Chemical Weapons Working Group
PO Box 467 Berea, KY 40403
(859) 986-7565 (859) 986-2695
www.cwwg.org
for more information:
Craig Williams (859) 986-7565
(859) 302-1103
for immediate release: Tuesday, April
19, 2005
IN A STUNNING 'ABOUT-FACE' PENTAGON
RELEASES ALL 2005 FUNDS FOR CO AND KY WEAPONS DISPOSAL PROGRAMS
Additionally, Funding Is Back on Track through End of 2006 and Weapons
Transportation Option Is Off the Table "At This Time"
In a memo sent to the Assembled Chemical
Weapons Alternatives (ACWA) office on 15 April, Acting Undersecretary of
Defense Michael Wynne responded to increasing Congressional demands in both
the Senate and House and reversed recent Department of Defense (DoD) decisions
that basically gutted chem weapons disposal programs at the ACWA sites of
Kentucky and Colorado.
Following hearings in both the House and Senate and
forceful speeches on the Senate Floor last week from Sen. Mitch McConnell
(R-KY) and Sen. Wayne Allard (R-CO), Mr. Wynne apparently decided to get
the programs back on track.
Last January, the Chemical Weapons Working Group (CWWG)
obtained and released internal DoD documents revealing proposed funding cuts
for the KY and CO disposal projects. Since then the Pentagon has been up
against a gathering storm of bi-partisan legislators who have not backed
down from their insistence that the safe and expeditious destruction of these
stockpiles be prioritized.
Wynne's memo directs the immediate release of all 2005
funds for CO and KY (about $300 million) that until now had been frozen by
the Pentagon. The release of these funds, along with funds requested in the
'06 budget should allow continued progress towards disposal through the end
of next year at both sites.
The memo also directs ACWA to "indicate the adjustments
in the FY'07 budget request," reflecting a willingness of the Pentagon to
increase the requested amount to allow for continued execution of the two
programs. The current '07 request is approximately $32 million to be shared
by both sites.
Finally, the Wynne memo suspends a previous directive
that transportation be considered as an option for the CO and KY stockpiles.
Resurrecting this option, currently forbidden by federal law, led to a enormous
outcry in opposition at local communities, and by State and Federal elected
officials - all rejecting the concept of shipping such weapons into or out
of their sites.
"This is a tremendous development and a win for the
citizens of CO and KY,:" said CWWG Director Craig Williams, "it appears that
relegating these sites to 'caretaker status' for the next five years is not
going to become reality."
Williams added, "The effort put forward by the Congressional
delegations from both states, was extraordinary in response to community
concerns surrounding the Pentagon's plan to stop the disposal of these weapons.
Sen McConnell led the fight, not only uniting the Kentucky delegation, but
in a series of letters, floor speeches and legislative actions, put the Pentagon
on notice that he would not tolerate anything other than continuing the effort
to dispose of these weapons,"
"We all owe a great deal of gratitude to Sen. McConnell,"
said Williams. "He has never wavered in his commitment to act in the best
interests of the citizens of Central Kentucky on this issue."
--30--
A copy of the Wynne memo is available from the
CWWG office upon request.
