Cost of munitions destruction plant in Pueblo rises to $2.6 billion

PUEBLO, Colo. (AP) -- A plan to dismantle chemical weapons stored near Pueblo was put on hold because its original $1.6 billion price tag has increased to at least $2.6 billion, a Pentagon official told area residents Wednesday.

Patrick Wakefield, Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Chemical Demilitarization and Threat Reduction, traveled to this southern Colorado town to discuss why the government halted plans to destroy munitions at the Army's Pueblo Chemical Depot.

The original plan called for the construction of a plant that would use water and other liquids to neutralize the chemicals, rather than the less-expensive method of incineration. Wakefield said the final cost could exceed $2.6 billion and defense officials want to consider alternatives.

Rep. John Salazar, D-Colo., who represents the area, asked Wakefield to attend a town meeting in Pueblo to discuss the government's position.

"I think he was caught up in a position to defend something that no one there was really supporting. I doubt he did anything to change any minds," said Ronnie Carleton, Salazar's chief of staff. "That being said, we were very pleased that he did come. It was very important in the dialogue that (the Department of Defense) come and explain why they were doing what they were doing."

Wakefield said the Pentagon should have a report on possible alternatives by April, Carleton said.

About 350 people attended the meeting and most expressed frustration over the government's efforts to deviate from the original plan, Carleton said. Residents oppose any plans to incinerate the weapons or move them offsite.

About 2,600 tons of mustard agent contained in 780,000 munitions are stored at the Army depot near Pueblo. An international treaty calls for destruction of the country's stockpile of chemical weapons by 2012.

The Army has said it will study the possibility of shipping chemical weapons between storage and destruction sites. Opponents said that could result in tons of aging, lethal munitions being transported across the country