Four top-priority public safety measures may not be in place when the U.S. Army begins destroying a stockpile of chemical weapons in Alabama this summer, the Birmingham News reported Saturday  (see GSN, March 3).

Of greatest concern to local officials is the Army’s plan to begin burning the weapons at the Anniston Army Depot in July before construction begins on improved school ventilation systems to keep children safe in the event of an accident, according to the News.

More than 2,200 tons of chemical munitions stored at the depot are slated for disposal under the Chemical Weapons Convention.  Army officials are currently awaiting final approval from state environmental regulators before the incineration begins, the News reported.

Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) in January told Army officials he would oppose the opening of the incinerator unless four safety requirements were met: protecting nearby schools; assisting residents with special needs, such as the disabled; equipping the Army to activate warning sirens instead of having to call county officials first; and updating the emergency response plan to take into account the greater danger posed by lower levels of toxins, the News reported.

Although the Army plans appear to defy Shelby’s requests, the five-page proposed agreement notes that the ventilation systems will be intact by the time students return to class this fall.  The other three safety issues outlined by Shelby will “proceed concurrently with full agent destruction operations,” according to the agreement.

“Initiation of these reforms is a step forward; however, I will hold my judgment until I know where we are in terms of the initiation of these necessary safety requirements and the Army’s timetable for implementation,” Shelby said, adding that there was room for compromise (Mary Orndorff, Birmingham News, May 31).

About Newswire  |  Contact National Journal  |  Re-Use Guidelines

HOME  |  CONTACT US  |  GET INVOLVED  |  SITE MAP

Back to top