People living near Army storage facilities containing chemical warfare agents face increased risks of chemical exposure. Such facilities typically contain 30,000 tons of chemical warfare agents. In response to this threat, the Army instituted the "Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program" to help states that house these facilities prepare for an accident. Initially, the program set a 1998 deadline for devising chemical disaster response plans. Currently, Kentucky, Indiana, and Alabama are significantly behind other states in their preparations. According to officials, the Federal government has had problems communicating with state and local emergency management officials, leading to the delay.

The General Accounting Office recently reported that the program is running low on funds.