136th Year... and still on the job!	Friday November 04, 2005

Allard optimistic on chemical demil funds

Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., said he was optimistic that more funding would be available next year to move along the destruction of mustard agent at the Pueblo Chemical Depot.

Allard met Thursday with Kenneth Krieg, undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, the Defense Department official overseeing the nationwide effort to destroy chemical weapons.

Allard also told Krieg that the Pueblo community remains concerned about plans to ship contaminated water out of the Pueblo Chemical Depot after mustard agent is neutralized.

"I think it was a good meeting," Allard said. "He's shown some enthusiasm for the whole program, not just in Pueblo but at all the sites."

Allard, Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., Rep. John Salazar, D-Colo., and Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., have fought since last year to restart stalled work on the chemical demilitarization process in Pueblo and at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky. Work was halted last year when the Pentagon said the projected cost was getting too big, even though Bechtel, the prime contractor for the work, was following orders from one of Krieg's predecessors to accelerate the programs.

Both sites are using a water-neutralization process to destroy weapons instead of incinerators, which was the Army's preferred method.

"He's committed for getting more money for the program so there will be more money available for Pueblo," Allard said.

“I believe we are going to be able to increase the amount of money available for this project in the 2007 budget. Ken Krieg committed to trying to find the money we need within the (Defense Department) budget.”

Because of pressure from Congress, funds were freed for work this year and next but the Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives agency, which oversees the projects in Pueblo and Kentucky, is still waiting for word on the fiscal year 2007 budget and beyond. Projected funding is still based on earlier decisions to halt work.

"The (Department of Defense) five-year future defense plan had set a funding level of approximately $30 million for Pueblo and the similar project at Blue Grass, Kentucky.

“That $30 million is completely inadequate," Allard said, "and would have kept the depot in caretaker status through 2011.

"That funding level is unacceptable, and contrary to our nation’s international treaty obligations. I urged Undersecretary Krieg to come up with sufficient funding to begin construction of the Pueblo chemical weapons demilitarization facility.”

Allard and Krieg also discussed what will be done with the hydrolysate, the water left over after the mustard agent is broken down. The plan Bechtel developed called for treating the water on-site with bacteria and recycling it back to the mustard agent neutralization facility.

The scaled-down version of the process would ship the hydrolysate somewhere else for treatment, but the local Community Advisory Commission argued against that, pointing out that many states do not want the contaminated water crossing their boundaries.

"We are waiting to see what they come up with," Allard said. "I relayed to him there are a lot of concerns in the Pueblo community about shipping that out and it could lead to delays in the program.

“I was alarmed that the department might have decided to transport the byproduct without considering the enormous environmental and political implications of such a decision.

“Cost considerations notwithstanding, projects of this kind have to be done right. The safety and security of the people of Pueblo have to be paramount.”

Allard said that Krieg also asked him to support a transfer of the management of the Pueblo project from the office of the Secretary of Defense to the Secretary of the Army. Allard successfully defeated a similar proposal last year during debate on the FY 2006 Defense Authorization bill.

“While the program has progressed over the last year, I am deeply concerned that such a transfer at this time could slow our momentum,” Allard said. “After all, the Army’s dismal management of this project was the reason it was turned over to the Secretary of Defense in the first place. I am not prepared to consent to such a transfer until I see more progress.”