Citizens advisory board recognized at international conference
By Ronica Brandenburg/Register News Writer

A local citizens' advisory council was praised in Russia at a national dialogue forum earlier this month.

Craig Williams, director of the Chemical Weapons Working Group based in Berea, was invited to make a presentation in Moscow at the seventh annual Convention on the Prohibition of Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and their Destruction.

The event was sponsored by Green Cross Russia, a project of Green Cross International, headed by former President Mikhail Gorbachev.

Williams' presentation was titled “Lessons Learned: The Benefits of Meaningful Citizen Involvement in the U.S. Effort to Eliminate Chemical Weapons.”

The operations of Madison County's Chemical Destruction Community Advisory Board (CDCAB) were highlighted and shed new light on those in charge of the chemical demilitarization at Russia's chemical weapons stockpiles, Williams said.

“I used the Kentucky model of the CDCAB as the most favorable approach (to getting public input) noting the positive results that transparency/involvement by the government and its contractors have achieved here, for example, the technology decision (which is to destroy the weapons at the Blue Grass Army Depot by using Supercritical Water Oxidation), re-design issues regarding the weapons disposal plant, funding and permitting,” Williams said.

The CDCAB is comprised of a group of local leaders who share information with the community and provide input to government decision-makers. Voting members include representatives from the three local governments - Madison County, Richmond and Berea; the local boards of education and chambers of commerce; Eastern Kentucky University and Berea College; the Madison County Ministerial Association; local banks and hospitals; the NAACP; the Chemical Demilitarization Citizens' Advisory Commission; local environmental organizations; civic groups; and elected state officials.

The CDCAB is overseeing the design for the weapons destruction pilot plant to be built at the Blue Grass Army Depot. Based on an international treaty, all chemical weapons, including those stored in Russia, must be gone by 2012.

In Russia, there is no legislated requirement for community involvement, Williams said.

“Green Cross Russia has been filling in the gaps establishing information centers and citizens' advisory councils,” Williams said. “Russia has only been a federation for about 15 years. Prior to that, during the Soviet period, there was no real understanding of what it meant to become involved in government decisions.”

He addressed the involvement of communities in the disposal effort and emphasized the need for cooperative engagement to replace controversy. He also highlighted how controversy complicates program execution, which in turn impacts costs, schedules and undermines trust in the program.

“The Russian program, until lately, was grossly under-funded,” Williams said. “Things have improved of late, but without the global partnership and U.S. contributions, the program would be decades behind. Still, their position that they will complete their disposal by 2012 is extremely ambitious,” he said.

Russia's seven stockpiles hold about 37,000 tons of chemical weapon agents. Until recently, security at the storage sites was quite bad, Williams said.

The concerns among Russian citizens and those in Kentucky are very similar, he said.

“One of the biggest concerns is making sure that the attempt to meet the deadline will not compromise safety.”

Ronica Brandenburg can be reached at rbrandenburg@ richmondregister.com or 623-1669, Ext. 234.