[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 111 (Wednesday, June 10, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 31760]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-15457]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for Pilot Testing of Neutralization/Supercritical Water 
Oxidation at Newport Chemical Depot, Indiana

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DOD.

ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA).

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SUMMARY: This announces the availability of the Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (DEIS) which assesses the potential environmental 
impacts of the construction and operation of a facility to pilot test 
the chemical neutralization process followed by supercritical water 
oxidation (SCWO) as a potential disposal technology for the bulk agent 
VX stored at Newport Chemical Depot (NECD). The proposed facility will 
be used to demonstrate, as part of a research and development program, 
the neutralization process followed by SCWO, to destroy VX agent 
currently stored in ton containers at NECD.
    The two alternatives considered in this DEIS are the proposed 
action and no action (i.e., continued storage of VX in ton containers). 
Although the no action alternative is not viable under Pub. L. 99-145, 
it was analyzed to provide a comparison with the proposed action. In 
addition, the no action alternative would not comply with Public Law 
102-484, which specifies that the Army must consider using a 
technological alternative to incineration.

DATES: The public comment period for the DEIS will end 45 days after 
publication of the NOA in the Federal Register by the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency. All public comments received on the 
DEIS will be considered and addressed in the final EIS and also 
considered by the Army in its Record of Decision.

ADDRESSES: To obtain copies of the DEIS, contact Ms. Mona Harney, NECD 
Public Affairs Office, at (765) 245-4597 or write to: Department of the 
Army, Newport Chemical Activity, P.O. Box 121, Newport, Indiana 47966-
0121.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Office of the Program Manager for Chemical Demilitarization, ATTN: 
SFAE-CD-P (Ms. Catherine Herlinger), Building E4585, Aberdeen Proving 
Ground, Maryland, 21010-5401; telephone: (800) 488-0648 or (410) 671-
1479; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DEIS concludes that VX stored in bulk 
containers can be pilot tested at NECD using the neutralization 
process, followed by SCWO, in a safe and environmentally acceptable 
manner. At one time, the option of sending the neutralization 
hydrolysate to an off-site biotreatment facility was under 
consideration by the Army. However, technical and programmatic 
evaluations have concluded that off-site biotreatment is not suitable 
at this time. Therefore, off-site biotreatment is not addressed further 
in this EIS.

    Dated: June 2, 1998.
Raymond J. Fatz,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health) OASA (I,L&E).
[FR Doc. 98-15457 Filed 6-9-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M