Re: ROCKET TOXICS

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@igc.org>]

TEXANS OPPOSE OPEN ROCKET BURNING

 When Colorado residents opposed the open-burning of Pershing II
solid rocket motors at the Army's Pueblo Depot Activity, the Army continued
the practice at the Longhorn Army Ammunition Plant (LAAP) near Karnack,
Texas - just west of Shreveport, Louisiana. Now, with weapons manufacture
there concluded, the Army and the contractor-operator of LAAP, Thiokol, 
propose to "dispose" of more than two thousand small solid rockets - 2,000
high velocity aerial rockets and 144 Sparrow rockets - through open burning.

 In opposition to the burning stand the users of adjacent Caddo Lake,
the "only natural lake" in Texas, habitat for a large number of plant and animal

species, and water supply for several cities. Organizations such as the Lone
Star chapter of the Sierra Club and the Uncertain Audubon Society have
retained a law firm to contest the facility's permit request.

 Thiokol says the the entire job will release a total of 23 tons of carbon
dioxide, 4 tons of nitrogen, and 1.3 tons of chlorine, and that pollution will
be less hazardous compared to releases from the plant when it was in operation.

 Opponents say that open burning may destroy valuable wetlands,
endanger fish, and contribute to higher acid levels in Caddo Lake. The
uncontrolled burning of toxic waste will undermine efforts to bring tourism
and jobs to the area. And they point out, other disposal methods are available.
They are not convinced by comparisons to past contamination: Longhorn is a
Superfund site, the cleanup of which is expected to cost $127 million.