for more information:
Craig Williams (859) 986-7565
for immediate release: Monday - May 14, 2001
The Chemical Weapons Working Group (CWWG) points to a Congressional Research Service (CRS) review released today as substantiating their position that the Army misled Congress at Hearings held in late April by presenting false schedule and cost data for its chemical weapons incineration program.
At the April 25 Senate Defense Appropriations Hearing, the Army's Program Manager for Chemical Demilitarization (PMCD) testified that incineration of chemical weapons could be completed by 2007. In later testimony, CWWG Director Craig Williams presented calculations, using data from an internal Army report, showing that the incineration program will extend more than seven years beyond the 2007 date. That Army report, "Operations Schedule Task Force 2000 Final Report," reviewed operational data from chemical weapons incinerators in the Pacific and Utah to facilitate revision of all incinerator schedules.
Following the Hearing, in an apparent attempt to discredit CWWG testimony, PMCD, the Army agency responsible for chem weapons disposal, launched a media campaign calling the internal report used by Williams, a "worst-case scenario." Further, a PMCD news release charged that CWWG had "misrepresented this internal assessment."
The CRS review however found just the opposite. In reviewing the Report and Williams' presentation, CRS noted that the Army Report "(m)akes no mention of 'worst-case scenario' and offers substantial internal evidence that argues to the contrary. Taking this into consideration,, it would appear that the Final Report's revised munition destruction rates are, in fact, conservative, rather than 'worst-case scenario.'" The CRS goes on to say, "My examination of Mr. Williams' assessment indicates that his calculations are accurate, and reflect the destruction rate adjustments recommended in the Final Report"
Williams responded, "The CRS review both vindicated CWWG's integrity and exposed how PMCD continues to make false claims to the Congress, the media and the public."
Based on these latest developments, the CWWG, a national grassroots coalition advocating safe disposal of chemical weapons, is calling for a complete overhaul of the chemical weapons disposal program to ensure honesty, accountability and oversight.
"It's time to clean house," said Williams. "When the mission is disposing of the most lethal chemicals on the planet in the midst of populated areas those in charge should not be driven by image and public relations, rather safety must come first. Obviously marketing is the number one priority at PMCD and this is unacceptable."
Copies of the CRS review are available from the CWWG office
or can be downloaded off our website.
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