Pentagon Certifies Chem Weapons Disposal in KY & CO as
"Essential to National Security" However ... Yearly Funding Will Be Cut
CHEMICAL
WEAPONS WORKING GROUP
128 Main
St. Berea KY 40403
859-986-9868
859-986-2695 (F)
www.cwwg.org kefcwwg@cwwg.org
for
additional information contact:
Craig Williams - (859) 985-7565
(859) 302-1103
Craig Williams - (859) 985-7565
(859) 302-1103
for
immediate release: Thursday, January 11, 2007
PENTAGON CERTIFIES
CHEMICAL WEAPONS DISPOSAL IN KY & CO AS "ESSENTIAL
TO NATIONAL SECURITY"
However ... Yearly Funding for the Two Programs Will Be Cut
However ... Yearly Funding for the Two Programs Will Be Cut
Yesterday,
Undersecretary of Defense Kenneth Krieg, in charge of the chemical
weapons disposal programs in Colorado and Kentucky, certified to
Congress that the two programs should proceed, as they are "essential
to national security." The Undersecretary also acknowledged that the
weapons being stored in both states have been identified as a terrorist
"threat target" as recently as June 2006.
The certification, required in order to continue spending funds to destroy these weapons, estimated the total costs associated with completing the destruction program at $7.9 billion. This is the same amount presented to Congress in briefings last November, in which it was discovered that, at the Pentagon's planned funding rate, which constrains yearly spending and thus extends the disposal operations time frame, it would take until 2023 to complete the job.
However the Pentagon's present plan is irrational and unacceptable to local communities, because it has been well-documented that spending above the Pentagon's latest projected budget in the short term could reduce the overall cost of the program by more than $3 billion and have the weapons gone by 2015, perhaps earlier. "Yesterday's certification confirms the Pentagon's intentions to force communities to sit on these weapons of mass destruction for an additional 8 years and to significantly increase the disposal cost to taxpayers," said Craig Williams, Director of the Chemical Weapons Working Group (CWWG).
In addition to national security issues, the Undersecretary also certified that there was no alternative disposal technology that would be cheaper; that the management structure in place was adequate to control costs; and that the projected costs are reasonable.
However, for the communities the pace of the weapons destruction projects remains a critical issue.
"Mr. Krieg's certification verifies what we've known since we obtained the November briefing papers," said Williams. "The Pentagon continues to prioritize cutting costs each fiscal year over the safety of thousands of American citizens living in the shadow of these weapons. Knowing that continued storage poses the greatest risk and that the programs will cost more in the long run appears to have no effect on decision makers who live well outside the impact area."
The certification, required in order to continue spending funds to destroy these weapons, estimated the total costs associated with completing the destruction program at $7.9 billion. This is the same amount presented to Congress in briefings last November, in which it was discovered that, at the Pentagon's planned funding rate, which constrains yearly spending and thus extends the disposal operations time frame, it would take until 2023 to complete the job.
However the Pentagon's present plan is irrational and unacceptable to local communities, because it has been well-documented that spending above the Pentagon's latest projected budget in the short term could reduce the overall cost of the program by more than $3 billion and have the weapons gone by 2015, perhaps earlier. "Yesterday's certification confirms the Pentagon's intentions to force communities to sit on these weapons of mass destruction for an additional 8 years and to significantly increase the disposal cost to taxpayers," said Craig Williams, Director of the Chemical Weapons Working Group (CWWG).
In addition to national security issues, the Undersecretary also certified that there was no alternative disposal technology that would be cheaper; that the management structure in place was adequate to control costs; and that the projected costs are reasonable.
However, for the communities the pace of the weapons destruction projects remains a critical issue.
"Mr. Krieg's certification verifies what we've known since we obtained the November briefing papers," said Williams. "The Pentagon continues to prioritize cutting costs each fiscal year over the safety of thousands of American citizens living in the shadow of these weapons. Knowing that continued storage poses the greatest risk and that the programs will cost more in the long run appears to have no effect on decision makers who live well outside the impact area."
--
30 --
Certification documents are available upon request from the CWWG office.
Certification documents are available upon request from the CWWG office.
|
Contact us:
|
