Army to hold public meeting on caustic water
Saturday, January 17, 2004
The Associated Press
In response to pressure from several top New Jersey officials, the Army said yesterday it would take more public comment and hold a public meeting on a plan to dump into the Delaware River the byproduct of an altered liquid produced for chemical warfare.
Several New Jersey officials have asked for more chances for a say on the Army's plan to destroy and dispose of VX nerve agent stored in Indiana.
The plan calls for the deadly Cold War-era nerve agent that has not been produced since 1969 to be chemically altered at the Newport Chemical Depot in Indiana, where it was produced.
The byproduct would be shipped to a DuPont facility in Carney's Point, treated further, then released into the Delaware River.
Army officials said the liquids being shipped and discharged would be safe, but the public deserved a chance to speak on the plan.
The 30-day comment period would have ended Monday. But the plan was not widely known until recently.
The Army now will take comment on the agent until March 19 and plans to hold a meeting on the topic before then.