HEADS UP Eloriel and anyone else in the Southeastern USA.

[Ripley]

The Army will crank up their incinerator at the Anniston (eastern Alabama) Army Depot to begin destroying 2,200 tons of nerve agent on Wednesday, AUGUST 6!!

I don't have a link, but a snip from my local paper said:

"The Army said it plans to burn only a limited number of weapons at first, while it continues to overpressurize schools and other community buildings. Nerve agent drained from M-55 rockets would be destroyed only during pre-announced periods -- on weekends and between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.

The operation will ramp up to full speed later in the fall."

Friends...help me keep this kicked to the top over the next 2 days, so everyone is aware of the WMD burn.

Thanks.

edited subject: Alabama and Georgia would be most impacted, but everyone should be aware of this.

[bitchkitty]

1. Here's a link:

Army Sets Aug. 6 Date For Beginning Chemical Weapons Burns

Edited - link fixed - sorry!

[Robbien]

3. Couldn't get link to work

can you fix it?

[Eloriel]

2. Thanks so much, Ripley

I sure as hell wish we knew how to protect ourselves from this.

Eloriel

[NYC]

4. I doubt there is any way you can protect yourselves.

This is extremely unfortunate. (Aside from being morally unforgivable.)

[Ripley]

10. They handed out gas masks to locals.

And a lot of people just today took them up on it. They have been offering these "hoods" for months.

I'm sorry to say I don't know what else to do, but be aware when they burn, and keep yourself and pets inside during those days.

Yuk.

Remember they used to only give out duct tape and plastic until Senator Shelby (R) got involved last year and now people actually have masks (locals).

[ulysses]

5. loverly.

:mad:

[Generic Other]

6. So now you know what you folks needed plastic and duct tape for

Sorry you live downwind of something so hideous. People who live near these poisonous dumping grounds truly are being put in danger.

Tell me how Saddam or any other enemy of this country ever put its people more at risk than our own government has done.

Hope the crap is destroyed safely and quickly. And may it never be replenished.

[Pallas180]

7. Poppy Bushit and Carlyle own companies doing this for the army

as I remember called ESS...what is the name of the company
doing the burning?

[Robbien]

8. Environmental Group is trying to get this stopped

WASHINGTON --
An environmental activist group filed an 11th-hour petition in federal court Monday seeking to delay the burning of chemical weapons at an incinerator in Anniston, Ala., a process Army officials plan to begin later this week.

The Chemical Weapons Working Group filed the emergency petition with a federal district court in Washington, asking it to at least stall the Army's plans until a lawsuit seeking to block incineration can be heard.

"We feel we have more than enough evidence to make our case," said Craig Williams, the group's executive director. "We feel clearly that the violations that we're articulating are obvious, and we're hoping the judge recognizes the severity of the problems down there."

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030804/APN/308040898

[Ripley]

13. Yes there is a lot of dissent.

Amongst the people living around this incinerator and the CWWG who know there are other ways to dispose of these horrible things...

People don't realize that WMD of sarin, VX, and all the shit they say Saddam has, we have right here in Alabama.

[blm]

9. This is disgusting...

and this is what Southern fundies vote for.

Any weather folks know which way the winds will be blowing the next few days?

[Ripley]

11. Sorry Southern fundies had nothing to do with this.

Believe me, this is a town of poor black people, they did not vote to have this. And I doubt that Alabamians ever "voted" to have an incinerator in our state...it falls on the lap of the republicans.

As far as the winds blowing...I think there is expected rain and it usually blows east.

[blm]

18. No...I understand environmental racism quite well.

I'm talking about Southern fundies who vote for Repubs. They have no concept of how they end up screwing over their own states.

[Ripley]

22. Yep.

Tell me how clean the "north" is??

[alaine]

24. Bullseye.

All anyone has to say to them is "We need to do this in the name of Jeeeeezussss" and they fall right into line.

[Syrinx]

19. According to this, Anniston is 48% white, 48% black, 2% hispanic

Not that it matters, really.

This poison does need to be destroyed. Too bad it was produced in the first place.

http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anniston,_Alabama

[Syrinx]

20. I may be wrong, but...

Isn't the reason that the incinerator was built in Anniston because that's were all these old wmd's are, and that it would very, very dangerous to move them, as they are very old and volatile? I'm not trying to defend what they are doing, but perhaps there is no viable alternative.

[Eloriel]

21. Unles we're having a storm with a rotation to it

(like a hurricane -- that type), the winds typically come straight over from AL to me.... and Atlanta ....

Eloriel

[Ripley]

12. Kick for other neighbors.

Folks, I don't want to alarm you, but they fuck up so many things here in Alabama, this is hardly going to be a cakewalk.

So, I would strongly suggest that you pay attention to burn times at Anniston and not go outside then. I know we cannot cocoon ourselves, but awareness can help if there is an event.

I'll try to find a burn calendar...dammit they should at least give that to the public...

[Stephanie]

14. They will be burning for YEARS

Heard this on NPR this morning. There are other ways to dispose of this stuff w/o burning.

[salin]

15. How very, very sad

an ex of mine's parents live not far from Anniston. Very rural, of very limited economic means. During my visits to the area I met many kind and trusting people. This really bites.

[Ripley]

16. Kick.

:kick:

[Elidor]

17. Holy fuck! I'm downwind from this shit!

Looks like I'm going to be staying indoors for a while. Dammit! Anyone have any links to the efficacy of burning this shit and the fallout, if any?

Edit: oops, thanks, bitchkitty.

Ripley, what is the name and date of your local paper? Any place I can find more information on the dates this program will take place?

[Ripley]

23. Answer:

My local paper is: The Tuscaloosa News.

It carries little news that could kill us all