POSTED:
8:46 a.m. MST November 5, 2003
PUEBLO, Colo. -- An allocation of $88.3 million has
been approved by a congressional conference committee toward a $1.5 billion
facility near Pueblo that would destroy mustard gas weapons.
According to U.S. Rep. Joel Hefley's office, that was part of a total of
$144 million in military construction projects that were included in the
committee action for Colorado for 2004.
The Pueblo operation is being designed by Bechtel National Inc. and is to
destroy 2,600 tons -- or about 780,000 shells and mortar rounds containing
the chemical mustard agent. Those have been stored in igloos at the Pueblo
Chemical Depot for more than half a century.
The plant is expected to use a water-based bioneutralization process and
be in operation by 2009, according to Marilyn Thompson, a spokeswoman for
the Pueblo Chemical Depot.
Hefley said the conference report, which is typically approved by both houses,
also includes $4.2 million for planning several facilities.
A new military and VA hospital at Fitzsimons was on that planning list in
the House bill, so some of this money could be used for that project, said
Hefley spokeswoman Sarah Shelden.
Another $6.9 million would be available at Buckley Air Force Base for a new
facility for the 140th Civil Engineering Squadron of the Colorado Air National
Guard and nearly $7 million could be used for roads and other projects, said
spokesman John Spann.
A hospital addition at the Air Force Academy would get $21.5 million,
Peterson Air Force Base would get $10.2 million for a building and $7.7 million
for a maintenance hangar, Shelden said.
