[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 87 (Friday, May 4, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22535-22536]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-11293]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (FPEIS) 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 FPEIS 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. As the Executive Agent for the DoD, the Army is 
responsible for destroying that portion of the nation's chemical 
warfare materiel referred to as ``non-stockpile'' chemical warfare 
materiel. This non-stockpile chemical warfare materiel must be 
destroyed in order to protect human health and

[[Page 22536]]

safety and the environment, comply with an international treaty, and 
carry out the mandate of the Congress. Non-stockpile chemical warfare 
materiel covered under this FPEIS includes: (1) Munitions containing 
chemical warfare agent or industrial chemicals, (2) chemical warfare 
agents or industrial chemicals contained in other than munitions 
configurations, and (3) chemical agent identification set items 
containing small qualities of pure or diluted agent used for training 
purposes. These items are currently buried and have the potential to be 
recovered at a number of locations in the United States and its 
territories and possessions. In addition, materiel has been recovered 
and is currently stored at several military installations throughout 
the United States.

DATES: Written public comments received within 30 days of the 
publication of the Environmental Protection Agency's Notice of 
Availability will be considered by the Army during final decision 
making.

ADDRESSES: Questions on the FPEIS or requests for copies of the 
document should be directed to: Program Manager for Chemical 
Demilitarization, ATTN: SFAE-CD-NP (Mr. John K. Gieseking/PEIS), 
Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21010-4005 or via e-mail at 
[email protected].

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Army has to decide whether it wants to 
complete development of transportable treatment systems and make the 
systems available for deployment in the field. The purpose of the FPEIS 
is to help the Army make this program-level decision with input from 
the public. 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 FPEIS with 
respect to the Army's chemical demilitarization responsibilities. These 
alternatives are: (1) Completing development and testing of the 
transportable chemical treatment systems and making them available to 
be used where needed and appropriate to process non-stockpile chemical 
warfare materiel. Part of this alternative includes continuing to 
assess and evaluate the treatment potential of other technologies, 
methods, and processes, and (2) the no-action alternative, under which 
the Army would discontinue the development of the transportable 
treatment systems and continue to the storage of non-stockpile chemical 
warfare materiel until other suitable technologies are developed.
    The Army's preferred alternative based on information in this FPEIS 
is to complete 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 before a decision to deploy 
would be made. While the no-action alternative was evaluated, it could 
lead to the United States violating the Chemical Weapons Convention 
timetable requirements for destroying currently stored non-stockpile 
chemical warfare materiel.
    A series of public meetings were held at nine locations during the 
public comment period on the Draft PEIS to afford the public the 
opportunity to provide oral and written comments. These meetings were 
held in Alexandria, Louisiana; Anchorage, Alaska; Edgewood, Maryland; 
Huntsville, Alabama; Indianapolis, Indiana; Salt Lake City, Utah; San 
Antonio, Texas; Santa Rosa, California; and Tampa, Florida. Comments 
made at these meetings and written comments received during the comment 
period were used in preparing the FPEIS.
    The most frequent concern expressed in public comments was in 
regard to the possible treatment of secondary wastes from the 
transportable systems in commercial incinerators. The Army is presently 
looking into possible options other than commercial incineration for 
treating wastes from the transportable systems. Implementing the 
preferred alternative does not preclude developing these non-
incineration options.
    Copies of the FPEIS can be obtained by calling the Public Outreach 
and Information Office of the Office of the Program Manager for 
Chemical Demilitarization at 1-800-488-0648 or (410) 436-3445; fax 
(410) 436-8737; or e-mail at [email protected]. The 
FPEIS may be accessed at the following web site: http://www-pmcd.apgea.army.mil/nscmp/index.html.

    Dated: April 30, 2001.
Raymond J. Fatz,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health), OASA(I&E).
[FR Doc. 01-11293 Filed 5-3-01; 8:45 am]
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