Oregon Judge Denies Request to Halt Incineration

An Oregon circuit court judge yesterday denied a motion to prevent the U.S. Army from incinerating chemical weapons at the U.S. Army’s Umatilla Chemical Depot, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, Aug. 16).

Judge John Wittmayer ruled in favor of the state and contractor Washington Demilitarization Co., who argued that the issue would be better heard before the state Court of Appeals, which already has a case pending on the issue.

“You can chat with the people at the Court of Appeals,” Wittmayer told Stuart Sugarman, attorney for GASP, the organization requesting the injunction.

The appeals court is not expected to take action on the motion this week, when the depot is set to begin dismantling chemical rockets, according to Sugarman.

“I hope we’ll get a response within 10 days,” Sugarman said. “What we are fighting about is brain damage to the next generation of downwind Oregonians,” he added (Aviva Brandt, Associated Press/Statesman Journal, Aug. 16).

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