[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 203 (Thursday, October 21, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 56774]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-27501]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement on 
Transportable Treatment Systems for Non-Stockpile Chemical Warfare 
Materiel

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: This Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (DPEIS) 
has been prepared by the Army in compliance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, regulations of the President's 
Council on Environmental Quality (40 CFR 1500-1508), and Army 
Regulation 200-2. The Department of the Army, as Executive Agent for 
the DoD, is responsible for destroying that portion of the nation's 
chemical warfare materiel (CWM) referred to as ``non-stockpile'' CWM. 
This non-stockpile CWM must be destroyed in order to protect human 
health and safety, comply with an international treaty, and carry out 
the requirements of the U.S. Congress. Non-stockpile CWM covered under 
this DPEIS includes: (1) Munitions containing chemical agent or 
industrial chemicals, (2) chemical agents or industrial chemicals 
contained in other than munitions configurations, and (3) chemical 
agent identification set items containing small quantities of pure or 
diluted agent used for training purposes.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 4, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Questions and written comments regarding the DPEIS, or a 
request for a copy of the document, should be directed to: Program 
Manager for Chemical Demilitarization, ATTN: SFAE-CD-NP (Mr. John K. 
Gieseking/PEIS), Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010-4005 or via email at 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John K. Gieseking at (410) 436-
3768 or by fax at (410) 436-8737.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Army's Product Manager for Non-Stockpile 
Chemical Materiel has analyzed the potential environmental and 
socioeconomic consequences of two alternative courses of action in the 
DPEIS with respect to the Army's chemical demilitarization 
responsibilities:
    (1) Using transportable chemical treatment systems, under which the 
Army would use as many as four different types of transportable systems 
currently being developed to chemically treat non-stockpile CWM.
    (2) The no action alternative, under which the Army would 
discontinue development of the transportable treatment systems 
currently being developed and continue storage of non-stockpile CWM 
until other technologies are developed.
    Other alternatives that were considered, but not evaluated in 
detail, are: (1) Using stockpile CWM disposal facilities; (2) using 
other treatment systems or technologies, none of which have currently 
been sufficiently developed as part of an integrated system for the 
treatment of non-stockpile CWM; and (3) using commercial treatment 
facilities, which would require changes in federal law and Army policy.
    The Army has determined, based on the DPEIS, that the no-action 
alternative could lead to the United States violating the Chemical 
Weapons Convention timetable requirements for destroying currently 
stored non-stockpile CWM or CWM recovered in the near future. The Army 
further concludes that using stockpile disposal facilities, other 
treatment systems, or commercial treatment facilities are not feasible 
alternatives given certain legal requirements, in addition to the time 
restraints of the Chemical Weapons Convention.
    The Army's preferred alternative course of action is to complete 
the development of transportable chemical treatment systems and make 
them available for deployment. Subsequent environmental reviews by the 
appropriate DoD authorities would address the impacts of actual 
deployment to specific locations.
    A series of public meetings will be held at nine U.S. locations 
during the comment period to afford the public the opportunity to 
provide oral and written comments on the DPEIS. These meetings will 
tentatively be held in the vicinity of Aberdeen, MD; Alexandria, LA; 
Anchorage, AK; Huntsville, AL; Indianapolis, IN; Salt Lake City, UT; 
San Antonio, TX; Santa Rosa, CA; and Tampa, FL. The specific time, 
locations, and dates of these meetings will be announced in appropriate 
news media at least 15 days prior to each meeting. Comments made at the 
public meetings and written comments received during the comment period 
will be used in the preparation of the Final PEIS.
    Copies of the DPEIS have been forwarded to the EPA; other federal 
state, and local agencies; Native Americans; public officials; and 
organizations and individuals who previously provided substantive 
comments during the PEIS scoping process or have expressed interest in 
the Non-Stockpile Chemical Materiel Program. Copies of the DPEIS can 
also be obtained by calling the Public Outreach and Information Office 
of the Program Manager for Chemical Demilitarization at 1-800-488-0648 
or (410) 436-3445; fax (410) 436-8737 or may be accessed at the 
following web site: http://www-pmcd.apgea.army.mil/nscmp/index.html.

    Dated: October 14, 1999.
Raymond J. Fatz,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health) OASA(I&E).
[FR Doc. 99-27501 Filed 10-20-99; 8:45 am]
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