A scientific committee researching chemical releases at Army incineration sites in the Pacific Ocean and Utah wrapped up a brief fact-finding visit to Calhoun County Tuesday.
As part of their research, seven members of the National Research Council's chemical events committee spent time at the incinerator at the Anniston Army Depot and met with county and Army officials and concerned residents during a two-day stay.
The purview of the committee's study is releases of chemical agents, otherwise knows as chemical events, at the incinerators at Johnston Atoll in the Pacific Ocean and Tooele, Utah. The committee is reviewing the causes of the chemical events as well as how they were handled by responders.
In its published report, the committee, which is composed of academics with expertise in a variety of fields, will make recommendations regarding management of the facilities and emergency response. It will also recommend steps meant to improve response to future chemical events at all incineration sites.
The report isn't expected until July and, in the meantime, the committee won't comment on the issues the report will address or the recommendations it will contain. Though the committee members met many local stakeholders in the divisive incineration issue, their findings will be released only in the published report.
"We're still in fact-finding mode," said study director Margaret Novack. "We wanted to hear from Anniston residents and tour the facility."
At a meeting Monday afternoon, the Calhoun County Commission peppered the committee members with questions regarding the $40.5 million the county is scheduled to receive for emergency preparedness and about the issue of burning gelled rockets. The committee members also went to a lightly attended public meeting organized by the Citizens Advisory Commission and got a tour of the incinerator as well as the Calhoun County Emergency Operations Center.
The trip to Anniston was originally scheduled for September, but was delayed because of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C.
Representatives from the committee will return to the area in July to present the findings.
The NRC is the operating arm of the National Academies, which also includes the National Academy of Science, the National Academy of Engineering and the Institute of Medicine. These private, non-profit organizations advise the federal government on matters of science, technology and medicine.
