[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 74 (Wednesday, April 17, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 18870]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-9266]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement (FEIS) for the Disposal of Chemical Munitions at Pueblo 
Chemical Depot, Colorado

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: This announces the availability of the FEIS which assesses the 
potential environmental impacts of the design, construction, operation 
and closure of a facility to destroy the chemical agent and munitions 
currently stored at the Pueblo Chemical Depot. The FEIS examines the 
potential environmental impacts of the following destruction facility 
alternatives: (1) Baseline incineration facility; (2) modified baseline 
incineration facility; (3) neutralization followed by supercritical 
water oxidation; (4) neutralization followed by biodegradation 
(preferred alternative); and (5) no action (i.e., continued storage of 
chemical munitions at Pueblo Chemical Depot). Although the no action 
alternatives is not viable under Public Law 99-145 (Department of 
Defense Authorization Act of 1986), it was analyzed to provide a 
comparison with the proposed action.

DATES: The waiting period on the FEIS will end 30 days after 
publication of the notice of availability in the Federal Register by 
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

ADDRESSES: To obtain copies of the FEIS, contact the Program Manager 
for Chemical Demilitarization, Public Outreach and Information Office 
(ATTN: Ms. Sandra Clawson-Freeo), Building E-4585, Aberdeen Proving 
Ground, Maryland 21010-4005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Sandra Clawson-Freeo at 410-436-
1479, by fax at 410-436-5122, by electronic mail 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 located 
within the continental United States as the method by which it will 
destroy its lethal chemical stockpile. The Department of the Army 
published a Notice of Intent in the Federal Register (65 FR 20140-41, 
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 published a Draft EIS 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 on May 11, 2001 (66 FR 24136). All public comments received on 
the Draft EIS have been addressed in the FEIS.
    The Program Manager for Assembled Chemical Weapons Assessment 
(ACWA) is preparing a separate EIS. The ACWA EIS is for follow-on pilot 
testing of the ACWA program pursuant to the process established by 
Congress in Public Laws 104-208 and 105-261. The ACWA EIS is distinct 
from this FEIS for the Pueblo Chemical Depot in that its emphasis is on 
the feasibility of pilot testing one or more of the ACWA technologies 
at one or more sites. One of the four sites evaluated in the ACWA EIS 
is the Pueblo Chemical Depot. The ACWA EIS does not specifically 
address the use of a full-scale facility to accomplish destruction of 
the inventory stored at Pueblo. Information provided by the ACWA 
program concerning the neutralization technologies provides the basis 
for analysis of the neutralization technologies and comparison with 
incineration is this site-specific FEIS for stockpile destruction at 
Pueblo. This Program Manager for Chemical Demilitarization FEIS and the 
ACWA EIS serve complementary but distinct purposes. This FEIS continues 
the process that began with Congress established the Program Manager 
for Chemical Demilitarization in 1985.
    A decision on which of the alternatives will be implemented in 
carrying out destruction of the chemical munitions at Pueblo will be 
made by the Defense Acquisition Board (DAB) through a process that will 
consider a wide range of factors. The factors include, but are not 
limited to, environmental considerations, laws and regulations, mission 
needs (at Pueblo as well as from a national perspective), implications 
for compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention, budget 
considerations, schedule, public concerns, and political concerns.
    A Record of Decision will be made following the end of the 30-day 
review period.

    Dated: April 1, 2002.
Raymond J. Fatz,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health), OASA (I&E).
[FR Doc. 02-9266 Filed 4-16-02; 8:45 am]
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