HERMISTON — The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality gave approval Thursday for resumption of processing M55 GB rockets at the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility.

The DEQ had issued a stop processing order on May 18 after three fires occurred at the UMCDF just weeks apart. The DEQ wanted assurances from the Army and UMCDF that every avenue had been addressed to decrease the likelihood of future fires.

An extensive three-week review which was done after the shutdown provided state regulators with detailed information regarding the facility's investigation into the cause of the fires, the safety of the facility in case of future fires, and identification of actions already taken or under consideration. That review was enough to allow DEQ to give the go-ahead to restart processing rockets.

According to Dennis Murphey, administrator for DEQ, says his department is satisfied "that the facility is prepared to safely resume the destruction of M55 rockets containing chemical agent."

"We reviewed an awful lot of material," Murphey said. "After taking a look at those things, we are satisfied."

At UMCDF, processing M55 rockets began again at 1:45 p.m. on Thursday.

"At 1:45, we got the word that they resumed processing," said Adam Russell, assistant protocol officer for Washington Group International, the contractor for the facility. "Fifteen minutes later, both lines were going."

Russell says for the first five rockets being processed, only one rocket at a time will be punched, drained and chopped in each Explosive Containment Room to ensure there are no problems with the process.

While the facility wasn't processing rockets, work continued, Russell says.

"We burned agent and spent decontamination solution," Russell said.