Board, public to discuss
weapons
By Kasey
Doyle/News editor
Richmond residents and Eastern students have
a chance to voice their opinions and concerns about the Blue Grass Army Depot
at the Chemical Destruction Community Advisory Board meeting at 1 p.m. on
Tuesday in the Perkins Building.
The board will discuss issues related to the chemical weapons destruction
effort at the Blue Grass Army Depot.
The board meets quarterly and held its last meeting in October 2004. Madison
County Judge-Executive Kent Clark and Craig Williams, director of the Chemical
Weapons Working Group, co-chair the board.
The board was formed in October 2003 as a way to get the community and local
government involved with the Blue Grass Army Depot, said Mickey Morales,
public involvement manager of Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass.
Williams said the main focus of the meeting will be the depot budget cuts
and transportation of chemical weapons. He said the community will also be
updated on emergency response and the condition of the weapons stockpile.
The meeting gives residents a chance to discuss the depot "openly, honestly
and up front," said Morales. It gives the community a chance to work together
to solve the issues with the depot.
Michael W. Wynne, acting under secretary of defense acquisition, technology
and logistics, was invited to attend the meeting to discuss matters involving
the depot and to "explain the basis for the decisions," but he was unavailable
due to schedule conflicts, Williams said.
According to a press release by the United States Army Chemical Materials
Agency, as of Jan. 26 chemical weapons disposal operations in Utah, Maryland,
Alabama, Oregon and on Johnston Island have resulted in the destruction of
almost 35 percent of the nation's declared chemical weapons stockpile. Disposal
operations are set to begin in Arkansas and Indiana in the coming months.
The Blue Grass Army Depot may face delays in the disposal of chemical weapons
due to funding cuts within George W. Bush's 2005 fiscal budget. The Department
of Defense has directed the Army to study alternatives to dispose of the weapons,
which includes transporting the chemical weapons to another incineration plant.
Last week, the Richmond City Commission passed an ordinance that would ban
the transport of chemical weapons through Richmond city limits.
"I applaud it," Williams said. "It sends a strong signal..."
The City of Berea passed a similar ordinance several years ago, Williams
said. He also said the Madison County Fiscal Court has plans to pass a similar
ordinance.
Morales said if students or Richmond residents are concerned about issues
dealing with the depot they should attend the Feb. 15 meeting and voice their
opinions.
"We're encouraging the public to attend," Morales said.
Residents can contact the Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass Outreach Office at 626-8944
or at outreach@bechtel.com.
Reach Kasey at
kasey_doyle7@eku.edu