Until recently both sides of the chemical weapons incineration debate agreed that the possibility of an incinerator accident was unlikely. That has changed in light of the revelation of the Army’s hare-brained scheme to chop and drop 30 gelled rockets an hour into the deactivation furnace, directly contradicting strict requirements of the original permit, which required four separate waste streams for safe burning.
And since ADEM never does anything other than rubber stamp whatever permit modifications it receives, I’m more scared than ever.
We must have the maximum protection guaranteed us by Public Law 99-145.
Calhoun County Schools Superintendent Jacky Sparks is to be commended for working with parents and students in Ohatchee, Saks and Weaver to lobby for over-pressurization of the schools in those communities, all of which are in the incineration danger zone, so that in the possible event of an incinerator accident the students, faculty and staff at those schools can be made reasonably safe.
The question that lingers in my mind is why the Anniston City and Oxford City systems are not also demanding over-pressurization. Don’t they care about the safety of their children? If there is an incinerator accident what indeed is the plan for the Anniston and Oxford City schools?
And what’s the plan for Donoho?
Thank you, Mr. Sparks, for doing your job conscientiously and responsibly.
Hopefully the other systems will soon follow your lead in making every possible effort to insure their children’s safety as well.
Rufus Kinney
Jacksonville
The Army responds
Once again I would like to take the opportunity to ensure the community that the Anniston Chemical Agent Disposal Facility will be operated safely in completing its important mission, the safe destruction of the chemical agent stockpile stored at Anniston Army Depot.It is true that the risk of an accident from ANCDF is unlikely. It is equally true there is greater risk during continued storage that far outweighs the risk of disposing of the weapons at the ANCDF.
Emergency response should be focused on the storage of the stockpile, where the risk exists, and not on the ANCDF.
Maximum protection for the community is elimination of the stockpile. The ANCDF is the safe solution for getting the job done.
It is a fact that the Army knows how to safely destroy M-55 rockets and the other munitions in storage. The Army has completely and successfully destroyed the gelled GB M-55 rockets that were stored in Tooele, Utah, at a facility similar to the ANCDF.
To further demonstrate this capability, the ANCDF will conduct a series of surrogate trial burns not using chemical agent but common industrial chemicals that are more difficult to destroy than chemical agent.
The surrogate trial burns will in fact demonstrate that the facility is capable of safely destroying gelled M-55 rockets as well as other munitions. These trial burns are based on sound scientific principles and lessons learned from the Tooele and Johnston Atoll facilities, which have already safely destroyed more than 25 percent of the nation’s stockpile of chemical weapons.
As the government’s site project manager, I personally pledge to every open-minded person to always be forthright and honest.
Most importantly, the professionals associated with the ANCDF, good people and who are your neighbors, are similarly committed to ensuring that the safety of the community is job one.
Timothy K. Garrett, ANCDF Site Project Manager
Anniston
Response from Anniston
We have been involved in seeking additional over-pressurization for a long time now. We met with FEMA about this on March 7.Steve Nowlin, Interim Superintendent
Anniston City Schools
Response from Oxford
We have submitted our request for each school in our system to be included for collective protection with pressurization and filtration.Our utmost concern within our system is safety for all.
All schools in the Oxford City School System were on the original list of 37 approved schools for this protection.
Louis L. Higgins, Superintendent
Oxford City Schools
Response from The Donoho School
The Donoho School was established on the basis of maintaining high expectations for student performance, faculty professionalism, and a commitment to producing students who are prepared for the challenges of tomorrow. This proud tradition has been maintained and our approach to preparing for catastrophic events is on a comparable level.
Planning must be done in order to efficiently respond to unforeseen problems.
The chemical weapons stockpile poses both danger and risk. Although the risk is small, we must be prepared to respond to an accident.
By law, the Army is required to provide maximum protection to our community.
It is our belief that maximum protection will result only from the elimination of these weapons.
Regardless of the method preferred for destroying these weapons, we presently have a state-of-the-art incinerator at Anniston Army Depot and it is our belief that the destruction of these weapons should begin at the earliest possible date. The risk involved will begin to diminish when this process is initiated.
Other than destruction of the stockpile, we believe that over-pressurization of facilities to house our student and faculty population during an incident provides the greatest protection.
The Donoho School was identified earlier for this type of protection but was subsequently dropped from the list. We have petitioned the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to re-evaluate this decision and again recommend over-pressurization. They are currently conducting tests to determine the feasibility of utilizing present facilities for this protective measure.
Since evacuation is not a viable option, our current plan is to shelter-in-place until a more acceptable response is available.
Our primary responsibility is to provide for the health and safety of our students and faculty. We do not take this responsibility lightly and will continue to keep abreast of the situation and respond appropriately.
Destruction of these weapons as quickly as possible must remain our focus as it is the only way to assure maximum safety.
Although we are prepared to respond, we pray that our plans will never be implemented and that our community will move beyond the shadows of this problem.
George E. “Dee” Gorey, Jr., President
The Donoho School
