Associated Press
March 28, 2002

Pentagon approves water neutralization for Pueblo mustard gas

By ROBERT GEHRKE
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP)--The Pentagon said Wednesday it would use a
water-neutralization process to destroy 2,600 tons of mustard gas at the
Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado, a victory for residents and state
officials who opposed an alternative plan to incinerate the gas.

"This is great news for the community," said John Klomp, president
of the Colorado Chemical Demilitarization Citizens Advisory Commission.
"I think the officials at the Pentagon listened very carefully to what
the wishes of the community were."

Undersecretary of Defense E.C. "Pete" Aldridge said the Army plans
to accelerate disposal of the chemicals so they do not become a target
for terrorists.

Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., said accelerating the disposal could
drive up the cost but would save maintenance and security expenses in
the long run.

Allard said Aldridge plans to sign the paper work to make the
decision official by the end of the week, triggering a 30-day public
comment period. An environmental impact statement must be completed
before work on a neutralization plant can begin.

Work on two other neutralization plants is under way in Maryland and
Indiana.

Craig Williams of the Chemical Weapons Working Group, which opposes
incineration, said water neutralization is proven safe and effective.

"The approach they're going to use in Colorado is a low-pressure,
low-temperature, easily controllable approach," he said.

The Pentagon considered two types of incineration and two types of
chemical neutralization to dispose of more than 780,000 mustard gas
projectiles.

Gov. Bill Owens, Rep. Scott McInnis, R-Colo. Allard, the Pueblo City
Council, the Pueblo County Commissioners and other groups supported
water neutralization.

Mustard gas blisters the skin and lungs. The weapons are held in
reinforced steel and concrete igloos 15 miles east of Pueblo. The city
has been waiting for a decision on disposal since 1988.

The Army's only operating incinerator is in Tooele, Utah. Another at
Johnston Atoll in the Pacific Ocean is being decommissioned after
processing weapons stored there.

Other chemical stockpiles are located in Anniston, Ala.; Hermiston,
Ore.; Pine Bluff, Ark.; Madison County, Ky.; Newport, Ind.; and
Aberdeen, Md.

Under a treaty, the United States has agreed to destroy nearly
30,000 tons of chemical weapons by April 29, 2007. Pentagon officials
have said the Army will miss that deadline.