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Pueblo Chemical Depot Community Outreach Office 1st Quarter, Winter 2002

Highlighting Outreach Activities for the Army’s Chemical Demilitarization Program

RCRA Process for Chemical 

Disposal Facility Begins in 

Pueblo

The Resource Conservation and Recovery 

Act, or RCRA, ensures the safe treatment, 

storage and disposal of hazardous waste 

generated nationwide. RCRA is 

implemented by the U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency (EPA) and in most 

states, the EPA has delegated authority for 

RCRA oversight to the state environmental 

agency. RCRA regulates the management 

of hazardous waste from the moment it is 

generated until final disposal.

All of the Army’s chemical agent disposal 

facilities are subject to RCRA and must 

obtain a permit before construction of 

disposal facilities can begin. This includes 

the disposal facility planned for Pueblo 

Chemical Depot, regardless of which 

disposal technology is chosen.

Obtaining a permit requires oversight 

from both federal EPA and the state 

environmental agency, which in the depot’s 

case is the Colorado Department of 

Public Health and Environment, Hazardous 

Materials and Waste Management Division. 

Public participation is also required 

throughout the permitting process.

To receive a RCRA permit, the Army 

must submit a detailed permit application 

describing how the chemical disposal facility 

will be built and operated to comply with 

RCRA regulations fully protective of human 

health and the environment.

Prior to submitting the permit application, 

the Army’s Program Manager for Chemical 

Demilitarization and the Program Manager 

for Assembled Chemical Weapons 

Assessment held a joint pre-application 

meeting to inform the public of its intent 

to submit an application and to obtain 

comments. This pre-application meeting 

was held November 29 in two locations, 

Avondale and Pueblo.

The permit application for the Pueblo 

Chemical Depot disposal facility will be 

submitted after a disposal technology 

decision is made. The pre-application 

meeting is being held before the technology 

decision so that regardless of what 

technology is selected for Pueblo, the permit 

application can be submitted immediately 

following the technology decision. If the 

Army waited until a technology was 

selected for Pueblo to hold a pre-application 

meeting, the timeframe for the destruction 

of the stockpile at Pueblo would be 

lengthened by approximately two months.

Pueblo Chemical 

Depot Community 

Outreach Office

45825 Highway 96 East

Building 1

Pueblo, CO 

81006-9330

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

continued on page 2...
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The Resource 

Conservation and 

Recovery Act, or 

RCRA, ensures the 

safe treatment, 

storage and disposal 

of hazardous waste 

generated 

nationwide.

period on the draft permit, there will be a 

public hearing. After comments are received 

and incorporated, a final RCRA permit may 

be issued. Every 10 years thereafter, the 

permit must be renewed.

When the draft application is submitted by 

the Army, the state and EPA review the 

application, request additional information 

and/or clarification, develop draft permit 

conditions, and then issue the draft permit 

for public comment. During this comment 
The Pueblo Chemical Depot Outreach 

Office is in a unique situation compared to 

other outreach offices at chemical stockpile 

sites around the country. The Pueblo 

outreach office is the only outreach office 

located on a military installation. The 

other outreach offices are located in high 

traffic areas of the community close to the 

stockpile site.

Immediately after terrorist attacks on 

September 11, Army officials tightened 

security at all military installations around 

the country. The same holds true for 

the Pueblo Chemical Depot. The depot 

now remains closed to the public, unless 

individuals have official business. Depot 

tours have been cancelled indefinitely.

The outreach office staff would be delighted 

to come to your civic organization, church, 

business, school or neighborhood group 

and familiarize you with the outreach 

office’s many resources. The outreach office 

can provide displays, pamphlets, brochures 

and videotapes to inform you about 

the chemical weapons disposal program 

currently underway at Pueblo Chemical 

Depot. No group is too small. We have 

material that is suitable for middle school 

age children through college level.

You say you don’t want a formal 

presentation? The outreach office also 

has a free-standing public display unit 

that outreach staff can set up at your 

If You Can’t Visit Us,

We’d Like to Visit You

business, church or school providing the 

same chemical weapons disposal program 

information, but in a self-service style 

setting.

If you would like to schedule a presentation 

or set up a block of time to use the public 

display unit, please call (719) 549-4877 for 

more information.

Page 3

Sunflowers are a common sight through much of the year at the Pueblo 

Chemical Depot.
Pueblo Chemical Depot Community Outreach Office

45825 Highway 96 East, Building 1

Pueblo, Colo. 81006-9330

#

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The Pueblo Chemical Depot Outreach 

Office serves as a clearinghouse of 

information about the Army’s plans for 

chemical weapons disposal in Pueblo. 

Together with the depot’s Public Affairs 

Office, the Outreach Office coordinates a 

variety of events designed to help keep the 

community informed and involved.

If you would like more information about 

the opportunities available through the 

Pueblo Chemical Depot Outreach Office, 

please call (719) 549-4877, or return this 

form by mail or fax to:

Pueblo Chemical Depot 

Outreach Office

45825 Highway 96 East, Bldg. 1

Pueblo, CO 81006-9330

Fax: (719) 549-4871

We want to hear from you

Please check the boxes below that interest you:

q I would like to be added to the depot’s free mailing list. 

q I would like to receive a free information packet in the mail.

q I would like to learn more about arranging a free presentation 

for my club/organization/school/workplace.

q Other___________________________________________________

If you checked any of the boxes above, please complete the following:

Name: ____________________________________________________

Address: ___________________________________________________

City/State/Zip: ______________________________________________

Phone (optional): ____________________________________________

E-mail (optional):____________________________________________