"This is one way to at least get their attention."

It could be a futile gesture, but Richmond is looking at banning the transport of chemical weapons by plane, train, or truck.

Such ordinances would seem to pose a problem if the Pentagon decides to send the 523 tons of decaying chemical weapons from Blue Grass Army Depot near Richmond to an incineration site, such as the one in Anniston, Ala.

It's probably not possible to ship a trainload or truckload of the nerve agents VX or GB out of the depot without going through Richmond, which lies between the depot and Interstate 75. The ordinance, which presumably would be enforced by city police, would subject violators to fines up to $5,000.

I don't know that a mere $5,000 will deter government officials, but then again they are considering moving the nerve agents (previously mentioned here) because of budget restrictions. You never know.

Richmond City Manager David Evans sees the ordinance as more than a symbolic statement.

"If it passes the commission, it would be a strong indication of the feelings of the city, and hopefully that would not be ignored," he said.

Indeed! It's dangerous to move them, and destroying them near Richmond would add needed jobs to the area. If the budget is so constrained, maybe there's a way to privatize.

After what happened in Graniteville, does the government really want to risk moving these weapons?