From Deseret News archives:
Hatch opposes moving chemical weapons to Utah
Pressed by a deadline in the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Defense Department is considering moving chemical weapons from sites where no destruction facilities have been built to places where they are operating such as the incinerator at Deseret Chemical Depot near Stockton, Tooele County.
The department recently directed the Army and the Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives group to develop alternatives to achieve the deadline spelled out in the treaty, which requires full destruction of chemical arms by April 2012.
"Also, the Army is to address safeguarding the chemical weapons stockpile when relocation among sites is considered as one of these alternatives," wrote Patrick J. Wakefield, deputy assistant secretary of the Defense Department.
"Transporting these weapons across state lines is illegal, and rightly so," Hatch said in a news release. "These are volatile, deadly chemicals that would pass right through highly populated areas in Utah, and there's no way we could guarantee their safety."
He said the weapons are safely contained where they are now, in eight separate stockpiles across the United States.
Earlier, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. declared his "strong opposition" to moving aging mustard agent from Pueblo, Colo., to Utah.
In Congress, Colorado's two senators moved to halt the study. Wayne Allard, Republican, and Ken Salazar, Democrat, co-sponsored the legislation.
According to Allard's office, contacted Thursday, others signing onto the bill so far include Sens. Richard Shelby, R-Ala.; Mitch McConnell, R-KY; Jim Bunning, R-KY; Paul Sarbanes, D-MD; Barbara Mikulski, D-MD; Ron Wyden, D-OR; Bob Bennett, R-Utah; Evan Bayh, D-Ind.; and Hatch. Bennett earlier articulated reasons for his opposition.
According to Jeffrey Lindblad, spokesman for the Army Chemical Materials Agency at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., the agency assigned Kevin P. Duvall to lead a technical assessment on the project. Duvall is acting director of the CMA's Threat Reduction Support Directorate.
The team has an interim deadline of Feb. 18. March 21 is the final deadline to report to Michael W. Wynne, acting undersecretary of the Defense Department.
The CMA release notes that as of Jan. 26, disposal operations at the Stockton plant, and in Maryland, Alabama, Oregon and on Johnston Island in the Pacific have resulted "in the safe destruction of almost 35 percent of the nation's declared chemical weapons stockpile." That amounts to 42 percent of the "originally declared munitions."
Disposal operations are to begin in coming months in Arkansas and Indiana, adds the statement.
E-mail: bau@desnews.com
Comments
- NFL suspends Eagles CB Hanson 4:02 p.m.
- BSU selling share in Bronco sports 4:00 p.m.
- Wednesday's sports transactions 4:00 p.m.
- 4 players sign with Utes 3:59 p.m.
- Television guide to college football 3:58 p.m.
- Parrish Creek Trail - Davis County 3:55 p.m.
- Utah canyon up for designation 3:55 p.m.
- Pride Center honors LGBT service 3:35 p.m.
- Pfizer drug study reports fudged 3:25 p.m.
- Netanyahu, Sarkozy meet 3:24 p.m.
- SLC council OKs gay rights policies
- Utah Jazz have a problem at point
- 'Love story' of crash victim ends
- BYU football recruit turning heads
- 12 Utes return to Texas
- Alta's Ohai is Ms. Soccer 2009
- Prep football: Felt's Facts Week
- Wyoming writer amazed by BYU
- Civilians help S.L. officer make arrest
- Cougars' defensive hoops clinic
- House passes health care bill
271 - SLC council OKs gay rights policies
195 - TCU showdown has big implications
189 - Senators want food tax restored
157 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
155 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
119 - S.L. vote pending on gay protections
108 - No 'backlash' for pioneers, gays analogy
108 - Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
96
This week, I'm compiling my annual list of restaurants serving...
Reid Monson basketball camp in the summer months were great times. Reid even...
I'm so sick of this. The bottom line is that gay marriage is immoral,...
He is so great. I don't know why they just don't give him the Heisman right...
What rights do gay's lack? Their options for marriage are the same as...
Surprise! The business lobby wants to increase taxes on food & tobacco -...
Obviously the goals change as the season wears on. The goal of EVERY team is...
I agree Catappy, I don't think that they would have been able to find an flds...
I watched the game on BYU TV and saw that there was some questionable play...
I’m not sure which carving “out based on our beliefs” Gayle...
Gays are the real haters! They hate children, they hate familes they hate...



You can be the first to comment on this story.