Hermiston Herald
April 9, 2002

Governor not ready to embrace alternative technology

By Frank Lockwood
of the Hermiston Herald

HERMISTON - Gov. John Kitzhaber said a talk with a top Army official has not
convinced him to support neutralization of the mustard agent stored at
Umatilla Chemical Depot.

Kitzhaber made his comments during a visit to Hermiston last Tuesday.
Mario Fiori, assistant secretary of the Army for Installations and
Environment, had mentioned neutralization, among a wide range of proposals,
during a stop in Hermiston last month. Fiori said the method would
accelerate chemical weapons destruction stored at Umatilla Chemical Depot.

Fiori presented similar information to the governor.

One proposal involved neutralizing mustard agent which is scheduled for
incineration after the burning of rockets and nerve gas.

Following Tuesday's tour of the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility at
the Umatilla Chemical Depot, Kitzhaber met with Umatilla and Morrow County
officials to discuss community emergency preparedness. Present were
Hermiston Fire Chief Jim Stearns, representatives from both counties'
Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Programs, county commissioners,
mayors and others.

Kitzhaber said the meeting with Fiori produced more concerns than answers.
"To drop in some new technology in at the 11th hour, I think raises to me a
concern," Kitzhaber said.

On the other hand, he said, Fiori had not pushed hard for neutralization.

"The visit with Dr. Fiori wasn't a hard sell. He wasn't saying, 'We are
going to do this.' (Fiori) said, 'This is a possibility. What do you think
about it? And I raised questions."

Kitzhaber also said he would not waive state oversight with a document
called a "Consent Decree."

"I, at any rate, have questions about whether we would sign this Consent
Decree, that would bypass the usual administrative process. So we are
definitely not ready to go there."

Kitzhaber promised emergency managers and commissioners they would have a
voice in any decision he made regarding a change of technologies.

"Obviously if (Fiori) could convince us collectively that there was a way to
reduce the threat to the community quicker, we would be able to look at it,
but it's a long ways from here to (that point) this morning," Kitzhaber
said. "I want to tell you that I am not going to sign up for anything that
this group isn't completely comfortable with."

In the meanwhile, Kitzhaber promised support for the present, baseline,
technology. "I believe that we are going to continue to move forward on the
path that we have been charted for, and I don't see any justification for
changing horses in the middle of the stream here," he said.

The governor's decision should stand. According to Kitzhaber, the Army has
agreed not to overrule the state. "We have been told that, if we choose not
to do (the new technology), they are not going to exercise whatever higher
authority they have to run over us," Kitzhaber reported.

In view of upcoming gubernatorial elections, Kitzhaber said the next
governor should begin well grounded, with an understanding of chemical
demilitarization and of the facility.

"I am going to recommend when we know who the two candidates are, that
they will take time to come out here and spend a little time here with this
group," he said. "I will make that opportunity available to them and
hopefully they will grab the opportunity to be up to speed."

The state should continue to argue vigorously for impact assistance, he
said, and should continuing to use those gathered (the CSEPP Governing Board
and the Citizens Advisory Commission).

"This is not an issue that can be managed without some kind of governing
board, and this executive community that we have right here, people who are
living in the area. That's a must, and I think that you should expect the
next administration to take a personal interest in this, and to maintain
budgetary support necessary for the state agencies that have to be involved
in this," Kitzhaber said.

Incineration is not supposed to be allowed until the governor agrees that
adequate emergency preparedness is in place. He has selected the Executive
Review Panel, with members from CSEPP, emergency management, first
responders, and state agencies, to inform him as to readiness before he
makes a final determination.

"I am going to have the responsibility of making the decision about whether
we go forward or not, but I am very confident that the Executive Review
Panel and the excellent diligence of the people involved here are going to
get us to the right decision," he said, "and I am really looking forward to
your comments and recommendations."