for more information:
Craig Williams (859) 302-1103
Elizabeth Crowe (859) 986-7565

for immediate release: Wednesday, November 20, 2002

A dramatic milestone was reached today in the long debate over chemical weapons disposal, when the Pentagon released an official memorandum stating that neutralization and supercritical water oxidation -- not incineration -- is its preferred recommended technology for destruction of chemical weapons stored at the Blue Grass Army Depot. The memorandum, signed by Undersecretary of the Army Edward "Pete" Aldridge, should lead to a final decision for the same technology by the end of this year, or early 2003.

"After enduring more than a decade of constant condemnation of its incineration program, and demands to protect our community from lethal chemical agents," said Kentucky Environmental Foundation and Chemical Weapons Working Group Director Craig Williams, "the Army has finally changed its mind and recommended safer, non-incineration technology for chemical weapons stored at the Blue Grass Army Depot."

Williams continued, "This recommendation is a win for our children. It is a win for our families, for workers, and for the very future of our community. Now that there is consensus on technology, we look forward to working with the Army to get the job done."

U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell also hailed today's announcement, saying, "This is a victory for Kentucky won by Kentuckians. The grassroots effort to ensure safe destruction of these terrible weapons has won the day. But, we must not let down our guard. The Army should be on notice: that I and this community will remain vigorous in our oversight to make sure every appropriate measure is taken to protect the safety and interests of this community."

The debate over incineration began in 1984 almost as soon as the Army first announced to the Madison County community its plans to burn the 523 tons of chemical weapons stored at the Depot. "We thought the idea was ridiculous and more than a little dangerous," said Kathy Flood, a founder of the local group Concerned Citizens of Madison County. "We knew that the government could find something better than incineration to destroy chemical weapons."

And indeed they did. In 1995 in response to citizen demands, the U.S. Congress mandated a federal program to identify and demonstrate alternatives to incineration for assembled chemical weapons, appropriately named the Assembled Chemical Weapons Assessment (ACWA) Program. After several years of technology demonstrations, four technologies were proven through the ACWA program as viable alternatives to incineration of chemical weapons. The threshold for viability, said Doug Hindman of the Kentucky Citizens Advisory Commission, was much higher than that for incineration because the demonstration criteria was so stringent. "Matched up to the ACWA demonstration criteria, incineration would have never passed," Hindman said. In June 2002 the Citizens Advisory Commission (CAC), after years of review and community dialogue, recommended an ACWA technology over incineration, noting technology advantages such as:

• containment of chemical agent and other toxic materials;
  
• low-temperature treatment of chemical agent;
  
• capability to control chemical agent in both normal and upset conditions; and
  low air emissions.

The CAC soon obtained endorsements for its recommendation from each of Kentucky's federal elected officials, City of Berea, Madison County Fiscal Court, the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, numerous regional and state community groups, area physicians, and hundreds of Madison County and central Kentucky citizens. On November 5, the CAC presented its recommendations directly to Pentagon officials.

The CAC's Worley Johnson said, "It was very empowering to present to the Pentagon a united recommendation for chemical weapons disposal. Years of hard work at the grassroots and civic level has ensured that this community is informed, involved and united in its demand for non-incineration technology. We're ready to get on with the job!"

"Although it has taken some time, this is the exact kind of announcement we have been looking for all these years. This is a great win for Kentucky," said Senator Jim Bunning. "Much is owed to the public and political pressure from folks in and around Madison County, especially Craig Williams and the CWWG for its commitment to this issue all these years. When you all speak, we listen. And I and my Kentucky colleagues in Congress will continue to keep DOD on track to rid these munitions in the safest way possible."

The CWWG is still working diligently toward replacing chemical weapons incinerators in Utah, Alabama, Arkansas and Oregon with non-incineration methods. Williams said, "This decision is good news not only to those of us here in Kentucky, but to citizens living in the shadow of incinerator smokestacks who are fighting for environmental justice and want the same level of public health protection that we will soon have."

The memorandum signed today will initiate a 30-day holding period for a Final Environmental Impact Statement on the recommended technology. A final "Record of Decision" is expected to come sometime in the next two months.

Peter Hille, one of the founders of the local group Common Ground and the Kentucky Environmental Foundation, said "This is a triumph for democracy. We demanded the protection of our community, and got it. We demanded involvement in the technology decision-making process and we got it. We remain committed to working cooperatively with decision makers and community leaders until every last drop of chemical agent at the Depot has been safely destroyed."

Richmond resident Tracy Powell-McCoy said, "As a mother, a teacher, and lifelong Richmond resident I am thrilled at the Army's technology recommendation. Our children and grandchildren will know that all this work was for them, for their future. That's something we all should be proud of."

Excerpts from the Authorization Memorandum
(the memorandum itself is not yet available)

Authorization Memorandum: Authorization for Further Planning for Full-Scale Pilot-Testing of an Alternative Chemical Weapons Destruction Technology at the Blue Grass Army Depot (signed November 19). Addressed to Secretary of the Army and Program Manager for Assembled Chemical Weapons Assessment (PM ACWA).

Paragraph 1: Designates "neutralization followed by supercritical water oxidation (SCWO)" as the Department's preferred alternative technology for full-scale pilot-testing at Blue Grass Army Depot.

Paragraph 2: States 30 days after Army releases the Final Environmental Impact Statement, Mr. Aldridge will consider making the final technology decision.

Paragraph 3: Directs the Army and PM ACWA to work with OSD regarding Congressional notifications. Further directs ACWA to work with public and regulators in developing an accelerated destruction plan.