Twenty-six people spoke to the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission on Thursday in Hermiston on whether the state should approve the start of burning 3,717 tons of poison gas agents in late July -- a process expected to take six to eight years.

Twenty-two people, including several depot workers speaking as area residents and local government officials, spoke in favor of beginning incineration quickly.

"The people of Umatilla feel comfortable with getting on with the incineration," said Umatilla Mayor George Hash.

"What you have is the power to remove this catastrophe (of a gas agent cache) before something happens," Randall Kowalke of Hermiston told the commission.

Hermiston's city council and mayor also supported beginning incineration as soon as possible.

So did the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, with the caveat that all appropriate laws and agreements are followed.

Tea Easterbrook of Hermiston backed incineration, but wanted the Army to wait until school begins in the fall so children will be in the schools where they can be more easily protected if an accident releases poison gas.

Four people from the depot watchdog organization GASP opposed incineration.

Member Stuart Dick of Pendleton argued the depot's current gas alarm set-up is too slow, and wanted the Army to add an infrared-beam-based alarm network to the site.

He also was suspicious about the incinerators being the best available technology since 230 permit modifications were made during construction.

GASP researcher J.R. Wilkinson pointed to the depot being permitted for five incinerators, including a "dunnage incinerator" that was never built.

A dunnage incinerator would burn pallets and other items connected to storing and moving gas agents. He said the depot never obtained a state permit modification to leave out the dunnage incinerator.

"Don't be forced into a deadline by the cheerleaders for this process," he said.

Dennis Murphey, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality administrator for its chemical demilitarization program, said while the dunnage incinerator permit change was never made, the Army obtained other permit modifications to send the dunnage furnace's materials through the other four incinerators. Those items will be stored in nearby bunkers and burned after the gas agents are burned. The depot is working on a list of 28 items, including studies and reports on incinerators' trial burns, that must be taken care of before the commission can decide whether to approve start-up of incineration.

For the commission to make that decision at its July 16 meeting, the DEQ needs to receive almost all of those 28 items by June 24 in order to adequately review the depot's reports. Depot officials are trying to hit that target.

However, the DEQ and the commission are not sure that the Army can make the June 24 submission target.

They have scheduled a back-up commission meeting Aug. 13 to address starting incineration in case a July 16 decision is not possible.