Defense Department to accelerate chemical weapons disposal

The U.S. Defense Department is seeking $550.4 million in 2010 to prepare sites in Kentucky and Colorado for chemical weapons disposal operations. The Pentagon had earlier indicated it would request $300.4 million but the agency reportedly plans to expedite demilitarization operations by increasing funding by $1.2 billion through 2015. Former Ploughshares grantee Craig Williams of the Chemical Weapons Working Group commented, “The Pentagon has stepped up in dramatic fashion and delivered on commitments it made to U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) last December to fully fund the chemical weapons disposal projects.”  Ploughshares funded Williams’ work to accelerate the disposal of chemical weapons in 2007 and 2008.