Richmond Register
12/26/01

Letters to the Editor

Editorial was 'half-baked'

Dear editor,

With an issue as important to Madison Countians as chemical weapons disposal, it is regrettable that the Register failed to do its homework before printing its editorial in Sunday's newspaper. If the editorial had been based in fact, the Register may have included some of the following information.

The option of disassembly and neutralization of Kentucky's chemical weapons is nothing new, and it is entirely reasonable. Incinerator opponents in Madison County and nationally advocated this position for years, prior to the creation of the Federal Assembled Chemical Weapons Assessment (ACWA) program. Neutralization, a component of each of the ACWA technologies, has been used successfully by industry and the military for years. Disassembly is the necessary first step in chemical weapons disposal, regardless of the technology. Senator McConnell's amendment does not impact the current disposal program, but requests a prompt evaluation of the disassembly and neutralization option.

It makes good sense to revisit the disassembly. Neutralization option now, for precisely the reasons stated in the Register editorial: That the incineration program is expected to continue till 2016, and because the tolerance of elected officials and citizens alike has been stretched in light of the September 11 events. The disassembly and neutralization option is not a new technology, rather a phased approach with mature processes, which would eliminate the risk of chemical agents years faster than through incineration.

Given all the recent changes both internal and external to the chemical weapons program, an evaluation of our options should be applauded, not condemned. I suggest the Register dedicate space to presenting facts rather than half-baked attacks on local citizens and an elected official seeking the safest possible options,

Elizabeth Crowe
Berea