|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
 |
 |
    |
|
|
|||
 |
|
||
|
|||
|
|
|
|
||||||||
|
Umatilla to Resume Weapon Destruction This Week
Destruction of rockets filled with the nerve agent sarin is scheduled to resume later this week at Umatilla Chemical Weapons Depot in Oregon despite the expectation of facility officials that the occasional fires that suspended operations over the last few weeks would probably continue, the Oregonian reported Saturday (see GSN, June 2). “I have to expect this will continue. It would not be prudent for me to expect this will go away,” said facility manager Don Barclay. “The key is, are we protecting our workers? Are we protecting the public? And we are.” Investigators from the Oregon Environmental Quality Department and the Army have yet to determine the cause of three fires that halted weapons destruction at Umatilla. Officials are resuming rocket destruction because they believe the fires pose less danger to workers than the weapons being destroyed. The investigation into the cause of the fires will continue after weapon destruction has resumed (Andy Dworkin, Oregonian, June 4). The Associated Press reported that additional steps are being taken to ensure worker safety, including the addition of more spray nozzles to cool the blade that cuts the rockets. The fires all occurred during the cutting stage. Four other chemical weapons disposal facilities have experienced fires at the same step in the destruction process (Associated Press/Oregon Live, June 4).
| ||||||||||
Back to top
