Until it was shut down by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Fort McClellan Army base in Anniston, Alabama, among its many functions, served as a site for the Army’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Corps. But one function which remained constant throughout its tenure was the housing and disposal of chemical weapons. In 1999, the EPA closed the base, labeling it a hazardous site due to chemical waste which had leached into the ground, contaminating the soil and water supply.
A bill introduced in 2013 called the Fort McClellan Health Act sought to create a registry for veterans stationed at the base to help them get coverage for health issues stemming from their exposure to toxins, and open up disability payments. The bill remains in committee and has yet to advance.