26-08-09 Pentagon Must Meet Chemical Weapons Disposal Deadline

Two U.S. lawmakers from Kentucky yesterday showed no signs of backing off the congressional demand that the nation's chemical-weapon arsenal be eliminated by 2017,the Louisville Courier-Journal reported.The Defense Department's latest assessment is that,even with increased funding,chemical demilitarization operations at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky would not likely be complete before 2021.The installation is expected to be the last site to finish off its arsenal of materials banned by the Chemical Weapons Convention, which sets a 2012 deadline on the United States.“There are people who say that [2017] can't be met,” Senator Mitch McConnell (R) said following a visit with Representative Ben Chandler (D) to the unfinished Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant.“But that's the law.That's about eight years from now.Let's get to work.We'll get the money.” The Defense Department will try to finish work at Blue Grass before the deadline arrives,said project site manager Jeff Brubaker.He noted,though,the difficulty of the work,which would include removing nerve agent from nearly 100,000 munitions.The pace of construction of the $3 billion disposal plant is being restricted by funding,said John Schlatter,spokesman for contractor Bechtel Parsons Bluegrass.The company expects to complete construction in 2016;Schlatter did not indicate when work might be finished if additional funds were allocated.The Pentagon appears likely to receive nearly $550 million in the next budget for preparation of chemical weapons neutralization at Blue Grass and the Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado.That is a significant increase from funding in previous years for the only two U.S. chemical storage sites yet to begin disposal operations.During this budget process,Chandler managed to stop an effort to divert $50 million of the money for other uses,said Craig Williams,head of the Chemical Weapons Working Group watchdog organization.“I think we do see the light at the end of the tunnel,and that's very exciting,” Chandler said.Concerns about leaks from decades-old munitions held in storage at Blue Grass and other technical issues make it particularly important to destroy the stockpile as soon as possible,Chandler said.“You always have concerns,” Chandler said when asked about the revelations.“There is a real danger as long as these weapons exist"