ROSS WILL FIGHT ANY CLOSING OF ARSENAL

By Ray King /OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF

Describing the Pine Bluff Arsenal as a strategic military asset, U.S. Rep. Mike Ross said he would fight any attempt to close the facility.

"There will be another round of base realignments and I'm cautiously optimistic the Arsenal will be fine," Ross said last week.

Ross, D-Prescott, said the next round would probably happen in 2007, although initial work may begin as early as next year.

"About the time we get rid of the (chemical weapons) stockpile is when this is going to happen," Ross said. "I'm hoping by the time we do, this process will already have come and gone."

If the Arsenal is mentioned as a possible candidate for closing, Ross said he believes it will have to do with the weapons currently stored there, since "they can move the jobs at the Arsenal, the production stuff, anywhere they want."

"I think one of the things that has kept the Pine Bluff Arsenal safe during previous base realignments is the fact that it was sitting on one of the largest stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons in America," Ross said.

"Obviously, when those are incinerated, I think it will be a greater challenge to ensure the long-term stability of the Arsenal here."

A possible future use could be the development of a vaccine production facility, he said.

"We continue to try and convince this administration that the government needs to get into the vaccine production business," Ross said. "The Pine Bluff Arsenal was picked as the best site for that back in the middle '90s, instead of going with a private contractor."

"I think back in 1997 the government went with a private contractor and today they still haven't produced the first dose of FDA-approved vaccine. In the post 9-11 era we're living in, I think the government has an obligation and a duty to get back in the vaccine production business."

Ross also said he was working with Arkansas' two U.S. senators on another Arsenal project, the production of white phosphorous.

"As I understand it, that's the only place in the free world outside of Israel where white phosphorous is made," Ross said.

"That's a high strategic asset to our men and women in uniform and I think we will continue to find ways to increase the Pine Bluff Arsenal's mission in the scope of our national security."

Ross expressed concern not only about the Arsenal, but also the Red River Army Depot at Texarkana, which is also in his district.

"This administration wants to privatize as many government jobs as they can and they are on record as saying that," Ross said. "Between depots and arsenals, I think there are only about a dozen of them left in America.

"I'm concerned about the long-term future of them and we will just have to put up the best fight we can when the time comes."

Ross was interviewed at The Commercial office last week after spending the day attending several events in Pine Bluff.