FY04 CHEM DEMIL PROGRAM
AUTHORIZED
AT $40M ABOVE APPROPRIATIONS Chem Demil Construction Authorization
Matches Appropriations
The U.S. Army Chemical Demilitarization program is authorized at $1.53 billion
for FY04 under provisions of theDefense Authorization bill (H.R. 1588) approved
by Congress this past week. The level of funding is $110 million less than
the level requested by the Administration but still $40 million more than
the spending level approved under the FY04 Defense Appropriations Act (CCBW&D
Monitor, Vol. 5 No. 18). The conference bill also authorizes $120 million
for construction of chem demil facilities at Pueblo, Colo., Newport, Ind.,
and Bluegrass, Ky., matching the level included in the Military Construction
appropriations conference report, which is also on its way toward final enactment.
This is the first time that the authorization for chemical demilitarization
construction is being provided in the Defense Authorization bill instead
of the Military Construction bill. In the next fiscal year, both the authorization
and the appropriation levels for chem demil construction will be in the Defense
bills, following a request by the Administration and a proposal by the House.
The authorization bill also includes Senate-proposed language expressing
the “sense of the Senate” that the Secretary of the Army “invigorate and
coordinate” efforts to study and deploy “improved chemical agent monitors
[at the chemical demilitarization facilities] to ensure the maximum protection
of the public [and] personnel involved in the chemical demilitarization program,
and the environment.”
The $1.53 billion authorization provides:
$1.1 billion for operations and maintenance,
$251.8 million for research, development, test and evaluation; and
$79.2 million for procurement.
The construction authorization and appropriation are allocated in the following
manner:
$88 million for the Pueblo Depot in Colo.;
$15.2 million for the Newport Army Ammunition Plant in Indiana; and
$16.2 million for the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky.
“Sense of Senate Language” Based on NAS Report
The sense of the Senate provision was inserted by Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.),
and was motivated in part by a National Research Council report (CCBW&D
Monitor, Vol. 4 No.21) that found current chemical monitoring systems at
the chem demil facilities were “very conservative and highly protective”
but also produced false positive alarms too frequently. The NRC recommended
development and deployment of agent monitors with shorter response times
and lower false alarm rates. Chemical Materials Agency Director Mike Parker
told CCBW&D Monitor during a July interview (Vol. 5 No. 15) that current
monitoring technologies at the depot are considered “state of the art,” and
expressed doubt that newer, more advanced technologies even existed yet.
But Parker acknowledged that his office will “continue to watch” for any
sort of technology improvements and consider a new NRC report that is due
out in about six months.#