Worried throng greets DuPont plan

Thursday, March 18, 2004

CARNEYS POINT TWP. -- With sharp public outcry, hundreds of South Jersey residents and others responded to DuPont's proposal to treat a neutralized byproduct of the deadly nerve agent VX from the U.S. Army during a public information session Wednesday.

The session, held in the Penns Grove High School auditorium, attracted residents from New Jersey and Delaware, local officials and representatives of area environmental groups. They asked DuPont and Army officials about the proposed contract to treat the neutralized nerve agent byproduct, known as liquid effluent or "hydrolysate," at DuPont's Deepwater wastewater treatment facility.

Many residents and others expressed their concerns about the possible treatment of the neutralized byproduct in Salem County during the question and answer session of the evening. No contracts have been signed between DuPont and the Army on the proposed treatment project.

Deepwater resident John Constantino said he lives within 50 yards of the wastewater treatment facility where the byproduct would be treated and he has safety concerns. He said in the last year, the company has not addressed a leaf problem in the neighborhood, despite what he called its "good neighborhood policy."

"I feel that if I can't trust DuPont to take care of the little things, how can we take care of the big things like our future and our lives?" he asked.

Allan Muller, a member of environmental group Green Delaware, wore a gas mask in the hallway of the school before asking officials why community members near a proposed wastewater facility in Dayton, Ohio, were successful in turning the neutralized byproduct away. He asked if the public's comments would also be heeded in New Jersey if they were negative.

U.S. Army Col. Jesse Barber, projects manager for alternative technology, told him the Army is required to accept public input until midnight, April 19.

"There is not a contract in place," he said. "Every single comment will be considered."

DuPont scheduled the public information sessions after it recently completed studies on the safety of the project. In an analysis of comprehensive technical assessments, DuPont officials confirmed that the nerve agent byproduct could be safely treated at its Secure Environmental Treatment, or SET, facility. DuPont's analysis also found the nerve agent byproduct can be safely transported to DuPont's Chambers Works from the U.S. Army's Indiana site, according to company officials.

Amy Simmerman, a representative for U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews, said he could not attend the public information session because the house was in session, but he sent a letter, which she read aloud.

"Congressman Andrews opposes this proposal because it raises serious environmental, legal and economic questions," she read. "The disposal of our chemical weapons is right and necessary. But this plan would dispose of these wastes in the wrong place and in the wrong way. Congressman Andrews will work with state, local and federal officials to defeat this plan."

In response to criticism about the byproduct treatment in Deepwater, Barber told the audience that following the events of 9/11, the process to eliminate the approximately 1,200 tons of VX nerve agent stockpiled at the Newport Chemical Depot in Newport, Ind. was accelerated to reduce the possibility of the site being a terrorist target. He said the possible terrorist attack last week in Spain demonstrated the necessity of destroying the VX nerve agent as soon as possible.

"The greatest risk to our country is the continued stockpiling of this agent," he said.

David Boucher, a lifelong resident of Penns Grove and former borough councilman, said bad odors already plague the borough and he hopes the proposed treatment would not cause more problems for the region.

"Everybody I know and love and care about is here. But at some point, do we have to cut our losses and leave?" he said. "Indiana sounds like a very clean place."

Before the question-and-answer segment, people walked through the halls of the school, studying posters of the proposed treatment process from the Newport Chemical Depot in Newport, Ind. to DuPont's wastewater treatment facility in Deepwater. Officials from DuPont and the Army were available to answer questions and concerns about the process.

After Sam Visalli, a Mullica Hill resident and former DuPont employee, studied a model of the treatment facility, he said he understood more about the treatment process. But he also said he had more questions.

"Something can happen at any time," he said. "My daughter lives in Carneys Point. She's concerned about this."

Copies of the draft impact analysis on behalf of the Army's studies are available for view at the Penns Grove-Carneys Point Public Library, located on South Broad Street in Penns Grove, and the Pennsville Public Library, located on South Broadway.