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Oregon Chemical Weapon Incinerator Speeds Up
Workers at the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility in Oregon yesterday began accelerating their work to destroy M55 rockets laden with sarin nerve agent, the Tri-City Herald reported (see GSN, Sept. 9). Incinerator contractor Washington Group International reported destroying two rockets yesterday. Two more rockets are expected to be drained, chopped and decontaminated today, followed by two tomorrow and four on Sunday. The contractor plans to continue increasing the pace of disposal, according to the Herald. The permitted maximum rate is 40 rockets per hour, but Washington Group spokesman Rick Kelley said he expects work to top out at about 28 rockets each hour. The $2.4 billion effort to destroy 7.4 million pounds of nerve and mustard agent in 220,604 weapons and containers at the site — about 12 percent of the U.S. stockpile before the destruction program began — is expected to be finished by 2010. Opponents, however, are continuing their efforts to stop the incineration. After failing to persuade a county judge to issue an injunction, they are taking their case to the Oregon Court of Appeals (Jeannine Koranda, Tri-City Herald, Sept. 10).
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