The first of several public meetings concerning the disposal of over 15 million pounds of M6 propellant at Camp Minden attracted close to 150 concerned citizens and officials to the Minden Civic Center Thursday night.
There, they heard the agreement reached between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army, which will finance the $28.5 million clean up of the illegally stored material left by Explo Systems, Inc., calls strictly for open air burning.
“Local contractors, the Maddens, designed a device,” Webster Parish Sheriff Gary Sexton, who set up the assembly, said. “For some reason, that device is not being considered in this clean up process.”
“We’re disappointed,” James Madden, owner of Madden Contracting, said. Madden’s son, David spent time and money researching and constructing a prototype which would have allowed closed incineration of the goods. “We believed we built a better mousetrap.”
However, Madden might not be out of it yet. The Army must first design a bid package and go through a process required by law to discover a company to take on the project.
“The Maddens can throw in a bid on the open tray process,” Sexton said.
State Sen. Robert Adley said while debate concerning responsibility was taking place, the Maddens developed a strategy to deal with it. Adley, together with others from the local delegation, attended a demonstration of the incinerator at Camp Minden last January.
“It seemed good to us,” Adley said. “We’re not professionals, but under law, by their interpretation, the EPA can’t use that process. I regret that, but it’s where we’re at this stage of the game.”
Adley said that under existing law, the Louisiana Military Department and Maj. Gen. Glenn H. Curtis are expected to take bids from whoever supplies one. “All of these things will be taken into consideration. It would be fantastic if it ended up being a person who, when they finish, will be sitting here breathing this air with us.”
“I’ve studied this process and, yes, I did work for an incinerator,” he said. “I met with EPA officials and other experts not associated with the EPA, and they are going down the right path with the open trays”
Madden said his change of heart hinged on the haste with which the disposal must take place to prevent more degradation of the product, which makes it more dangerous.
“It’s important this get started the first quarter of next year,” he said. “I have looked at the air quality plumes (from open tray burning). Only 10 percent of this fallout will visit Doyline. There is an equal amount going toward Bossier and moving north. We’re going to get some of this.”
District 10 State Rep. Gene Reynolds said, moving forward, communication is crucial.
“On my site and in my office, we’ll keep all the completely updated materials,” Reynolds said. “We’re going to keep (the people ) informed with everything that emerges from this point forward.”
Sexton stressed the importance of the public’s help.
“Help us calm the anxieties of the people in the community about what we don’t know will happen with the destruction of the M6 propellant,” he said. “We may all speculate on matters that may happen, but we don’t need to talk about what we have to be concerned about. The men and women that are going to be accountable — whoever the contractor is — the people which will 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 item up, moving it and destroying it where we can live in a safer community.”
The upcoming 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/