We learned early this week that a number of groups opposed to incineration of the chemical stockpile at the Anniston Army Depot had filed a lawsuit in federal court to halt the process.To that expected development we can only say, that’s unfortunate. For this suit could indeed delay the destruction of the deadly materials that sit in our midst, and that is the last thing this community needs.
The quicker the stockpile is gone the better off we will all be. The longer we drag this process out, the longer we will be in danger and the longer this community will suffer from a terrible image problem and economic depression.
We respect the wishes of the broad array of well-respected parties to the suit, but we forcefully disagree with them on just about every point they make.
Alternative technologies, the method pushed so hard for by many opponents of the incineration process, is not just around the corner. In fact, if we decide to go with alternative technologies, there’s a fine chance we’ll be still arguing about this many years from now while the stockpile sits there posing a danger.
Even if there was an alternative method which was ready to be used on our stockpile we would still be looking at perhaps years of regulatory hurdles that would have to be cleared before we could get started.
It is also very disturbing that opponents continue to bring up the issue of environmental racism. Indeed the suit alleges the Army is discriminating against minorities by placing the incinerator in a community where nearly half the population is black. Well, would it be more or less discriminatory if the Army chose to let it sit around and rot a while longer? We also continue to wonder what the people of overwhelmingly white Bynum — the place closest to the incinerator — think about that argument. Last time we checked VX gas would kill you no matter what color your skin.
Oh, the Army has its troubles, starting with the leadership of the chemical weapons disposal program in Washington, but still there are some powerful reasons to dismiss this suit and push on with incineration. Rarely does a month go by that a leak of deadly nerve agent does not occur at the Depot. The longer it sits there, the more leaks will occur. But even more importantly, as this page has argued so many times, Sept. 11 should have propelled the process to get underway as quickly as possible. We would be extremely foolish indeed if we did not recognize the dangers of continued storage.
We live in a different world, one where the unthinkable has already happened. So let’s not toy with the danger at the Depot. Let’s burn it as quickly and safely as possible.
