A NIGHTMARE IN THE MAKING: US ARMY UMATILLA CHEMICAL DEPOT


Message posted by Spooky Dogg on April 22, 2001 at 20:42:48 PST:

By international treaty, the mustard gas, sarin, and VX nerve agent chemical weapons in the earth-covered bunkers called igloos at the U.S. Army Umatilla Chemical Depot in northeast Oregon must be destroyed.

The Umatilla Chemical Depot sits on the north side of Interstate 84, with concrete ammunition bunkers for miles. The casual driver passing by is left to wonder what they are, for there is no public sign to explain.

Built in 1941, only the northeast corner of the depot, three miles south of the tiny town of Irrigon, is in use. There, in one block of igloos, known as K block, sits what in the early 1980s represented 12 percent of America's chemical weapons, screened off only by the razor-topped fence separating the depot from half-a-dozen neighboring farmland towns.

In 1985, Congress ordered the U. S. Army to destroy all its chemical weapons, and to protect communities from any potential diasters as it did so.

To accompolish this, in 1988 the U. S. Army created a program called the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Prepedness Program. (CSEPP)

With CSEPP came hundred of millions of dollars of federal money. Oregon decided that the Emergency Management Division in Salem would take charge of the state's share of the money. However 13 years and millions of dollars expended by Myra T. Lee and Casey F. Beard, Oregon EMD Director and Assistant Director, respectively, there are still no decontamination units; no antidote; no evacuation plans; no communication gear; no warning system; no trained personnel; no protective suits for rescue workers.


COMMENTS ??? Do you think that perhaps it's time to shut-off the Cash-Cow to this inefficient Oregon agency? I think so.

First, I would cut the cash flow to Oregon, and, at the same time remove ANY civilian control on this matter.

Second, because of the critical potential for diaster and possibility of terrorism, I would immediately deploy a specialized Marine detachment for exterior as well as interior security and protection.

Third, I would remove the U. S. Army from any control over this facility and assign the responsibility to FEMA.

Fourth, I would assess that all emergency protective equipment and evacuation plans were in place, and, once assured that the public would be protected, I would then commence to destroy the material, placing the responsibility in the hands of qualified, specialized, FEMA, Navy and Marine ordnance personnel.
I would NOT under any circumstance entrust this to civilian or Army personnel. (They have already botched it during the last 13 years.)

Again, COMMENTS???


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