U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews on Wednesday said he will seek a federal investigation into the Army's plan to transport wastewater from the destruction of VX nerve agent to DuPont's Chambers Works plant in Carneys Point.

Andrews, D-Haddon Heights, plans to ask the Government Accountability Office to review the project, which has met vigorous opposition in South Jersey.

The request was triggered by the release of an Army study that determined that disposing the wastewater at its source -- a chemical weapons depot in Newport, Ind. -- would cost $347 million more and take 57 months longer than treating it and discharging it into the Delaware River.

"I'm going to ask the GAO to do a very thorough investigation, a very broad investigation of the whole project, not just the money," Andrews said.

Andrews said he will work with Gov. Jon S. Corzine's administration to ensure DuPont does not receive permits to discharge the treated wastewater until the GAO has reviewed his request.

In 2001, Andrews requested the same office, then the General Accounting Office, to investigate the proposed deepening of the river's shipping channel.

The GAO responded with a scathing analysis that found the Army Corps of Engineers grossly overstated the economic benefits.

Andrews called the Army study of VX nerve agent wastewater disposal options "a remarkable monument to stubbornness." He said it fails to provide a "baseline" for what treatment and disposal at DuPont would cost.

Jeff Lindblad of the Army's Chemical Materials Agency said disclosing DuPont contract estimates in the cost-analysis report, released late Tuesday, would violate federal procurement laws.

"We are confident in the accuracy and validity of the cost-analysis report," he said.

DuPont spokesman Anthony Farina would not speculate on what impact a GAO investigation would have on the project.

Although the Army insists it will send no wastewater containing detectable levels of VX to DuPont, Andrews doesn't think the Army can be trusted.

Reach Lawrence Hajna at (856) 486-2466 or lhajna@courierpostonline.com