[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 73 (Friday, April 14, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20139-20140]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-9336]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Environmental Impact Statement for Follow-On Tests Including 
Design, Construction and Operation of One or More Pilot Test Facilities 
for Assembled Chemical Weapon Destruction Technologies at One or More 
Sites

AGENCY: Program Manager, Assembled Chemical Weapons Assessment, 
Department of Defense.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: This announces the Army's intent to prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement on the potential impacts of the design, construction 
and operation of one or more pilot test facilities for assembled 
chemical weapon destruction technologies at one or more chemical 
weapons stockpile sites, potentially simultaneously with any existing 
demilitarization programs and schedules at these sites. The size of the 
pilot tests and the location of the test facilities will be determined 
in this process.

DATES: Written comments must be received not later than May 30, 2000 in 
order to be considered in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be forwarded to the Program Manager 
Assembled Chemical Weapons Assessment, Public Affairs, Building E-5101, 
Room 219, 5183 Blackhawk Road, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010-5424.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Ann Gallegos at 410-436-4345, by 
fax at 410-436-5297, or via email at 
[email protected], or Program Manager Assembled 
Chemical Weapons Assessment, Public Affairs, Building E-5101, Room 212, 
5183 Blackhawk Road, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010-5424.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This proposed action continues the process 
that began when Congress established the Assembled Chemical Weapons 
Assessment Program through passage of Public Law 104-208. The 
authorizing legislation instructed the Department of Defense to 
identify and demonstrate alternatives to baseline incineration for the 
destruction of assembled chemical weapons. Baseline incineration is the 
technology and process in place at the Johnston Atoll in the Pacific 
and at Deseret Chemical Depot in Utah. Assembled chemical weapons are 
munitions containing both chemical agents and explosives that are 
stored in the United States unitary chemical weapons stockpile. This 
includes rockets, projectiles, and mines. Unitary agents include 
chemical blister agents (e.g., the mustard H, HD, and HT) and chemical 
nerve agents (e.g.,GB (Sarin) and VX).
    With the National Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 1999, 
Congress directed the Program Manager, Assembled Chemical Weapons 
Assessment to plan for the pilot testing of alternatives technologies.
    While all of the chemical stockpile sites were initially believed 
to be potential test sites, Edgewood Chemical Activity in Maryland, 
Newport Chemical Depot in Indiana, and Johnston Atoll in the Pacific 
Ocean have been eliminated from any consideration. Chemical stockpile 
sites at Edgewood and Newport will not be considered because no 
assembled chemical weapons are at those locations. Johnston Atoll will 
not be considered because all chemical weapons at the site will be 
destroyed before the National Environmental Policy Act analysis can be 
completed.
    Sites at Anniston Chemical Activity in Alabama, Pine Bluff Chemical 
Activity in Arkansas, Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado, and Blue Grass 
Chemical Activity in Kentucky are being considered. Deseret Chemical 
Depot in Utah and Umatilla Chemical Depot in Oregon are not currently 
being considered because the current schedule for those plants 
indicates that the assembled chemical weapons will be destroyed prior 
to the time that a pilot facility would be ready to operate. If new 
information indicates that assembled chemical weapons in sufficient 
quantity will remain at these sites, then placement of the pilot 
facility at those sites will be analyzed.
    Technologies under consideration include a variety of processes, 
such as, chemical neutralization, biological treatment, and 
supercritical water oxidation. The Program Manager, Assembled Chemical 
Weapons Assessment pilot tests will not halt or delay the operation or 
construction of any baseline incineration facility currently in 
progress. Transportation of assembled chemical weapons between 
stockpile sites is precluded by public law and will not be considered.
    Alternatives that will be considered in the Environmental Impact 
Statement are: (a) No action, (b) pilot test of chemical neutralization 
followed by super critical water oxidation, and (c) pilot test of 
chemical neutralization followed by biological treatment.
    There is a second Notice of Intent, entitled ``Notice of Intent to 
Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Design, Construction, 
and Operation of a Facility for the Destruction of Chemical Agent at 
Pueblo Chemical Depot, Colorado.'' The focus of this complementary 
Environmental Impact Statement will be specifically on what technology 
should be used for the destruction of the chemical weapons stockpile at 
Pueblo Chemical Depot. The focus of the Assembled Chemical Weapons 
Assessment Environmental Impact Statement is on whether or not pilot 
testing of any Assembled Chemical Weapons Assessment technology should 
be conducted, and if so where, but it will leave to the Pueblo Chemical 
Depot Environment Impact Statement the question whether a full-scale 
facility operated initially as a pilot facility should be constructed 
to destroy the stockpile at that location. The emphasis for the 
Assembled Chemical Weapons Assessment document is to consider Assembled 
Chemical Weapons Assessment technologies and the various stockpile 
sites that may be suitable for conducting pilot tests, considering such 
factors as existing facilities, resource requirements for each 
technology and the ability of the site to provide those resources, 
munitions configurations and availability at each site at the time 
actual testing would begin. At the conclusion of both these 
Environmental Impact Statements, the same officials will issue The 
Records of Decision.
    During scoping meetings, the Program Manager, Assembled Chemical 
Weapons Assessment is seeking to identify significant issues related to 
the proposed action. The Program Manager, Assembled Chemical Weapons 
Assessment desires information on: (1) The potential chemical weapons 
stockpile sites and surrounding areas, (2) concerns regarding the 
testing and/or operation of multiple technologies at these sites, (3) 
issues regarding the scale of the pilot test facilities, and (4) 
specific concerns regarding any potential technologies. Individuals or 
organizations may participate in the scoping process by written comment 
or by attending public meetings to be held in Alabama, Arkansas, 
Colorado, Kentucky and the Washington, DC metropolitan area. The dates, 
times, and locations of these meetings will be

[[Page 20140]]

provided at least 15 days in advance by public notices in the news 
media serving the regions where the meeting will be located. The public 
meeting in Colorado will be held in conjunction with the public meeting 
on the site-specific Environmental Impact Statement.

    Dated: April 10, 2000.
Raymond J. Fatz,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, (Environment, Safety, and 
Occupational Health) OASA (I&E).
[FR Doc. 00-9336 Filed 4-13-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M