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John Klomp
Klomp presses Army to fund demilitarization
By JEFF TUCKER
THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN
Pueblo County Commissioner John Klomp is doing his best to maintain
Pueblo's profile at the Pentagon, as the Department of Defense prepares to
discuss the possible funding for the Chemical Demilitarization plant.
Klomp, who is in the twilight of his final term as a county commissioner,
sent a letter to Dale Klein, an assistant to the secretary of defense, reminding
him about the importance of securing at least the minimum funding to keep
the project going.
There is some concern that since the Assembled Chemical Weapons
Alternative office, which oversees the weapons destruction program, put a
stop to the design of the plant in order to study alternatives that might
reduce its costs, the money secured for the project might get shifted elsewhere.
Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., secured $50 million in the Senate appropriations
bill after the Fiscal Year 2005 budget for the Pueblo plant was cut to $5
million.
The $50 million is just enough to keep the project on schedule.
"The first reason for the letter was to let them know that any decision
not to resolve that funding would be unacceptable," Klomp said Friday.
Klomp said the Defense Acquisition Board, a panel made up of representatives
from all the departments associated with chemical demilitarization, will
meet Friday, in advance of any final decision about funding.
Klomp said the letter was sent to remind the DOD that the minimum
$50 million is important to keep the project on schedule.
"The Colorado Citizen Advisory Commission is opposed to the continued
shifting of dollars away from the (project) in order to address DOD budgetary
concerns," Klomp wrote. "A loss of money for (the plant) at any stage in
the process will only increase the long-term costs of the project and reduce
the continuity in staffing hired for the project."
Klomp said Friday that the letter also was sent to remind the DOD
of the importance of continued funding for the project beyond fiscal year
2005, including carrying over the balance of the funds that were cut from
this year's budget.
Klomp said the letter included an invitation to Klein or other representatives
from the DOD to attend the next Citizens Advisory Commission meeting Dec.
1, where they could answer questions from the community about their decisions,
as well as questions about budgetary concerns associated with the project
and what the next steps will be in building and funding the plant in Pueblo.
