Chemical Weapons Working Group
P.O. Box 467 Berea, Kentucky 40403
606-986-7565 - 606-986-2695 (fax)
kefwilli@acs.eku.edu - - www.cwwg.org
June 17, 1999
Honorable Louis Caldera
Secretary of the Army
101 Army, Pentagon
Washington, DC 20310
Dear Secretary Caldera,
I am writing to you concerning the Assembled Chemical Weapons Assessment (ACWA) Program, and to present evidence showing efforts by Deputy Secretary of the Army for Chemical Demilitarization, Dr. Theodore Prociv, to limit the successes of this program.
As you may recall, ACWA's mission, as directed by Congress in 1996 in PL 104-208 is to demonstrate non-incineration technologies for the disposal of chemical weapons. The program was created in response to serious concerns by citizens and Congress that the incineration of chemical weapons is not protective of public health and the environment.
By May 1998 ACWA had identified six non-incineration technologies which, having passed through stringent technical criteria, were eligible to move forward to the demonstration phase. However $25 million was needed to demonstrate all six. However, based on Dr. Prociv's representations of funds not being available, ACWA managers were forced to make a decision for demonstrations based on cost, when Congress' intent was that all viable technologies would be demonstrated.
Since the six were identified, efforts undertaken by Congress, ACWA participants and citizens at the chemical weapons stockpile sites to identify $25 million within the chemical demilitarization agency have failed. Dr. Prociv consistently maintained that he was working to identify funds but that 'the money is just not there.' Now, evidence exists to show that, in fact, the chemical demilitarization budget has been grossly misrepresented.
A February 1999 memorandum and accounting spreadsheet (attached) from an Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) Comptroller points out that hundreds of millions of dollars within the chemical demilitarization program were available at the time to fulfill the Congressional intent of 104-208. More incriminating yet, the memo states that chem demil managers attempted to "...hide excess FY 1998 funds," and, "In the world of O&M what they are doing is almost criminal."
The Fiscal Year 2000 Senate Defense Appropriations Committee Report reads, "The Committee is concerned with the lack of oversight afforded the Chemical Demilitarization Program within the executive branch. In a review of the program's funding, the Committee discovered that funds had systematically been obligated without being expended and in some instances funds were unobligated. Rather than facing a shortfall in funding, the program had over $200 million of Operation and Maintenance funds unexpended at the end of fiscal year 1998."
Senator McConnell (R-KY) had this to say on June 8, 1999 on the Senate floor: " This information shows clearly that there is no truth to the assertion that there were not sufficient funds available to allow for the demonstration of all viable alternatives to baseline incineration."
Mr. Secretary, Dr. Prociv has misrepresented the fiscal situation within the chemical stockpile disposal program to hundreds of citizens, the media, Congressional staff and his own superiors. The Chemical Weapons Working Group believes that his actions were intended to derail the objectives of the ACWA program and further propel the incineration program.
The greatest threat to the chemical demilitarization program is the inability of program leaders to act in good faith. Dr. Prociv has seriously damaged the integrity of the ACWA program and the overall disposal program. Under these circumstances, the CWWG respectfully requests that you insist on the resignation of Dr. Prociv.
Only with new leadership can the program be trusted and expected to fulfill the intent of Congress and the United States' commitment to comply with it's obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention.
Enclosed please find a copy of the OSD memo and other relevant information. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
Craig Williams, Director
Chemical Weapons Working Group
 CWWG Home Page |
Contact us: |