the probable outcomes. When either the State or Calhoun County say 'no' he wants a series of press releases directed at their 'no' telling the public [it] is their agencies, not the Army, that is unwilling to help improve emergency preparedness at the Anniston site."

The Army wants to build a record showing that it "has exercised all due care in preparing for operations," reads another email, from Russell Shearer, who also works for Fiori. Shearer indicates the request to initiate the monthly drills is to reflect Anniston's refusal to cooperate in emergency preparedness activities.

In an Aug. 28 email outlining the proposal, Skelly cites the responsibility the Army has to help the community prepare, saying the current once-a-year exercise is not working for the site. "The public is nervous and we are troubled by the recent refusal of certain county agencies to participate in exercises. The community is not ready for toxic operations, despite the millions of dollars poured into emergency management in the region. We must change that status."

Area residents and local officials have long complained about perceived flaws in the Army and Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) plans to protect residents against the accidental release of agent from the Anniston Army Depot. Gov. Don Siegelman (D) this past spring renewed his request that a federal court stop the Army from operating a chemical weapons incinerator in Anniston until FEMA provided funding for certain safety equipment that would protect residents in the event of an accidental release of chemical agent (Defense Environment Alert, June 18, p5). But Siegelman withdrew his request for a temporary injunction in mid-July when it appeared the funding was coming through.

The emails are directed to officials with the Soldier and Biological Chemical Command (SBCCOM), FEMA, and others in the Army installations and environment office. In email responses, both SBCCOM and FEMA officials express concerns about the approach. SBCCOM is responsible for emergency issues related to on-post chemical activity staff, while FEMA oversees off-post emergency activities, along with local emergency management agencies. The Army's installations and environment office oversees on-post, non-chemical activities.

Shelby fired off a letter Sept. 19 to Army Secretary Thomas White, expressing alarm at the plan. "This effort is nothing more than a perverse and irresponsible attempt to deflect attention away from the Army's failures by employing a totally inappropriate strategy which is, by the comments of those who have created it, designed to set up the community and, apparently, give the Army cause to withhold future CSEPP funding. This effort to 'toss the gauntlet on the ground' amounts to a media stunt with the desired outcome being 'improvement of the Army's image' at the community's expense," he continues, quoting from the emails. The letter and related documents are available on InsideEPA.com. See page 2 for details.

This information underscores Shelby's previous requests "for greater oversight, leadership and reform" within the program, he says in his letter. An aide in Shelby's office says he has not yet received a response to his letter.

Officials with Calhoun County, where the chemical weapons stockpile is located, expressed outrage at the emails, asking Rep. Bob Riley (R-AL) in a Sept. 25 letter to step in and confront Fiori about the issue and pursue personnel actions. They asked Riley to support a congressional oversight hearing on the current state of the chemical destruction program and the related emergency response program. Further, they called for Skelly's dismissal. "The Calhoun County Commission is shocked, angry and dismayed to learn about the Department of the Army's plans to engage in a scheme to smear the State of Alabama and our local Emergency Management Agency," the commission says in a Sept. 20 statement.

The emails were first reported in The Birmingham News Sept. 20. In response, the Army issued a statement, saying it "will continue to work with FEMA to prepare for additional [CSEPP] exercises that involve each of the local communities.... The suggested motivations and tactics detailed in the e-mails do not reflect the intent of the leadership of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations and Environment." An Army spokesman says no changes have been made as a result of public reaction to the emails; however, he confirmed that Skelly was recently moved out from heading the Army's CSEPP. He still works as a contractor for the environmental program, providing "technical expertise" on chemical, biological and environmental safety issues, he says. Jim Dries has taken over as interim head of CSEPP. When asked for the reason behind the change, the spokesman said the Army just wants to move forward with CSEPP and cooperate with Alabama to safely execute incineration in Alabama.

A citizen activist group is adding to the criticism sparked by the emails, condemning the alleged direction the program is taking under Fiori, based on the emails. He "has taken what used to be a difficult program to get any information about and made it almost impossible -- it is now more covert and secretive than ever before," says a spokesman for the Chemical Weapons Working Group in a written statement. "What was a significantly top down, non-inclusive decision making process has become completely authoritarian under his management, and now includes sabotaging of local officials."

Meanwhile, Army Under Secretary Les Brownlee was scheduled to discuss the matter with Riley in an Oct. 2 meeting on the chemical demilitarization program; details of the discussion were not available at press time. In an Oct. 3 followup letter to Brownlee, Riley doesn't directly mention the emails. "I appreciate your willingness to conduct a comprehensive review of the program's organization and look forward to receiving your final decisions," he says. The two discussed a number of unresolved issues with the demilitarization program at Anniston, according to the letter. Riley lists several outstanding safety-related questions regarding the incinerator and emergency preparedness, and asks for answers soon.