FW: House Letter Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 09:56:30 -0400 Fr

[Center for Public Environmental Oversight <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

Dear Friends,

I spoke to Craig Williams of the Chemical Weapons Working Group
a few weeks ago about this. This issue is not only important
for safe chemical weapons disposal but also has implications
for conventional munitions and many other wastes. Please call
your Representative today and ask that he/she sign onto the
letter to Bill Cohen.

Thanks, Tara

-----Original Message-----
From: Kentucky Environmental Foundation [SMTP:kefwilli@acs.eku.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 1998 6:01 AM
To: miltoxpr@ime.net
Subject: House Letter

Cathy/Tara,

Here is the letter currently circulating around the House. If
there are any Members you can get to sign on we would
appreciate it VERY MUCH.
 
The following folks are gathering signatures: Dems: Charles
Dujon (225-0773) @ Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr's Office.  
Repub's: Mike Haywood (225-3465) @ Congressman Jim Bunning's
Office. Congress is due to recess on FRIDAY, so time is short.
Thanks, Craig

*****
October 1, 1998
>
>The Honorable William Cohen
>Secretary
>Department of Defense
>1000 Defense, Pentagon
>Washington, D.C. 20301-1000
>
>Dear Secretary Cohen:
>
>Due to the success of the Assembled Chemical Weapons Assessment (ACWA)
>program, we respectfully request that you dedicate the funding
>appropriated by Congress to complete the demonstrations of all six
>alternative treatment technologies that passed the stringent criteria
>within the ACWA program. The funding for the demonstrations is
>identified in Section 8127 of the FY 99 Defense Appropriations Bill. As
>you are aware, the ACWA program performs the critical task of destroying
>our nation's chemical weapons. The Defense Appropriations Act for FY 99,
>at the direction of Congress, includes an earmark of $25 million to
>support the full demonstration of the ACWA program.
>
>The ACWA program implements technologies to destroy the nation's chemical
>weapons stockpile in a manner more protective of public health and safety
>than the current baseline incineration program. These technologies are
>more protective of human health and the environment and more acceptable
>to communities across this nation.
>
>Furthermore, ACWA will assure this nation's ability to meet its
>obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention by accelerating the
>destruction of our chemical weapons stockpile. The modest amount of
>money involved in this phase of the program provides a sound investment
>for the American people. Moreover, the ACWA program will help accelerate
>our nation's ability to deploy cutting-edge technologies to destroy
>Superfund waste, hazardous waste, and such things as napalm, obsolete
>pesticides and a host of military wastes.
>
>Furthermore, since clean disposal technologies are in high demand around
>the world,
>ACWA acts as an investment in America's economic and environmental future
by
>supporting innovative, alternative remediation technologies.
>
>If these alternative technologies are not employed, wastes will continue
>to be burned in predominately low income and minority communities,
>releasing hazardous air pollutants into our air and persistent,
>bioaccumulative toxins into our food chain and waterways. Many
>scientists insist that these toxins are harmful to children and cause
>neurological damage, cancer, and respiratory diseases. Because of past
>disposal practices, many of these toxins are already at levels in the
>environment that exceed health based standards.
>
>Once again, we request your prompt action in assuring that the funding
>appropriated by Congress is available for the ACWA program to fully
>demonstrate all six of the technologies that have passed its technical
>criteria. By taking this action, you allow the ACWA program to achieve
>its mission and enhance our nation's ability to meet our treaty
>obligations and much more. Thank you for your time and attention to this
>matter.
>
>Sincerely,

Jesse Jackson, Jr. Howard McKeon Jim Bunning
Scotty Baesler
Member of Congress Member of Congress Member of Congress
Member of Congress

Jim Talent Peter DeFazio
Member of Congress Member of Congress

Craig Williams, Director
Chemical Weapons Working Group
P.O. Box 467 Berea, Ky. 40403
kefwilli@acs.eku.edu
www.cwwg.org