[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 90 (Wednesday, May 9, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23682-23683]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-11705]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Disposal of chemical Munitions at the Pueblo Chemical 
Depot, Colorado

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 design, construction, operation and closure of a 
facility to destroy the mustard chemical agent and munitions stored at 
the Pueblo Chemical Depot. The proposed facility will be used to 
demilitarize the chemical agent and munitions currently stored at the 
Depot. The DEIS examines the potential environmental impacts of the 
following destruction facility alternatives: (a) A baseline 
incineration facility; (b) a modified baseline incineration facility; 
(c) neutralization followed by supercritical water oxidation; (d) 
neutralization followed by biodegradation; and (e) no action (i.e., 
continued storage of chemical munitions at Pueblo Chemical Depot). 
Although the no action alternative is not viable under Public Law 99-
145 (Department of Defense Authorization Act of 1986), it was analyzed 
to provide comparison with the proposed action.

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.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be forwarded to the Program Manager for 
Chemical Demilitarization, Public Outreach and Information Office 
(ATTN: Mr. Gregory Mahall), Building E-4585, Aberdeen Proving Ground, 
Maryland, 21010-4005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Gregory Mahall at (410) 436-1093, 
by fax at (410) 436-5122 or by email at 
[email protected] or by mail at the above listed 
address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In its Record of Decision on February 26, 
1988 (53 FR 5816, February 26, 1988) for the Final Programmatic 
Environmental Impact Statement on the Chemical Stockpile Disposal 
Program (CSDP), the Department of the Army selected on-site disposal by 
incineration at all eight chemical munition storage sites within the 
continental United States as the method by which it will destroy its 
lethal chemical stockpile. The Department of the Army published a

[[Page 23683]]

Notice of Intent in the Federal Register (65 FR 20140-20141, April 14, 
2000) which provides notice that, pursuant to the National 
Environmental Policy Act and implementing regulations, it was preparing 
a draft site-specific EIS for the Pueblo Chemical Agent Disposal 
Facility. The Department of the Army prepared a DEIS to assess the 
site-specific health and environmental impacts of on-site disposal of 
the chemical agents and munitions stored at the Pueblo Chemical Depot.
    A public meeting will be held in the vicinity of the Pueblo 
Chemical Depot with the announcement of the date, time and location 
appearing in the local news media at least 15 days prior to the 
selected date. Public comments received on the DEIS will be considered 
and addressed in the Final EIS and considered by the Army in its Record 
of Decision.

    Dated: May 4, 2001.
Raymond J. Fatz,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health), OASA (I&E).
[FR Doc. 01-11705 Filed 5-8-01; 8:45 am]
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