Berea Citizen
January 16, 2003

Alternative disposal technology companies present their cases; Disposal facility materials should be bought locally

Scott Powell, Editor

Citizens of Madison County had an opportunity to meet the technology providers who are bidding for the contract to dispose of the chemical weapons stockpile at the Bluegrass Army Depot Monday night during Industry Night.

The two technology companies who gave brief presentations of their technology teams were Bechtel National, Inc. and Kellogg, Brown & Root with Day & Zimmerman.

Since the Department of Defense recommended the alternative disposal method of neutralization followed by super critical water oxidation (SCWO) in November, the next step is to have the final technology decision this month. After this final decision has been made, request for proposals from technology providers will be due this February. According to the Assembled Chemical Weapons Assessment (ACWA), a contract will be awarded to a technology provider in June 2003.

Joseph Tarlton, principal vice-president of Bechtel National, said they can offer a team of technology companies that they compiled when they received the bid to dispose of the chemical stockpile in Pueblo, Colo. The company also will begin to dispose of chemicals in Aberdeen, Md. He said working on these sites gives the team experience in working with neutralization.

"We put the team together to take advantage of lessons learned from other chemical site projects," Tarlton said.

He also said Bechtel plans to utilize the local workforce and resources to build the disposal facility and carry out the disposal process. Tarlton said the company wants to make long-term plans for training workers and using materials, to avoid making a boom in the economy that will drop after the disposal is done.

"We plan to share project benefits through reinvestments back into the community and their organizations," he said.

Project director Jim Spore of Kellogg, Brown & Root, said the technologies at work were invented by technology providers. Their technology team includes companies that can design and construct buildings for each step of the disassembly and disposal process. El Dorado Engineering will design and construct the facility where the shells are reverse assembled in the disposal process. Foster Wheeler company will be able to facilitate the SCWO process.

Spore said both Kellogg, Brown & Root and Day & Zimmerman have partnerships with companies that had world class capabilities and had been involved in technology work globally. He said Kellogg, Brown and Root will bring an outreach office to the Madison County area.

"If we receive the bid, I will move my family down here for the next 10 years," Spore said.

Rob Rumpke, director of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, stressed the importance of making the decision about the technology company.

"I see the opportunity as a time to develop and train people and provide jobs in Madison County," Rumpke said.

He said it was important that the people of Madison County were active participants in the process and should not just sit by.

"We are interested in selling our concrete, bricks and mortar to whoever wins the bid," Rumpke said.