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DIOXIN: Request for help of U.S. NGOs by IPEN colleague in Russia
U.S. IPENers-
A colleague in Russia has sent me the attached action alert requesting
our help to stop a planned project to incinerate missiles in a densely
populated area of Votkinsk district. U.S. NGOs are in a unique position
to weigh in on this project because it is being funded by our Department
of Defense.
Thanks to Jenifer Adibi of the Harvard School of Public Health for
pulling together further information about the project and how U.S. NGOs
can help. (The original message from Elena Kolpakova appears below
Jennifer's note.)
Jennifer Adibi wrote:
> Hi Karen,
>
> Yes, I can definitely write a little background on the Votkinsk
> situation. I
> have been working with one of the groups in that region who is
> opposing the
> project and I receive information in Russian on it.
>
> The project is being funded through the Cooperative Threat Reduction
> Program
> (Nunn-Lugar), a Dept of Defense program to destroy all types of
> weapons in
> the former Soviet Union. CTR created a subcontract with Lockheed
> Martin
> (initially it was $54 million) to incinerate a stockpile of solid
> rocket fuel
> in Russia, with technology replicated from a facility in China Lake,
> California. The China Lake facility is owned and operated by the army
> (or
> navy) and there is very little information available on it. We do
> know that
> the Governor of Nevada, when he heard about the facility, pressured
> the
> Governor of California to shut it down. As far as I know, the China
> Lake
> facility has not been able to operate continuously for various
> reasons. Jane
> Williams, anti-incineration activist in CA, has put an enforcement
> order on
> the facility and is trying to get information on it from the Dept of
> Defense.
>
> In the meantime, Lockheed Martin, CTR, and Green Cross/Global Green
> are all
> working hard to get public buy-in to the program. There have been
> several
> hearings, expert committees, citizen protests, and a referendum. The
> public
> remains opposed.
>
> The Days of Volga conference is an annual meeting of environmental
> groups from
> the Volga Region of Russia (where most of chemical weapons stockpiles
> are
> located). This year the conference passed a resolution on the
> Votkinsk
> problem as it is very urgent. Below I am sending the names and
> addresses of
> the US government representatives who are involved in decision-making
> on this
> program.
>
> If you are inclined to write a letter of support, these would be the
> people to
> send it too.
> For more details, you can contact Paul Walker at Global Green USA (the
> NGO
> which was contracted by CTR to facilitate public outreach in
> Votkinsk). His
> number is 202-879-3181 (ipis@igc.apc.org). The CTR description is on
> the web,
> http://www.ctr.osd.mil/04frame.htm
>
> Thomas Kuenning, Jr.
> Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of Defense
> Cooperative Threat Reduction
> DATSD/NCB/CTR
> 2451 Crystal Drive, Suite 628
> Arlington, VA 22245
> Fax: 703-602-5744
> Email: kuennite@acq.osd.mil
>
> U.S. Senate Committee Members
> Committee on Appropriations
> Senator Ted Stevens, Chairman
> 522 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING
> UNITED STATES SENATE
> WASHINGTON, DC 20510
> PHONE -- (202) 224-3004
> FAX -- (202) 224-2354
>
> Committee on Armed Services
> Senator Carl Levin, Chairman
> SR-459, Russell Senate Office Building
> U.S. Senate
> Washington, DC 20510
> Phone (202) 224-6221
> Fax (202) 224-1388
>
> Committee on Foreign Relations
> Senator Joseph Biden, Chairman
> 221 Russell Senate Office Building
> Washington, D.C. 20510
> Phone: 202-224-5042
> Fax: 202-224-0139
> senator@biden.senate.gov
>
> U.S. House Committee Members
> Committee on Appropriations
> Congressman Bill Young, Chairman
> U.S. House of Representatives
> 2407 Rayburn Building
> Washington, DC 20515
> (202) 225-5961
>
> Committee on International Relations
> Congressman Ben Gilman, Chairman
> The Committee on International Relations
> 2170 Rayburn House Office Building
> Washington, DC 20515
> (202) 225-5021
> HIRC@mail.house.gov
>
> Committee on National Security
> David J.Trachtenberg
> Professional Staff Member
> 2120 Rayburn House Office Building
> Washington, D.C. 20515
> Telephone Number: 202-226-0532
> Fax Number: 202-225-7102
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Date: Wed, 24 Nov 1999 19:44:52 +0300 (MSK)
From: dront@glasnet.ru (Askhat Kaumov)
To: kperry@psr.org
Subject: For Karen from Elena Kolpakova
X-Mozilla-Status2: 00000000
To the US NGOs
Dear activists!
In accordance with the Russian-American agreement on the reduction of
strategic offensive weapons it is planned to construct in the town of
Votkinsk, Republic of Udmurtia, a facility for destruction of solid
propellant strategic missiles while using the technology of the US
company: "Lockheed Martin". The facility is to destroy 916 missile
engines, which amounts to the total weight of 17 thousand tonns within
3 years period.
This project is unique in the world. The prototype facility in the US
is located in the state of California in a desert. The Russian option
envisages the construction of an operating facility in a densly
populated area. During inceneration of solid missile propellant highly
toxic polychlorinated dioxines are formed, such as, furans and
biphenils. "Lockheed Martin" makes samblance, that nobody in the
company knows about the threat.
On January 17, 1999 in Votkinsk there was held a referendum with the
main question asked: "Do you agree with the placement of the facility
for destruction of solid fuel missile engines in Votkinsk and Votkinsk
district?". 94 percent of the voters spoke definitly against placement
of such a facility in the vicinity of the town of Votkinsk. The
overwhelming majority of the population are utterly against the
decision!
They are planning to make the residents of Votkinsk and Votkinsk
district the hostages of "big politics". We are being forced into
acceptance of an untested technology of "Lockheed Martin". This
project may cause irreparable harm to the health of the population and
negative effect on the natural environment. We will not be looking
idly at the illnesses and sufferings of our children.
Dear activists, herewith we inform you, that a bad technology in the
US is also a bad technology in Russia. We will not accept it. Please
take this into consideration while deciding the issue of allotment of
funds to "Lockheed Martin" for the facility.
We ask you to inform the US government and the company "Lockheed
Martin", that a technology which is bad in the US is also bad in
Russia and we will not accept it!
23.10.99
Nizhni Novgorod
International ecological conference "Volga Days-99"
The chief of "Volga Days" Elena Kolpakova