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Z o THE CHEMICAL STOCKPILE Z

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o Army Tightens Security at Nation’s <5 Chemical Arms Depots co

o slant topic of conversation in town. o By DAVID FIRESTONE ■D c tn ANNISTON, Ala., Oct, 1 — Seven "People have been very con­ CT K months ago, trying to Imagine the cerned,” he .said. "Uni I think the o' extra security will make people K worst thing that could happen to a huge stockpile of deadly chemical more comfortable.” ■D o 3. weapons near here, officials at the Similar precautions are being tak­ Qi

Anniston Army Depot pretended that « en al the other chemical depots. o About 100 soldiers from Fort Carson, o a jetliner had accidentally crashed o c into one of the bunkers that hold Colo., were sent to the Deseret Chem­ ical Depot near Tooele, Utah, which 3 aging rockets packed with nerve gas. \ '■‘•I CD O They propped the frame of an old I stored about 44 percent of the na- military bomber near one of the ig- I& tion’.s chemical weapons until it bc- loos, as the steel-and-concrete bunk- I •” > ” burning them in 1996. A similar ers are known, and emergency work- ' ' contingent was sent to Ihe Blue ers wearing protective suits and Grass Army Depot, near Richmond, masks went through the exercise of Gram ninnkensbip/'Dic Gadsden Times Ky., and to five other depots. trying to contain the gas and treat The mayor of Anniston, Ala., says residents are now eager for the Anny But the Anniston depot, which the casualties, participants said. 1 burn chemical weapons at its depot there in the incinerator, above. to holds 7 percent of the stockpile, or Today, the possibility of a jet 2,254 tons of gas, has the largest crashing into a chemical stockpile no nearby population of any depot. or near the post feel safer.” hit; only one igloo and release its Many residents have been concerned longer seems as theoretical as it did Army officials have acknowledged plume of gas. (The depot has 1,300 then. Aware that people living near for years about the dangers of incin­ that natural disasters or accidents — igldos, but only IS.") contain chemical eration. Critics, citing the Army’s the nation’s eight chemical weapons . including jet crashes — could expose weapons, making it difficult for an depots have become much more ner­ own planning documents, say the many people to the aging chemical attacker to know where to strike.) deadline of 2007 for disposing all the vous since the Sept. 11 attacks, the weapons, which the Army is slowly She said the number of casualties Army has tightened security at chemicals at the depots is unlikely to them, sending in hundreds of troops destroying. ' In an interview with The would depend on the contents of the be met, and the General Accounting to guard the perimeters. New York Times in June, Lt. Col. igloo and tlie strength of the wind. Office, an agency of Congress, re­ The Army has also imposed strict Bruce E. Williams, commander of The extra security at the depot cently criticized the Army for leav­ no-flight zones over each depot, mak­ Anniston Chemical Activity, urged mtanl that a visitor could not get ing thousands of residents at high ing any aircraft flying nearby an ' nearby community to accept the the close enough to determine what pro- risk in case of an accident. intruder, unless it has military clear- ' billion incinerator recently built $1 tection.s had been added in recent Emergency officials in Calhoun ance. Army officials said. ' the depot to burn the chomicaks on days. But nearby residents and offi­ County, which includes Anniston, “And there are some other mens- because ' of those dangers. cials said they were grateful tor the have unsuccessfully sought 35,000 ures being taken that I can’t discuss “Those M-55 rockets are extreme­ extra troops. Though they remained protective breathing hoods from the with you,” said Miguel Morales, a ' fragile munitions,” Colonel Wil­ ly nervous, many believed that the Army, and say they have been be­ spokesman for the Soldier and Bio­ liams said then. “Wo think we can Sept. 1 ] attacks had reduced the hesi- sieged with reqnest.s for gas masks logical Chemical Command, based at continue ' to store them safely, bul lance around Anniston to begin burn­ from residents since Sept. 11. But the Aberdeen Proving Ground in you can’t escape the fact that if there ing the chemicals, now scheduled to they have no masks, and neither do Maryland. Mr. Morales refused to were a one-in-a-million earthquake, start in late spring. local surplus stores. discuss reports from residents near or ' lightning strike, or a 747 crashing ;“What I’m hearing now is, I.et’.s “I’m glad they’ve got troops out the depots that they had seen mill- 'on an igloo, the damage would dwarf get rid of that sluff as quickly as there now, bul there’s only so much tary jets patrolling over the depots. the worst-case thing that could ever possible,” said Mayor Chip Howell, they can do to defend against a plane “What’s important Is that the 1happen at the incinerator. The only who appeared this morning al the crash or a rocket attack,” said stockpile is safe and secure,” he said. real protection I can offer this com­ opening of a new restaurant down­ James Eli Henderson, a county com­ “We have added troops to enhance munity is to destroy thks stockpile, town. “That jet crash scenario does­ missioner who once worked at the our force protection, but it’s not be­ and destroy it quickly.” n’t seem so far-fetched anymore.” Army depot. “But in the meantime, cause of an imminent terrorist strike Colonel Williams would not discus.s David Stephenson, the owner of the our sheriff can’t even get protective or anything like that. It’s just a gen­ the subject today, but a spokeswom­ new restaurant, The Crossing, said suits for his departmenl from the eral precaution In light of what’s an said the training scenario envi­ the pos.sibility of a terrorist strike government. And if anyone’s going to happened, and it makes everyone on sioned that a falling jetliner would against the depot had been a con- need one, it’s those guys.”

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