The people working at the incinerator and the stockpile at the Anniston Army Depot have long stressed that they are aiming to destroy the chemical weapons in the safest way possible.They have convincingly argued that the safety of the workforce and this community is paramount. We have no reason to doubt that. After all they are susceptible to even higher risks than most of the people in the county.
That is why the most recent news of a change in the Army’s plan to incinerate the weapons is surprising. At issue is a proposal that would accelerate the destruction of the weapons, making it possible for the entire stockpile to be totally destroyed eight or nine months early.
Now you’ll find no argument with us about quick destruction of the stockpile. Goodness knows the sooner we rid ourselves of this stuff, the safer the community will be. Additionally, destruction of the stockpile will most likely mark the beginning of an economic renaissance in the area, something we all look forward to.
The drawback, however, is that this move actually would slightly increase the statistical risk to the community as hard as that is to believe. One would think the risk would go down, but because the new plan calls for a delay in the destruction of the deadly VX nerve agent, the risk is bumped up a bit.
Don’t take our word for it. The Army itself is saying this.
So the question is, if safety is number one, why is this being done? Well, for one thing a shorter timetable for the destruction of the stockpile means the incinerator will be in operation for a shorter period of time and that means it will cost the government less money.
And that, good people of Calhoun County, is not important to us at all. Safety is of utmost importance to us and if any alteration to the project jacks the risk up then we should reject that.
The local Emergency Management Agency, however, is asking the wrong people to check into this. People there are calling for the Alabama Department of Environmental Management for a quantitative risk assessment. We would simply prefer the Army back off the plan. If that doesn’t happen the Environmental Protection Agency should have a look at it.
Everyone is eager to do away with the stockpile: the Army, the contractors and the people of the area. But let’s don’t put speed ahead of safety.
