East Oregonian
July 15, 2003

CSEPP funds were used properly to improve emergency communicat
Category: Opinion
Last Modified: 1:40:29 AM on 7/16/03
Archived: 1:40:29 AM on 7/16/03
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Publication: East Oregonian
Publication Date: 7/15/03
Page and Section: 6 A
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CSEPP funds were used properly to improve emergency communication

We have no problem with a citizen watchdog group like GASP pushing state and Army officials to make the process of destroying chemical wea-pons stored near Hermiston as safe as possible. But there's little merit to the group's latest contention that Umatilla County abused the CSEPP funding process.

The citizen watchdog group based in Hermiston claims Umatilla County maneuvered to "combine CSEPP funds dedicated for a 450-megahertz radio system with other funds to purchase a computer-assisted dispatch system."

Karyn Jones, director of GASP, said in a Monday press release that "Umatilla County leadership knowingly jeopardized CSEPP funds in its quest for Army gold and that is unacceptable." GASP is asking the governor to order an investigation of the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program by the state attorney general, claiming the funds transfer violated the state permit.

Excuse us, but we don't see the sinister side of this.

The fund transfer GASP is complaining about was approved by the CSEPP governing board in May. It does not jeopardize the 450 MHz radio system, and CSEPP and county officials insist it will not delay the project, as GASP claims.

Both the computer-aided dispatch system and the 450 MHz radio system are tools to enhance first-responder communication as well as emergency communication. So the linkage between the 450 MHz system and computer-aided dispatch system made perfect sense, Umatilla County Commissioner Dennis Doherty said.

"It makes sense to do it now so we have an integrated communication system that includes both voice and data in working condition so we get the best bang for our buck," Doherty said.

The CSEPP governing board agreed that $200,000 of the funding set aside for the radio program could be shifted to the computer-assisted dispatch system, in exchange for Umatilla County waiving previously negotiated administrative fees.

We call that logical and responsible use of federal funding to achieve the increased safety the two systems working in tandem will provide.

If GASP's primary concern is the safety of the local population, it should applaud the acquisition of both systems. Instead, the plea to the governor appears to be yet another attempt by GASP to derail the incinerator on the Umatilla Chemical Depot.

That incinerator is done and going through testing. The Army hopes to begin destroying weapons by the end of the year or early next year. GASP wants an alternative technology used to destroy the weapons, which it sees as safer, regardless of the immense cost and time delays that would entail.

That fact is the incinerator at the Umatilla Chemical Depot is the best ever built because it incorporates the lessons learned elsewhere. No expense was spared to make it as safe as scientifically possible. We are confident it can do the job it was built to do, safely and efficiently. It should be allowed to do so as quickly as testing and state supervision dictates.

We are equally confident CSEPP is up to the task in the highly unlikely event of a chemical disaster. (There have been no deaths or serious injuries attributed to the incineration process at the two chemical incinerators the Army has operated thus far.)

GASP's latest objection is no reason to think differently.