Summary: Congress told the Pentagon in 1985 to destroy the bulk of the U.S. stockpile of lethal chemical weapons. The Defense Department plans to spend nearly $8 billion to build and run specially designed, high-temperature incinerators on Johnston Island in the Pacific Ocean and at eight locations around the continental United States. GAO's review of test results from the Johnston Island facility shows lower than anticipated destruction rates stemming from unreliable equipment. This could mean that the destruction program will take longer than planned and exceed cost estimates. The overall average hourly rate of rocket destruction improved substantially from the first to the second test phase, but extensive maintenance downtime continued to slow operations. Public concerns about the safety of chemical weapons incineration have caused several states to consider legislation that could halt construction of the facilities. The Army began a study in October 1991 to identify and evaluate the possible use of alternative technologies to destroy chemical weapons and agents. The Army has also continued to encounter difficulties in obtaining the required environmental permits. Congress recently extended the mandatory completion date of the disposal program by more than five years and postponed funding decisions for future incineration facilities until the results of the alternative technology study are known.
