Russians tell own stockpile situation

This story was published Sat, Mar 18, 2000

By Terry Hudson
Herald Oregon bureau

HERMISTON - The systems designed to warn residents of an emergency at the Umatilla Chemical Depot have met with criticism many times over the past few years.

But many city leaders felt lucky to have those programs and the technology to destroy chemical weapons after hearing from a Russian delegation Friday at Hermiston City Hall.

A group of six Russian visitors, representing an organization called Green Cross International, told depressing stories of the state of chemical weapons stockpiles in Russia.

The Russian delegation consisted of two members of the Green Cross Russia office and four representatives from the Penza Oblast, site of one of seven chemical weapons stockpiles in Russia.

To date, no progress has been made by Moscow on demilitarization at the Penza stockpile, which sits inside the town of 530,000 people, adjacent to an elementary school.

There is no Russian counterpart to the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program, there is no Alert and Notification System in the event of a chemical emergency and there is no incinerator.

In fact, there isn't any technology in place to dispose of the chemical stockpile in Penza, and the Green Cross members fear there is no chance to eliminate the stockpiles by the April 2007 date mandated by the Chemical Weapons Convention.

Vladimir Sheludko, speaking through an interpreter, gave an eye-opening report to Hermiston City Council members.

"We don't have the shelters that could protect and save the lives of the people of the city," said Sheludko, the speaker of the house for the Penza province. "Our country is going through difficult times. Initially, it was a totalitarian state. Chemical storage was a top-secret facility and protected by the Army. Now, we realize the threat that comes from this facility."

The main reason nothing is being done with the Russian stockpiles is the disarray of the Russian economy.

"The economic situation in our country leaves much to be desired and is depressing for us," Sheludko said. "We have difficult relations with the government in place. This task is very complex, and I'm not sure if we'll be able to complete it in the time frame specified by the treaty.

"We are willing to disarm; we are eager to protect our citizens. But we do not have the economical background to do so."

The contingent flew into Washington, D.C., on Monday and spent Tuesday and Wednesday in Portland at the Assembled Chemical Weapons Dialogue meeting. They arrived Thursday in Hermiston and have met with depot officials, including Lt. Col. Tom Woloszyn, the depot commander.

Global Green takes no stand on technology choice of disposal, such as incineration or alternative technologies, but Hermiston Mayor Frank Harkenrider offered his opinions on the matter.

"Incineration is the best way to get rid of the weapons," he said. "The risk of storage is greater than the risk of incineration. We've had 38 years of storage. The incinerator is earthquake-proof, the igloos are not. We want to get rid of this poison as quickly as possible."

The Russians would love to have an emergency response system such as the one that is coming together in the communities surrounding the depot.

"It's crucially important," said Sergei Baranovsky, a scientist and combustion expert. "We are fighting for the same thing. When we go back to Russia and complain, the government will say, 'We understand, but we don't have the money for it.' There is no safety infrastructure. Not even a gas mask."

The Penza site is one of five sites where nothing is being done. There has been some headway at two other sites because of foreign aid.

"In your country, the state or government pays," Baranovsky said. "We received 7 percent of the money we requested. The Russian state couldn't imagine paying the $5Êbillion it will take. Only foreign support can make that happen."

The Russians also visited A.C. Houghton Elementary School in Irrigon, where they were showed the overpressurization system designed to protect the students in case of a chemical emergency.

"It impressed us, but we can't afford it," Baranovsky said. "There's just no comparison between the schools here and the schools in Russia."

Green Cross International is a nongovernmental organization founded by Mikhail Gorbachev that promotes environmental protection. As it grows, so do the hopes of people such as Baranovsky.

"Our government is starting to listen to us; before, we had no voice," Baranovsky said. "Today, we represent millions of people, and they must listen to us. Today, we can influence."

 

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