Wyden briefed on problems surrounding Army incinerator

This story was published Fri, Jun 1, 2001

By Mary Hopkin
Herald Oregon bureau

IRRIGON - Recent congressional criticism of the demilitarization program at the Umatilla Chemical Depot hasn't convinced U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., that plans to burn the chemical stockpile should be derailed.

U.S. Sens. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., and Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., have both sent letters to the secretary of defense demanding the program be reorganized because of overspending, schedule delays and inefficiencies. Both men sit on the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, which funds the disposal program.

But during town hall meetings Thursday with area residents and a tour of the incinerator plant, the Oregon senator said he and U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith, a Pendleton Republican, are putting on bipartisan pressure in Washington, D.C., to make sure incineration happens as quickly and safely as possible.

Umatilla and Morrow counties also need to be reimbursed for any financial burdens the Umatilla Chemical Depot causes.

Morrow County officials shared the county's woes of dealing with the federal government during Wyden's town hall meeting at Stokes Landing Community Center in Irrigon.

"We've done more than our share for the national defense," said Casey Beard, Morrow County's emergency operations manager. "We've stored the chemical weapons, and we host a bombing range. But we have never received a penny from the government."

Instead, the county has been fronting money for the federal government for Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program needs and nearly going in debt waiting to be reimbursed, said Morrow County Commissioner Terry Tallman.

Wyden, surprised to hear the county was fronting money for federal government projects, said if Morrow County continued having problems being reimbursed, commissioners should just give him a call.

"This is happening 365 days a year," Tallman responded.

Wyden promised to look into the problem and to keep pushing for impact aid for the two rural communities.

Beard pitched for more help with economic development in the region, specifically by helping the county obtain an easement across the Navy's bombing range to accommodate construction of a NASCAR racetrack near Boardman.

The track would give the area the economic diversity it needs for its residents to prosper.

"As long as we are chained to agriculture, we may be chained to poverty," Beard said.

Wyden said he would be more than happy to help and also promised to talk to the Army Corps of Engineers about deeding the Irrigon and Boardman marina parks over to the cities, which pay for maintenance and upkeep on the parks.

About 30 people attended the town hall meeting, which lasted about 90 minutes. Then Wyden met with an entourage of county, state and Army officials to take a tour of the newly completed incinerator plant.

He listened intently while Mike Strehlow, of Washington Demilitarization Co., led the group through the massive plant and explained what happens in each section.

Wyden, decked in a white hard hat and protective glasses, introduced himself to plant employees as he went along. Wyden said he will push to keep the incinerator project moving along.

"This will take unprecedented cooperation, and there are plenty of opportunities for glitches," said Wyden. "But the project must be done, and I'm going to be on top of this."

 

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