Codey, DEP leader urge Army to halt VX plan

In a letter to the secretary of the Army, acting Gov. Richard J. Codey expressed the state's "continuing opposition" to treating the byproduct at a DuPont Co. plant in Deepwater.

Meanwhile, the state Department of Environmental Protection released a draft of a new permit for the plant that excludes the dumping of the VX nerve agent.

DEP Commissioner Bradley Campbell said the Army's plan was "flawed and should be abandoned."

Maya van Rossum of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network hailed the developments as "hugely important" victories.

"I think the law is on our side, I think the science is on our side, and now the politicians are on our side," she said. "Such a strong, affirmative statement makes it very clear where the state of New Jersey and the governor stand."

An Army spokesman did not return a phone call seeking comment yesterday afternoon.

The Army is trying to dispose of about 1,200 tons of VX, a deadly nerve agent stored at a chemical depot in Indiana. The Army wants to treat the VX with a corrosive agent and water, then ship it by rail or truck to the DuPont plant, which would treat it again before dumping it into the river.

The plan sparked community opposition, and last year eight members of Congress from New Jersey and Delaware asked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to study the proposal.

The CDC said the Army plan should not go forward because it was not clear that the VX could be neutralized before shipping and because of concerns for aquatic life.

The DuPont plant's permit for discharging into the river has been up for renewal. Public comment on the draft is required before a final permit is completed.

Codey and others have suggested that the Army explore technology to treat the VX in Indiana.

"This approach would avoid the risks inherent in transporting enormous volumes of waste thousands of miles, and would safeguard the precious resources of the Delaware River," Codey wrote in his letter.