My name is Evelyn Yates, and I live in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.  I am a mother, a librarian, and the leader of local community group Pine Bluff for Safe Disposal.  For ten years I have been a part of the war against PMCD’s chemical weapons incinerator activities here.  I appreciate the opportunity to share my reasons for calling for an advanced chemical agent monitoring systems.

There are several but I would like focus on worker safety (federal employees as well civilian).

A second concern is the well-being of the community closely surrounding the incinerator and post.  A third concern is our vulnerability to catastrophic conditions our community could face from a release of chemical agent or other toxic chemicals.

And for the good news I would like to thank Senator Blanche Lincoln for having the concern and wisdom to recognize that an advance monitoring system would mean extra protection for her constituents.

It seems that most people in my community believe that the Army can operate an incinerator here safely.  Others, like me, have called for the use of other disposal methods such as neutralization technology.  But where we stand today, the Army is preparing to burn the weapons (scary huh!).  But the issue of how best to monitor for chemical warfare agents is one I believe everyone can -- and should  -- and must -- support.  It’s just plain common sense.

What I want to emphasize are the benefits of advanced monitoring to workers at the depots -- even those who are employed at the military bases but are not associated with the chemical demilitarization activities -- and the people in neighborhoods close to the chemical weapons sites.  In my community, like in Anniston, we have a very high population surrounding the facility.  Emergency preparedness measures are in place, but we still are concerned about how we would react if or when chemical agent reaches us.

Workers and nearby community members should not have to wonder whether or not chemical agents are being released.  There is no place for "guess work" here.  We want to be able to have reliable air analysis data -- it is one of the most basic levels of protection the Army could provide.

In Washington and all over the country I have been asking of the Army and Congress, "Why not here?"  Safe non-incineration methods exist for destroying chemical weapons at four sites;  why not the other four?   No one has heard me when I said the picture of environmental injustice is showing again through its dangerous incinerators in our communities. Why not use that safer technology here?  

Well once again I am glad for my colleagues in Kentucky, that Senator Bunning has made a request to Congress for advanced monitors at the Blue Grass Army Depot.  I hope that when it comes to advanced monitoring systems, that the Army and legislators will see fit to provide these systems to all chemical weapons sites.  Toxic chemicals do not discriminate, and we all deserve the benefit from these systems.  I hope this will be one instance where I don't have to ask, "Why not here!"

Once again I will point out that Arkansas Senator Blanche Lincoln supported the advanced monitoring systems last Fall, and I greatly appreciate her for that.  We will look to her and other Arkansas elected officials to ensure that better monitoring systems are used here, for the benefit of all Arsenal employees and nearby communities.

Thank you for your time and attention.