REACH

Pueblo Chemical Depot Community Outreach Office Spring 2002

Highlighting Outreach Activities for the Army’s Chemical Demilitarization Program

Pueblo Chemical 

Depot Community 

Outreach Office

301 North Main Street,

Suite 306B

Pueblo, CO 81003

Outreach Office 

Hours

Monday–Friday

8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.

Other hours by 

appointment

Outreach Office Staff

Bob Kennemer

bobkennemer@ 

compuserve.com

Sue Coulson

susancoulson@ 

compuserve.com

(719) 549-4877

Army Public Affairs 

Office

Marilyn Thompson

(719) 549-4135

mmthomps@

pcd-emh1.pcd.army.mil

Disposal Technology Decision Draws Closer

The process of determining the technology that will 

safely destroy Pueblo Chemical Depot’s mustard 

agent stockpile is progressing. The four technologies 

being considered are:

• Baseline incineration;

• Modified baseline incineration;

• Neutralization followed by biotreatment and

• Neutralization followed by supercritical 

 water oxidation.

The Defense Acquisition Board (DAB), which 

consists of high-level Department of Defense 

officials, reviewed all aspects of the chemical 

demilitarization program. The DAB review process 

involved several working teams that collected 

and reviewed information and independent 

assessments on the proposed technologies; 

identified and evaluated issues; and addressed 

public concern. The teams in turn provided 

their technology recommendation to the DAB. 

Each team recommended neutralization followed 

by biotreatment, or neut/bio, as the preferred 

technology.

Following a review of all data and public testimony, 

the DAB concurred and recommended that the 

Pentagon select neut/bio to destroy the mustard 

agent. The undersecretary of defense for acquisition, 

logistics and technology is authorized to make the 

final decision. 

At press time, an environmental impact 

statement identifying neut/bio as the 

preferred technology was completed. 

Following a 30-day public comment 

period, the under secretary will 

determine Pueblo’s final technology and 

sign a Record of Decision. An official, 

public announcement will follow.

The DAB considered the following factors in their 

review and technology recommendation:

• Treaty implications

• Laws and regulations

• Environmental Impact Statements

• Mission needs

• Budget

• Political concerns

• Independent assessments

• Public input

In January, the Pueblo Citizens’ Advisory Committee 

(CAC) sent a letter to the DAB stating neut/bio as 

their technology recommendation. CAC Chair and 

Pueblo County Commissioner John Klomp, along 

with CAC member Irene Kornelly, also provided 

verbal comments at DAB meetings held in March. 

For more information regarding the DAB process or 

to receive a copy of the final environmental impact 

statement, please contact the Pueblo Chemical 

Depot Community Outreach Office at 

(719) 549-4877. 

Defense Environmental

Impact Statement

Treaty

Mission Needs

Budget

Certification

Public Input 

Laws & 

Regulations

Factors Influencing the DAB

Acquisition

Board
Page 2

Twenty-Five Percent of U.S. Chemical 

Stockpile Destroyed

Utah Facility Destroys GB Nerve Agent Stockpile

The U.S. Army Program Manager for Chemical 

Demilitarization recently announced that Utah’s 

remaining stockpile of GB (Sarin) nerve agent was 

eliminated safely. Tooele Chemical Agent Disposal 

Facility workers now are preparing to destroy 1,356 

tons of VX nerve agent.

“This is a significant 

milestone for chemical 

weapons disposal. Fortyfour percent of the Utah 

stockpile is eliminated 

and more than 25 percent 

of the nation’s entire 

chemical weapons stockpile 

is destroyed,” said James 

Bacon, program manager for 

chemical demilitarization. 

In November 2000, the 

Army’s Johnston Atoll 

facility in the Pacific Ocean 

completed safe destruction 

of its chemical stockpile.

TOCDF workers destroyed 

the GB stockpile first 

because continued storage 

posed the greatest threat to 

the community. GB agent 

has a consistency similar to 

water and is more likely to 

vaporize than other agent 

types. The original GB 

stockpile, which was stored 

safely at Deseret Chemical 

Depot in Utah, consisted 

of 928,906 rockets, bombs, 

projectiles and bulk 

containers. The depot stored 

the Army’s largest stockpile 

of GB agent, more than 12 

million pounds. This was 

twice the amount of GB 

stored at the nine other U.S. 

stockpile sites combined. 

Now, the facility equipment will be decontaminated, 

and international treaty inspectors will certify official 

completion of the GB agent destruction campaign. 

“We are sharing lessons learned during TOCDF’s 

GB destruction campaign with our other chemical 

weapons disposal facilities 

to ensure continued 

safety and environmental 

stewardship,” said Bacon.

The Anniston Chemical 

Agent Disposal Facility, 

located in Alabama, 

is conducting tests in 

preparation for destroying 

its stockpile, which 

includes rockets filled with 

GB agent. The Umatilla 

Chemical Agent Disposal 

Facility, located in Oregon, 

also is undergoing tests 

to demonstrate that the 

facility is prepared for 

disposal operations to begin 

next year. Construction 

is nearly complete on 

Arkansas’ Pine Bluff 

Chemical Agent Disposal 

Facility. Technology 

decisions for the Colorado 

and Kentucky facilities 

are expected later this 

year. And, the Maryland 

and Indiana facilities are 

investigating technologies 

for disposal of bulk 

chemical agent.

“This is a significant 

milestone for chemical 

weapons disposal. Fortyfour percent of the Utah 

stockpile is eliminated 

and more than 25 

percent of the nation’s 

entire chemical weapons 

stockpile is destroyed.”

—James Bacon, 

program manager 

for chemical 

demilitarization

The last GB bulk container being unloaded in 

the Unpack Area of the TOCDF.
Page 3

On February 26, Dr. Mario Fiori, the newly 

appointed head of oversight for chemical weapons 

disposal, visited Pueblo Chemical Depot (PCD). 

In December 2001, the Army transferred oversight 

for the Chemical Weapons Disposal Program from 

U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Claude Bolton, incoming 

assistant secretary of the army for acquisition, 

logistics and technology (ASA(AL&T)), to the 

recently appointed Dr. Mario Fiori, assistant 

secretary of the army for installations and 

environment (ASA(I&E)). The ASA(AL&T) was 

responsible for the overall oversight, management, 

direction and execution of the program, while 

the ASA(I&E) provided policy and oversight 

for the environment, safety, occupational health 

and chemical stockpile emergency preparedness. 

With this change, oversight for all aspects for the 

program rests with the ASA(I&E), consolidating all 

responsibility into one office.

Dr. Fiori also has visited the stockpile sites in Utah, 

Maryland, Indiana, Arkansas and Oregon and plans 

to visit the remaining sites in the near future. As part 

of his visit to Pueblo and PCD, Dr. Fiori met with 

the installation directorates, visited with the troops 

and toured PCD. Dr. Fiori explained the reason 

for his visit, “I wanted to meet with the Pueblo 

community and let them know that I support them 

and will be working with the community to dispose 

of the chemical stockpile as soon as possible. I also 

wanted to thank the troops that have been sent to 

PCD to help safeguard the stockpile.” 

Dr. Fiori also took time to tour the City of Pueblo 

and visited the Medal of Honor Memorial at the 

Pueblo Convention Center. Dr. Fiori then had a 

working lunch with Pueblo County Commissioner 

John Klomp. Commissioner Klomp also serves as 

the Chair for the Citizens Advisory Committee, 

which represents the greater Pueblo community on 

chemical weapons disposal issues. 

Assistant Secretary of the Army 

for Installations and Environment 

visits Pueblo

When asked what he saw as the future of the 

chemical demilitarization program, Dr. Fiori replied, 

“Because the greatest danger is in the continued 

storage of these weapons, it is my goal to help 

accelerate the disposal process in a safe 

and environmentally sound manner.” PCD 

Commander John Driftmier had this observation, 

“We appreciate Dr. Fiori taking the time to visit 

PCD to better understand our mission, our plans 

and our concerns. The fact that he was very frank 

and open in sharing his thoughts on the direction he 

plans to take the chemical demilitarization process 

both here at Pueblo and at the other stockpile sites 

was well received.”

“Because the greatest 

danger is in the 

continued storage 

of these weapons, it 

is my goal to help 

accelerate the disposal 

process in a safe and 

environmentally sound 

manner.”

—Dr. Mario Fiori, 

assistant secretary 

of the army

Dr. Mario Fiori, assistant secretary of the army.
Pueblo Chemical Depot Community Outreach Office

301 North Main Street, Suite 306B

Pueblo, CO 81003

REACH

Community Outreach Office Relocates

The Pueblo Chemical Depot Community Outreach Office is 

pleased to announce that it has relocated to downtown Pueblo. 

The outreach office is located at the Business and Technology 

Center, 301 North Main Street, Suite 306B, Pueblo, CO 81003. 

New phone numbers to be announced.

Stop by for a visit, or plan on seeing the outreach staff at one of 

the community events listed below!

• Seniors’ Life Festival–May 2 and 3, Pueblo Convention 

Center

• Expo 2002–May 14, Pueblo Convention Center

• Colorado State Fair–August 17–September 1, Palace of 

Agriculture

The outreach office has relocated to the Business and Technology 

Center at 3rd and Main in downtown Pueblo.