CSEPP to receive additional federal funding

This story was published Fri, Dec 19, 2003

By Kathleen Gilstrap
Herald Oregon bureau

HERMISTON -- Be grateful for the federal money given to protect the communities located near the Umatilla Chemical Depot.

That was the message given Thursday to members of the Oregon Chemical Demilitarization Citizens Advisory Commission by Umatilla County Commissioner Dennis Doherty.

Doherty is also a member of the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program governing board, which is charged with providing protection for communities in Umatilla and Morrow counties in the event of an emergency at the depot.

CSEPP members learned Wednesday that the agency would get an additional $4.1 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Army for its 2004 budget, bringing its total resources for the year to $9.7 million.

The agency had requested $12.9 million.

Some CSEPP members weren't pleased that a $3 million request to plan an evacuation route for Hermiston was not funded.

But Doherty, reading a prepared statement, said the additional funding was excellent news, and that complaints could jeopardize the relationship the counties have with its state and federal partners.

"I am not comfortable at all with the level of incivility which has invaded certain aspects of our program ... ," Doherty said.

Morrow County Commissioner Ray Grace also spoke to the commission Thursday, but he disagreed with Doherty.

"I personally am not ready to roll over and give FEMA a big kiss for its announcement yesterday," Grace said.

Funding for an evacuation route was also on the minds of the citizens advisory committee, and many members questioned what they saw as a lack of commitment on FEMA's part.

"Some may say that was the single most important item that should be funded," said Jeff Wenholz, a commissioner from Irrigon.

 

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