Environmental Organization
Urges U.S. Army to Protect Anniston, AL Residents
Date: March 22, 2004
Contact: David Ludder, 850-591-4250
For Immediate Release
Tallahassee, FL. -- On Saturday, March 20, 2004, the Board of Directors of
the Legal
Environmental Assistances Foundation, Inc. (LEAF) passed a resolution urging
the U.S. Army to
protect the residents of Anniston, Alabama from chemical warfare agent releases
to the
atmosphere.
The resolution calls for the installation infrared air monitors around the
Anniston
Army Depot that will quickly detect and identify releases of chemical warfare
agents.
According to LEAF’s President, David Ludder, “Eighteen agent releases have
occurred at
other facilities similar to the Anniston facility. The nearly 75,000 people
living within a10- mile
radius of the Depot deserve early and accurate detection and warning of any
agent release from
the Depot.”
The National Academy of Sciences’ National Research Council identifies infrared
monitoring devices as capable of providing a higher level of detection, quantification
and
identification of atmospheric chemical warfare agents.
“Given that this community faces the threat of agent releases for seven more
years, LEAF’s Board of Directors believes that it is unconscionable that
the community not be given the highest level of protection,” Ludder added.
The resolution is copied below.
###
LEAF is a membership-based environmental organization dedicated to protecting
people’s health and environment in Alabama, Florida and Georgia.
chemweaponsrsolutionpressrelease
Legal Environmental Assistance Foundation
1114 Thomasville Road, Suite E
Tallahassee, Florida 32303-6290
Tel: (850) 681-2591
Fax: (850) 224-1275
leaf@leaflaw.org
www.leaflaw.org
RESOLUTION
LEGAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSISTANCE FOUNDATION, INC.
Whereas, the United States Army ("the Army") is currently engaged
in the process of
incinerating chemical weapons at the Anniston Army Depot ("the Depot") located
near Anniston,
Alabama;
Whereas, the Army announced its intent to continue incinerating chemical
weapons at
the Depot until sometime in 2011;
Whereas, approximately 75,000 people live within a ten- mile radius
of the Depot;
Whereas, there have been 18 releases of chemical warfare agents into
the atmosphere at
facilities similar to the incinerator at the Anniston Army Depot, i.e., the
Chemical Agent
Munitions Disposal System (CAMDS) in Tooele County, Utah, Johnston Atoll
Chemical Agent
Disposal System (JACADS) on Johnston Atoll, and the Tooele Chemical Disposal
Facility
(TOCDF) in Tooele County, Utah;
Whereas, atmospheric chemical warfare agent monitoring devices currently
installed at
or near the Depot are not capable of reliably identifying the quantity or
type of chemical warfare
agents released into the environment in a reasonable time;
Whereas, in the event of a future chemical agent release, if superior
monitoring devices
are not installed, citizens of communities near the Depot may not be able
to take action in
sufficient time to prevent injury because of the delay between the time of
a chemical agent
release and the time that the currently- used monitoring devices can provide
reliable information
about the type and quantity of the release;
Whereas, the National Research Council of the National Academy of
Sciences has
repeatedly identified infrared monitoring devices as capable of providing
a higher level of
detection, quantification and identification of atmospheric chemical warfare
agents;
Whereas, a network of such infrared monitoring devices could be installed
at the Depot
which would be capable of quickly detecting and identifying chemical agent
releases such that
citizens of communities near the Depot and Depot employees may obtain information
about the
release in sufficient time to take action to protect their lives and health;
Now Therefore, be it resolved, that the Legal Environmental Assistance
Foundation, Inc.
urges the Army to install a network of infrared air monitors around the Depot
which are capable
of quickly detecting and identifying chemical warfare agent releases such
that citizens of nearby
communities and Depot employees may obtain information about the type and
quantity of the
release in sufficient time to take action to protect their lives and health.
Approved by unanimous vote of the Board of Directors on March 20, 2004.
Attest: ____________________________
Richard L. Ottinger, Chair