Pentagon releases funds to Kentucky, Colorado chemical weapons sites

By Brian Lyman
Star Staff Writer
03-25-2005

The Pentagon released money Wednesday for design and limited construction of chemical disposal facilities in Colorado and Kentucky. Whether those facilities will open is still up in the air, however, as is the possibility that stockpiled chemical weapons from those areas would be transported to already existing facilities for destruction. In a memo to the Program Manager for Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives, Defense Undersecretary Michael Wynne released $70 million for some limited construction at the sites in Pueblo, Colo. and Richmond, Ky. But the memo was most concerned with increasing costs at both facilities, and Wynne’s memo mainly focuses on ordering redesigns to better fit the Pentagon’s construction cost estimates. The Pentagon has frozen $400 million for construction at both sites. The Army has said it is studying the possibility of transporting weapons from Colorado and Kentucky to working disposal facilities, like Anniston’s. A report is expected early next month. “I have carefully reviewed the structure of the PCAPP (Pueblo Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plant), and I am concerned it does not reflect a good balance of cost, schedule and performance objectives, and that there is not an incentive to achieve the program objectives,” the memo says. “I believe the Blue Grass Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plant has a similar contract structure because it is also experiencing similar cost growth.” Kathy DeWeese, a spokeswoman for ACWA, and Glenn Flood, a spokesman with the Pentagon, did not return messages seeking comment. Wynne’s memo orders ACWA to identify design changes to bring the Pueblo facility’s cost between $1.5 billion and $2 billion, and $2 billion for Kentucky. The memo also orders the group to “develop revised project milestones and cost targets and incentives” for approval. The construction that will take place is “neutral site” construction that could fit redesigns. Construction of the facilities, under Pentagon timetables, won’t begin until the beginning of 2012, the deadline year for the complete destruction of the nation’s stockpile. Without the facilities in operation, the U.S. either will miss the deadline or will have to find other ways to destroy the stockpiles. Weapons transportation is banned by federal law and also has run into widespread opposition from state and national leaders. Craig Williams, director of the Chemical Weapons Working Group and a critic of the Army’s chemical weapons policy, said the release of the money was an attempt to “throw water on the fire” brewing over the issue of possible transportation. “This is smoke and mirrors,” Williams said. “They’re talking out of three or four sides of their mouth at the same time, and depending on what individual issue they focus on, there is a conflict in rhetoric and policy at all strata in this program.” Pueblo and Richmond together accounted for 8 percent of the nation’s chemical weapons stockpile before destruction began.

About Brian Lyman

Brian Lyman covers infrastructure and the cities of Heflin and Lincoln for the Anniston Star. He lives in Anniston.