Oregon candidates say depot on minds

This story was published Sun, Sep 22, 2002

By Karen Zacharias
Herald Oregon bureau

UMATILLA -- Residents near the Umatilla Chemical Depot are getting concerned.

Come November, Oregon will elect a new governor. And nobody is quite sure how familiar that governor is going to be with the stockpile of deadly agents stored at the depot and its planned disposal.

Gov. John Kitzhaber kept a promise he made to emergency planners from Umatilla, Morrow and Benton counties and sent a letter to the gubernatorial candidates -- Republican Kevin Mannix and Democrat Ted Kulongoski -- offering to give them a briefing and tour of the depot.

To date, neither has taken Kitzhaber up on his offer.

That's troubling but not surprising, said Dennis Doherty, Umatilla County commissioner and chairman of the governor's advisory board for emergency planning.

"There aren't a lot of votes hanging out at the depot," Doherty said.

Besides, most people living west of the Cascades just don't understand the potential threat the 3,717 tons of VX, GB and mustard agent could be.

"It isn't a big deal to them. And they don't want to hear us whine about it," Doherty said.

The closer a person lives to the depot, the more anxiety he suffers. But, he added, "The further away you live, the more money you get from the depot."

Doherty was referring to the estimated $90 million in revenue the depot is expected to generate for state coffers via
a 9 percent income tax. It's a tax that could be increased if voters approve an increase in a January election.

Thus far, Umatilla and Morrow county officials have had to pay for needs created by the $1.2 billion facility and the more than 700 workers who run the facility. These include infrastructure needs such as expanding school systems, roads, health and welfare services.

That's a sore point for Doherty.

"I'd like to know that our next governor is going to lend his support for dealing with the impact aid issues," he said.

Doherty isn't the only person who'd like to know what kind of interest Oregon's next governor takes in the depot.

"The concern on the other side of the mountains just doesn't seem to exist," said Bob Flournoy, Irrigon resident and chairman of Oregon Chemical Demilitarization Citizens Advisory Commission.

Beverlee Venell, director of Oregon Emergency Management and a member of the governor's depot advisory board, said the chemical stockpile is a very important issue for both candidates.

"The next governor needs to have a really good understanding because the start of agent operations will begin during his tenure," she said. "They need to be aware of the threat and the increasing amounts of efforts taking place to respond in the unlikely event of an incident at the depot."

In a phone interview Friday, Mannix said he was well aware of the potential dangers.

"I know there is very volatile material stored in containers that are deteriorating," Mannix said. "It's extremely dangerous and especially so when exposed to air. If it spreads, it can kill people."

Swift destruction and removal of the weapons is the key to avoiding such a scenario, he added. "I believe the current (incineration) plan does that."

Mannix said he doesn't think there is a gap between the east side of the state and the west side in understanding the depot's potential threat.

"This could be, overnight, a major issue for all Oregonians," he said. And the problem isn't just about the destruction of weapons, he added.

"We've all seen what happened to communities when Congress shut down similar government and military installations. You don't want to develop an infrastructure for a temporary basis," he said.

If elected, Mannix said he would work to help secure impact aid for communities surrounding the depot. "This is not a regional problem. This is an Oregon problem. We are all in this together," he said.

Kulongoski said he has considered Kitzhaber's offer.

"I will definitely receive an extensive briefing from the governor and may arrange a tour before taking office. I think the briefing would be most valuable at that point, before I take on my responsibilities as governor," he said, answering questions via e-mail.

Kulongoski said he's familiar with the stores of "sarin, mustard and VX nerve gases" stored at the depot.

He also said he recognizes the need for impact aid.

"We will work with the congressional delegation to press the federal government to compensate the affected communities," he said.

Kulongoski said he's aware of the gap between east-siders and west-siders on this issue.

"I agree that it is difficult to educate people of the importance of issues that seem far away," he said.

Flournoy is glad to know Oregon's gubernatorial candidates are at least thinking about what's going on in Umatilla.

"We need a better understanding on what our situation is out here," Flournoy said.

n Reporter Karen Zacharias can be reached at 541-567-6748 or via e-mail at kzacharias@tri-cityherald.com.

 

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