The Army's plan to destroy deadly VX nerve agent in Indiana and truck the byproduct to New Jersey for treatment and disposal adequately addresses public health concerns, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said yesterday. The CDC said the plan is "sufficient to address critical issues" such as potential human poisoning and transportation and treatment of the neutralized VX byproduct. The report said the Environmental Protection Agency found that the plan addressed ecological concerns.
Still, New Jersey Reps. Robert E. Andrews (D) and Frank LoBiondo (R), who oppose the plan, said the CDC report did not definitively say it was sound.
| And nothing could convince them otherwise ... |
Andrews said the CDC's conclusions were based on "the rosiest of scenarios, the best-case assumption."
Col. Jesse L. Barber, project manager for the U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency's Chemical Stockpile Elimination Project, praised the report. "We will continue to destroy the nation's chemical stockpile in a manner that is safe to the American public and will not adversely impact the environment," Barber said. The plan is on hold until the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, finishes a study of the entire operation. |