The first of several public meetings regarding the disposal of over 15 million pounds of M6 propellant in Camp Minden attracted close to 150 concerned officials and citizens into the Minden Civic Center Thursday night.
There, they heard the arrangement reached between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army, which will finance the $28.5 million tidy from the illegally stored substance left by Explo Systems, Inc., predicts strictly for open air burning.
“Local contractors, the Maddens, made a device,” Webster Parish Sheriff Gary Sexton, that set up the meeting, stated. “For some reason, that device isn’t being considered in this clean up process.”
“We’re disappointed,” James Madden, proprietor of Madden Contracting, stated. Madden’s son, David spent time and money researching and building a prototype which would’ve allowed closed incineration of the product. “We considered we built a better mousetrap.”
But Madden may not be out of it yet. The Army must first design a bid package and undergo a procedure required by legislation to find a company to have the job.
“The Maddens can throw at a bid on the open menu procedure,” Sexton said. “They have the right to come in and I think they can do this.”
State Sen. Robert Adley stated while discussion regarding responsibility was taking place, the Maddens developed a plan to take care of this. Adley, along with others in the local delegation, attended a demo of the incinerator in Camp Minden past January. “We’re not professionals, but under legislation, by their interpretation, the EPA cannot use that procedure. I regret this, but it’s where we’re in this stage of the game.”
Adley stated that under existing legislation, the Louisiana Military Department and Maj. Gen. Glenn H. Curtis are all required to take bids from whoever supplies you.
“In the end of the afternoon he (Curtis) could sit down and decide who’s qualified, that has the experience and if they have the financial backing to get it done,” Adley said. “All of these things are going to be taken into consideration. It’d be fantastic if it was a person who, when they finish, will be sitting here breathing this air .”
David Madden seemed resigned to the EPA’s choice after attending an informal meeting with officials earlier in the afternoon.
“I have studied this procedure andyes, I did work for an incinerator,” he said. “I met with EPA officials and other experts not associated with the EPA, and they’re going down the right path with the open trays.”
Madden stated that his change of heart on the haste with which the disposal must take place to avoid more degradation of the product, which makes it increasingly dangerous.
“It’s important this get started the first quarter of next year,” he said. “I’ve looked in the air quality plumes (from open tray burning). Just 10 percent of this fallout will visit Doyline. There’s an equivalent amount heading toward Bossier and going north. Our business is about a mile and a half since east. We’re going to find some of this.”
“In my site and in my office, we’ll keep all the completely upgraded materials,” Reynolds said. “We’re going to keep (the people ) educated with everything that comes out from that point forward.”
Sexton emphasized the importance of the people’s help.
“Help us calm the fears of those people in the community about what we do not understand will happen with the destruction of the M6 propellant,” he said. “We may all agree on things that may happen, but we do not need to chat about what we need to worry about. The men and women that are going to be responsible — whoever the contractor is — the people which are going to be disposing of this product, keep them in your prayers because something could happen to the men and women that are responsible for going out there and opening those bunkers, choosing this product up, moving it and destroying it where we could live in a safer neighborhood.”
The upcoming public meeting is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 16. Time and location have not been determined.
“Help us calm the fears of the people in the community about what we don’t know is going to happen with the destruction of the M6 propellant,” he said. “We may all speculate on things that may happen, but we don’t need to talk about what we have to worry about. The people who are going to be responsible – whoever the contractor is – the people that are going to be disposing of this product, keep them in your prayers because something could happen to the people who are responsible for going out there and opening those bunkers, picking this product up, moving it and destroying it where we can live in a safer community.”
The next public meeting is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 16. Time and location have not been decided.
by: http://press-herald.com/open-tray-burning-wins-out-over-closed-incinerator-for-m6-propellant-at-camp-minden/
