Depot burning delayed once more

This story was published Fri, Jun 21, 2002

By Karen Zacharias
Herald Oregon bureau

HERMISTON -- Recent problems at the Umatilla Chemical Depot have created further delays in the destruction of the nerve agent stockpile.

Army officials said Thursday that agent burns won't begin until "at least" May 2003.

Don Barclay, project manager for the Army's Chemical Demilitarization Program, alerted the Citizens Advisory Committee of the delay -- the latest in a series of delays -- during a meeting Thursday at Good Shepherd Hospital in Hermiston.

The Army previously had set February as the target date to begin burning the 3,717 tons of VX, sarin and mustard gas stored at the site.

Barclay said the delay is because of technical problems with the continuous emissions monitoring systems attached to the depot's incinerators.

Those problems bumped the test burns deadline, originally scheduled May 25, by a couple of months. Barclay said July 24 is the new target date to begin test burns.

Bob Flournoy, committee chairman, said the Army is making the right decision.

"This delay is for safety factors. We're not going to do anything until we know as best we can, it's safe. Even if we have to delay the project to accomplish that," Flournoy said.

Barclay insisted the delay is not hurting the bottom line for Washington Demilitarization Co., the contractor hired to destroy the chemicals, or the Army.

"It has not had a financial impact," Barclay said.

Barclay said there are incentives built into Washington Demilitarization Co.'s contract based on the schedule.

Instead, Barclay said the Army built into the contract a safety component that balances out any schedule delays.

"As a customer, what the Army wants from them is safety first," he said. Some board members, who didn't want to be identified, expressed skepticism about the Army's contention the delay doesn't have a financial impact. Estimates were placed between $200,000 to $400,000 a day in cost overruns.

Wayne Thomas, project manager for the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, said the Army repeatedly has told environmental regulators that it costs $325,000 a day to operate the facility.

 

Copyright 2002 Tri-City Herald. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.