MINDEN, LA (AP) — Gov. John Bel Edwards is voicing satisfaction with progress in disposing 15 million pounds of explosive rocket propellant at Camp Minden.
But Edwards says he's not taking a position on a bill banning open burning of explosives statewide, pushed by opponents of a Grant Parish burning operation. Open burning was rejected at Camp Minden after residents protested the U.S. Environmental Protections Agency's original plan.
Edwards toured Camp Minden Friday, telling The Times of Shreveport’s Miles Jay Oliver that he was impressed with how quickly contractor Explosive Service International has gotten ready for disposal. The next step in ramping up the process begins next week, before full-scale burning begins in June.
Government-led disposal became necessary after an explosion showed that Explo Systems was piling up M6 propellant faster than it could sell it.
