The U.S. Army's Umatilla Chemical Depot in Oregon will continue burning mustard blister agent for the time being despite objections from environmental groups, the Hermiston Herald reported Saturday (see GSN, June 5).
A county judge ruled against a preliminary injunction request filed by several organizations in an effort to stop operations at the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility.
"We're asking the court to stop the burning, which we believe poses a serious health threat to citizens of Oregon and Washington state," said Richard Condit, a lawyer for the Government Accountability Project, an environmental organization based in Hermiston.
The environmentalists are concerned that the tanks holding the mustard agent might also contain mercury, which could be hazardous if released into the atmosphere. Significant mercury levels were found in mustard bulk containers being incinerated at Tooele, Utah. Containers at the two sites are from the same lots, the Herald reported.
The state has mandated that Umatilla demilitarization contractor Washington Defense Group check for mercury tainting in 120 bulk containers and begin operations slowly, said project general manager Bob Dikeman. The total number of containers to be destroyed exceeds 2,600.
"State and Army officials believe (incineration) is safe," said Army spokesman Bruce Henrickson.
The environmental groups nevertheless want the depot to explore different ways of eliminating the deadly agent. They will argue their case again in court on June 26 (Karen Hutchinson-Talaski, Hermiston Herald, June 20).