VX Waste to
Be Shipped from Indiana to Texas in the Dead of Night
CHEMICAL
WEAPONS WORKING GROUP
P.O. Box 467, Berea, KY 40403
Phone: (859) 986-7565
Fax: (859) 986-2695
www.cwwg.org kefcwwg@cwwg.org
for
additional information contact:
Craig Williams (859) 986-7565
Hilton Kelley (409) 498-1088
Sara Morgan (765) 498-4472
Craig Williams (859) 986-7565
Hilton Kelley (409) 498-1088
Sara Morgan (765) 498-4472
for
immediate release: Sunday, April 15, 2007
SOURCES SAY FIRST VX WASTE TO BE SHIPPED
FROM INDIANA TO TEXAS IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT!
Inside Sources Tell Citizens Group That
Tankers Contain Higher Levels of Chemical Warfare Agent Than
Represented to the Public, Regulators and Emergency Responders
In
their continued pattern of hiding information and activities from the
public, the Army agency in charge of disposing of the nation's
stockpile of chemical weapons stored in Newport, Indiana is allegedly
going to begin shipments of VX agent by-products before daylight
tomorrow morning, 16 April. Ironically, the Army has scheduled a public
meeting concerning the shipment for 6:00 P.M that same evening, hours
after the shipments have already occurred.
The proposed shipment of the by-product of the most lethal chemical warfare agent in the U.S. stockpile has raised concerns among citizens groups in Indiana as well as in Texas where the material is destined. The Army has contracted to have the waste incinerated in Port Arthur, Texas after unsuccessful attempts to have it treated in Ohio and New Jersey, where the waste was rejected due to public health and environmental concerns.
Chemical Weapons Working Group (CWWG) Director, Craig Williams said, "The unprincipled manner by which Army officials contracted with the Texas firm is only matched by their fraudulent appearance of concern for public opinion by holding a public meeting after the fact."
Hilton Kelley, a Port Arthur resident and director of Community In-Power Development Association has requested the Army hold public meeting in his community and nearby Beaumont, Texas before any material is shipped in. "Texas citizens are no less deserving of public dialogue and consultation on this issue than citizens in Ohio and New Jersey," said Kelley.
Even more serious is the fact that inside sources at the Indiana facility, who wish to remain anonymous, have communicated serious concerns about the tankers' content being misrepresented to potentially impacted communities. They have conveyed detailed information to the CWWG alleging that reformation of VX has occurred during storage leading to higher concentrations than are being reported to the public and emergency responders. In addition separation of the liquid material into layers during storage has resulted in higher concentrations of VX and EA2192 (an experimental agent nearly as deadly as VX) than are being publicly divulged.
Efforts are underway by various concerned parties to have either the Indiana Department of Environmental Management or the Indiana State Troopers halt the shipment until an independent analysis of the waste can be undertaken. Additionally, communicating this recent information to Congressional members from both Indiana and Texas has been underway most of the weekend.
Sara Morgan a concerned citizen from Indiana asked, "We have been on the receiving end of secrecy, deception, half-truths, and untruths -what has been the necessity for such subterfuge?"
If not stopped, the VX by-product (hydrolysate) will be transported across eight states including Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. And, although it is required by Indiana law for the Army to "coordinate the transport with the appropriate state agencies of each state through which the substance will be transported," that coordination has consisted of one or two meetings between IN and IL, with the other states participating on a conference call only last Thursday,
"This is not 'coordination' amongst the states," said Williams. "It's more a notification that 'here we come, ready or not', which is totally irresponsible on behalf of the Army."
The CWWG is urging citizens and elected officials from all impacted states to demand accurate characterization of the waste and adequate information to all emergency responders along the transportation corridor.
The proposed shipment of the by-product of the most lethal chemical warfare agent in the U.S. stockpile has raised concerns among citizens groups in Indiana as well as in Texas where the material is destined. The Army has contracted to have the waste incinerated in Port Arthur, Texas after unsuccessful attempts to have it treated in Ohio and New Jersey, where the waste was rejected due to public health and environmental concerns.
Chemical Weapons Working Group (CWWG) Director, Craig Williams said, "The unprincipled manner by which Army officials contracted with the Texas firm is only matched by their fraudulent appearance of concern for public opinion by holding a public meeting after the fact."
Hilton Kelley, a Port Arthur resident and director of Community In-Power Development Association has requested the Army hold public meeting in his community and nearby Beaumont, Texas before any material is shipped in. "Texas citizens are no less deserving of public dialogue and consultation on this issue than citizens in Ohio and New Jersey," said Kelley.
Even more serious is the fact that inside sources at the Indiana facility, who wish to remain anonymous, have communicated serious concerns about the tankers' content being misrepresented to potentially impacted communities. They have conveyed detailed information to the CWWG alleging that reformation of VX has occurred during storage leading to higher concentrations than are being reported to the public and emergency responders. In addition separation of the liquid material into layers during storage has resulted in higher concentrations of VX and EA2192 (an experimental agent nearly as deadly as VX) than are being publicly divulged.
Efforts are underway by various concerned parties to have either the Indiana Department of Environmental Management or the Indiana State Troopers halt the shipment until an independent analysis of the waste can be undertaken. Additionally, communicating this recent information to Congressional members from both Indiana and Texas has been underway most of the weekend.
Sara Morgan a concerned citizen from Indiana asked, "We have been on the receiving end of secrecy, deception, half-truths, and untruths -what has been the necessity for such subterfuge?"
If not stopped, the VX by-product (hydrolysate) will be transported across eight states including Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. And, although it is required by Indiana law for the Army to "coordinate the transport with the appropriate state agencies of each state through which the substance will be transported," that coordination has consisted of one or two meetings between IN and IL, with the other states participating on a conference call only last Thursday,
"This is not 'coordination' amongst the states," said Williams. "It's more a notification that 'here we come, ready or not', which is totally irresponsible on behalf of the Army."
The CWWG is urging citizens and elected officials from all impacted states to demand accurate characterization of the waste and adequate information to all emergency responders along the transportation corridor.
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