Chemical Weapons Disposal: Issues Related to DOD's Management (Testimony,
07/13/95, GAO/T-NSIAD-95-185).

Defense Department (DOD) efforts to destroy its chemical weapons
stockpile have been plagued by soaring costs and schedule delays. Cost
estimate to dispose of this deadly material have risen from $1.7 billion
to $11.9 billion, and the planned completion date has slipped from 1994
to 2004.  DOD has taken some encouraging steps to improve its management
and oversight of the disposal program, but a number of areas are still
of concern. To date, only two of nine planned incinerators have been
built and only one of the two, at Johnston Atoll, is operational.  About
$2 billion has been spent on the program, but only two percent of the
stockpile has been destroyed.  The Army continues to experience added
program requirements, public opposition, and technical and programmatic
problems.  Although the storage of the M55 rocket poses the largest
safety risk, the Army lacks information to predict the safe storage life
of the rocket.  Communities near the storage sites are still not yet
fully prepared to respond to a chemical emergency. Finally, the Army is
research and technology to dispose of the chemical weapons stockpile,
this technology will not be ready in time to meet the current disposal
deadline of December 31, 2004.

--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

 REPORTNUM:  T-NSIAD-95-185
     TITLE:  Chemical Weapons Disposal: Issues Related to DOD's 
             Management
      DATE:  07/13/95
   SUBJECT:  Chemical warfare
             Weapons
             Army facilities
             Defense contingency planning
             Emergency preparedness
             Property disposal
             Property and supply management
             Safety standards
             Cost analysis
             Munitions
IDENTIFIER:  DOD Chemical Stockpile Disposal Program
             Army Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program
             Johnston Atoll
             Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System
             M-55 Rocket
             EPA Hazardous Waste Reduction and Combustion Strategy
             Army Enhanced Stockpile Assessment Program
             Army Alternative Disposal Technology Program
             
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