Umatilla depot fires up furnaces

This story was published Fri, Feb 22, 2002

By Karen Zacharias
Herald Oregon bureau

HERMISTON -- It's far more complex than making fire with flint and wood, but so far the Umatilla Chemical Depot incinerator flame is red hot.

The first furnaces that will be used to burn the 3,717 tons of deadly chemical agent stored at the depot were lit this week.

"It was a major milestone for us," said Don Barclay, site project manager for the incinerator program. Barclay gave his report Thursday to a citizens advisory commission in Hermiston.

So far, the system just needs a little tweaking. For instance, a diffuser that creates a more controlled flame was missing from a pilot, Barclay explained. That's easily fixed. It's just a matter of installing the missing piece.

Another issue is what to do with the waste water used to cool down the hot gases.

During this start-up phase, 8,900 pounds of waste water are being produced daily. It's not hazardous since there is no agent being burned, Barclay said, but it's being treated as if it were.

Eventually, the Army intends to handle the waste water on site. But that component is not yet up and running, Barclay said.

"The waste water is being stored in a tanker truck at this time," he said.

There are four 40,000-gallon tanks capable of handling waste water, so storage isn't a problem yet. But when the Army begins its test burns, currently scheduled for May, the amount of waste water will increase significantly.

Barclay predicted test burns could generate as much as 115,000 pounds of waste water daily. Then it will likely be shipped off site.

"We can store it or ship it offsite to a waste water treatment facility. We may have to exercise that option," Barclay said.

Barclay said he is trying to keep to a very aggressive schedule. Chemical agent burns are scheduled to begin in February 2003.

Barclay also said he's paying close attention to the unfolding of events at the Anniston, Ala., chemical depot site.

The governor of Alabama filed suit against the Army last week to halt the burning of chemical agents.

"We are almost mirror images of each other, so we are following what's happening in Alabama very closely," he said.

"I believe it is related to his concerns about community preparedness and public safety."

 

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