DANVILLE -- Destroying the deadly VX nerve agent at the Newport Chemical Depot in Indiana will end a longtime threat to surrounding counties. But ending the danger also ends funding to the Vermilion County Emergency Management Agency, and other agencies, that stand ready for a VX emergency.
By the end of next year, Newport Chemical Depot officials anticipate
the last of the VX will be destroyed. And by September of next year,
the Vermilion County Emergency Management Agency will lose a
significant amount of its funding connected with Newport.
In the event of a VX emergency, a southeastern portion of Vermilion County sits within the danger zone. For that reason, the local emergency management agency has received funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program.
Losing that funding stream will have a definite effect on the agency, according to Executive Director Bob Huff.
Currently, that money pays the assistant director's entire salary, as well as the agency's building insurance, electricity, gas, water and pays for maintenance on some vehicles and trailers and the purchase of certain vehicles and other equipment.
At this point, the funds will be cut off by Sept. 30, 2008, two months short of the end of the county's fiscal year in November. Huff said the county will have to make up the difference for those two months.
Beyond that, Huff hoped Homeland Security might have money to replace the chemical stockpile dollars.
"Right now, there's nothing there," said Huff, who wasn't sure what percentage of his agency's revenues the chemical stockpile funding constitutes.
What this means for EMA and the county's budget will be discussed during the county's budget process, set to begin next month.
"It's definitely going to affect us and affect the county," Huff said.
Earlier this year, the county's property committee discussed cost overruns with EMA's new headquarters.
In 2005, EMA received a $249,000 grant in chemical stockpile money through the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. The funding enabled EMA to move its headquarters out of the Public Safety Building, 2 E. South St. in Danville, and into a standalone facility at 2507 Georgetown Road, south of Danville.
EMA officials said the new location would make the agency more accessible to the public and volunteers, centralize all its equipment and personnel and, in the event of an emergency, provide an alternative site where the county's emergency services could operate.
In the summer of 2005, Vermilion County paid $200,000 for the two buildings on Georgetown Road for its new location, leaving about $49,000 for renovations and materials. In 2006, the funds were exhausted, and the agency received an additional $40,000 in grant money from IEPA to buy a generator and more materials to finish the work.
The renovations are still not complete, however, and the county has had to use some of its own buildings and grounds personnel for the work.
Terry Arthur, public affairs officer at the Newport facility, said the counties surrounding Newport, including Vermilion County, will have closeout funds available to them next year. Arthur said it will be a one-time chunk of money to help the agencies wrap up equipment and administrative issues.
Huff said the agency may lose some of the equipment, including vehicles and trailers, it has purchased in the past with the chemical stockpile dollars. FEMA may redistribute the equipment to other agencies in other states. Newport is one of eight chemical stockpile sites in the nation.
Arthur said all of the effected counties in Indiana and Illinois are working on closeout plans that will be subject to approval by state and federal emergency management officials.
Huff said he will learn more from state and federal officials as the process moves along, but changes will have to be made not only in the funding structure of EMA but in daily operations.
"Those are things we have to look at as we get into budget talks," he said. "We'll learn more as we go along."