The U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security has suspended plans to conduct chemical testing at the Chilocco Indian School near Ark City.
Congressman Ron Estes, R-Kansas, issued this statement on that decision:
“The Department of Homeland Security has suspended plans for chemical testing at Chilocco Indian School in northern Oklahoma,” he said. “The safety of south central Kansans has been my priority during this process, and I commend the Department of Homeland Security for listening to our concerns.”
In October, Homeland Security released a plan for mimicking a biological attack in the area of building at Chilocco. The report indicated the chemicals released would have minimal impact on the environment and area residents.
The project was meant to study the effects of those inside buildings if a biological attack, specifically an anthrax attack, were to happen. Homeland security was working with OSU-University Multispectral Laboratories, LLC on the project.
The chemicals to be released were said to be non-toxic but behaved similar to anthrax.
The 30-day comment period regarding this proposal opened Nov. 8 and closed Dec. 8.
“I am pleased that the Department of Homeland Security listened to the concerns of Kansans and made the decision to suspend its plans to conduct chemical and biological tests near the Kansas border,” U.S. Senator Jerry Moran said today. “Prior to any sort of chemical testing – hazardous or not – the federal government must make certain local residents understand its intended objective when it conducts any testing of this nature. While the chemicals DHS planned to use in these tests do not pose any bodily harm, Kansans deserve a thorough explanation when an event of this magnitude is occurring so close to where they live and raise their families.”
