Chemical Weapons Incinerator Plans Delayed

The Army has delayed for two weeks plans to name a contractor to build the proposed chemical weapons incinerator at the Umatilla Chemical Depot near Hermiston.

The Army had planned to name a contractor Thursday but agreed to a request by the Oregon Environmental Quality Department to delay the announcement until Feb. 12.

The Environmental Quality Commission meets Feb. 7 to formally approve a hazardous waste permit for the incinerator. The permit will include state conditions for incinerator operations.

The five commissioners agreed in principle in November that incineration was the best available technology by which to destroy the depot’s chemical weapons.

The depot stores nearly 7.5 million pounds of nerve and blister agents.