Pueblo Chieftain
September 23, 2003

Chemical depot monitors mustard agent leak

By KAREN VIGIL
THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN

Pueblo Chemical Depot officials on Monday said they have not yet determined when they will attempt to halt a low-level mustard agent leak that was detected last Thursday during a routine quarterly igloo inspection, depot spokeswoman Lori Waters said.

The igloo holds 105 mm ammunition rounds that are filled with mustard agent and is one of the structures in the chemical storage area of the depot about 15 miles east of Pueblo.

Depot workers continue to monitor the low-level readings, Waters said.

She said workers may go into the igloo this week.

"It hasn't been determined when we will go in. It should be some time this week, though, if everything goes as planned. We just haven't made that determination yet," she said.

Waters said the leak was found through the use of a Real Type Analytical Platform (RTAP) mobile lab.

She said the lab, which looks like a big van, "pulls up and hooks up (to the igloo) and then monitors it before they (workers go inside)."

Once the leak was discovered about 3:30 p.m. last Thursday, Waters said, a charcoal filter unit was placed on the vent of the igloo to clean the air. She said the filter will remain in place until the leak is isolated.

Waters said the leak was not publicly revealed earlier because the depot followed legal procedures in first notifying the county and the state.

"The county was notified shortly after the leak was detected. That's what we are required to do in a certain amount of time. We have to involve the county and state.

"And since it is not considered an event, the press release waited until today," she said.

Lt. Col. John Becker, Pueblo Chemical Depot commander, has stated the leak has not put the depot or the community at risk of chemical poisoning, according to Waters.

"All safety measures are in place and the safety of the depot workers and the surrounding community continues to be his primary concern," she said.

Mustard agent leaks are not highly unusual at the depot.

The last igloo two leaks reported in The Pueblo Chieftain occurred on Oct. 18, 2000, and November 1996.