HERMISTON -- The incineration plant at the Umatilla Chemical Depot has been given approval to increase its liquid incinerator processing rate.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has agreed to let the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility increase the processing rate from 75 percent to 100 percent of the feed rate demonstrated during the mustard weapons agent trial burn.

The authorization to increase the feed rate will make the plant a little more efficient, said Steven Warren, project manager for URS, which operates the plant.

"The era of chemical munitions at Umatilla Chemical Depot is rapidly closing," said Gary Anderson, the plant's federal project manager. "The government and contractor work force are working around the clock to safely destroy the mustard agent and we are ahead of schedule to meet international treaty deadline."