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TOOELE COUNTY -- Deep cuts in the environmental staff at Dugway Proving Ground are raising safety questions.
Critics wonder how a U.S. Army post the size of Rhode Island, dedicated to test and training operations with dangerous weapons, deadly germs and toxic nerve agents, can be adequately overseen by an environmental staff that's suddenly forty percent smaller.
"An erosion of the capabilities of environmental oversight is not a healthy prospect," said Steve Erickson of the Citizen Education Project.
"The Army can only afford so much. truthfully," said Audy Snodgrass, garrison manager at the sprawling Army installation in Tooele County.
Earlier in the week, Army officials denied that final decisions had been made. But lower-level sources at Dugway insisted the staff reductions were happening and Snodgrass later confirmed it. "We currently have 17 people authorized in our environmental division, and we're going down to 10," Snodgrass said.
That's a cause for some real concern. They have a lot of projects going on out there, more to come. It's one of the busiest times in the history of the base.
–Steve Erickson of the Citizens Education Project
That's a cut of 41 percent in the staff of scientists whose role is to monitor environmental concerns and assure compliance with state and federal environmental regulations. The cuts come at a time when the Army hopes to expand its activities on the proving ground, many of which are potentially dangerous activities.
Critics say the Army can ill afford to erode environmental safeguards at one of the nation's primary sites for dangerous chemical and biological agents. The base does lab work with deadly germs and nerve agents, as well as outdoor work with guns, bombs and missiles.
The seven positions being eliminated are held by experts in biology, physical sciences and archaeology. A high level Army review team concluded there was too much specialization.
"We have to be far more generalist in our approach, so that one person handles two or three missions," Snodgrass said. "The Army can no longer afford specialists. It's as simple as that."
He said the primary reason for the cuts is to save money and be more efficient. In spite of that, the rest of his staff of 220 that manages the base facilities is actually increasing by eight to 15 positions. Snodgrass's explanation is that more workers were needed in some areas but fewer in the environmental division.
Erickson finds the environmental cuts to be troubling.
"That's a cause for some real concern. They have a lot of projects going on out there, more to come. It's one of the busiest times in the history of the base."
The Utah Department of Environmental Quality has a partial oversight role at Dugway on such matters as clean air, clean water and disposal of hazardous waste. Scott Anderson, DEQ's Director of Solid & Hazardous Waste said he's not worried the Army will back away from environmental responsibilities.
"Over the years as we've worked with Dugway they've demonstrated a commitment to those obligations," Anderson said, "and we continue to expect that will be the case."
Erickson worries that key activities might not get enough oversight.
"The contractors who work out there doing various tests for various corporate interests that are defense-related would begin to run the show a bit," Erickson said. "And that's not a healthy prospect."
Snodgrass said there will be no decline in oversight. "The Army is very concerned about the environment," he said, "and we will continue to do everything we can to do it right."
