The U.S. Department of Defense has agreed to release approximately $235 million in funding through 2006 for the Blue Grass Army Depot for the planned neutralization program of 523 tons of chemical weapons there and a similar amount of funds for a sister site at Pueblo, Colo.

The DOD also has agreed to take off the table "at this time" the option of transporting the chemical weapons from the two sites to incinerators in other states.

"It seems that the Department of Defense recognizes the errors of its ways," Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., stated in a release Tuesday night. "As I've said all along, in order for the chemical weapons stockpile at the (depot) to be safely destroyed they need the funds to be spent at the facility and not tied up in Washington bureaucracy.

"There is a long history of broken promises and mismanagement, but (Tuesday's) announcement is a step in the right direction," McConnell said. "Unfortunately, I have learned through experience that we will need to keep a watchful eye on the program to ensure that the safe disposal of these horrific and deadly weapons becomes a reality."

U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler, D-6th District, who represents Madison County and who on April 6 told a sub-committee of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee that transportation of the chemical stockpile at the depot was "not a option," said Tuesday's announcement was the "best news we have heard all year. ...

"Making sure that the operations of the (depot) remain on schedule has been one of my top priorities since coming to office and I am pleased to see the Department of Defense come full circle on this issue," Chandler said.

"Destroying the chemical weapons stockpiles in our own backyards is absolutely vital to homeland security."

Both McConnell and Chandler praised director Craig Williams and the Chemical Weapons Working Group, the Berea-based citizens' watchdog organization, for their steadfast dedication in pressuring the DOD to continue its planned neutralization project.

"This is a tremendous win for the citizens of Madison County and Kentucky," Williams said Tuesday night. "We appreciate Senator McConnell and Representative Chandler for recognizing the critical role the (CWWG) played in accomplishing this development."

Last January, the CWWG obtained and released internal DOD documents revealing proposed funding cuts for the depot and the Pueblo 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 the two stockpiles be prioritized.

The release of the funds will allow the government and its contractor, Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass, to continue with design work and reschedule construction activities at the depot.

"From what we've heard, we're certainly optimistic about being able to continue design so we can ultimately destroy the chemical stockpile and make the community safer," said Mickey Morales, public outreach manager for Bechtel Parsons.

The funding, to be roughly split between the two sites, includes about $300 million in 2005 monies, $70 million released earlier this month, $75 million in held from 2003-04 and $32 million in the fiscal year 2006 budget.

Last month, during Senate Budget Committee hearings on the fiscal year 2006 budget, Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., questioned then-Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz on the DOD's delays and budget shortfalls for the process and program to eliminate the chemical weapons at the depot.

"For too long the DOD has been simply dragging its feet and thwarting the will of the Senate," Bunning said. The "memo reveals a real commitment to getting rid of these weapons in a safe and timely manner, and Senator McConnell and I will continue to hold DOD's feet to the fire on this important matter."

The Pentagon memo, from Michael W. Wynne, under secretary of defense, to Michael Parker, program manager of the assembled chemical weapons alternative, directs Parker to "... develop a prudent budget submittal that balances the cost, schedule and performance objectives while maximizing safety, security and the opportunity to achieve 100 percent Chemical Weapons Convention destruction deadline.

"I understand that you already have information indicating means and methods that balance these objectives without the necessity to address the concept of transportation at this time."

Under an international treaty, ratified by the Senate in 1997, the weapons stockpiled at eight sites across the country must be destroyed by 2012. The depot and Pueblo sites are the only ones where disposal facilities have not been constructed.

Although the Pentagon was considering transporting the chemical weapons to incinerator sites, the National Defense Authorization Act of 1995 prohibits the transfer of chemical munitions across state lines.

In a symbolic move, Richmond City Commission approved an ordinance in February banning the transport of chemical weapons outside of the depot.

Mayor Connie Lawson, who sat in the Senate gallery last week to watch McConnell's measure to block the DOD from redirecting chemical weapons disposal funds from the depot and the Pueblo site be introduced, said Tuesday night that McConnell "really worked the crowd (Senate). It was great to see the process at work."

Madison Judge-Executive Kent Clark said, "Even to suggest looking into transportation again was crazy. They looked into that years ago and decided it wasn't an option. We're very happy that they made the decision they were supposed to do a long time ago."

Jim Todd can be reached at editor@richmondregister. com or 623-1669, Ext. 232.