Library houses DuPont plans

Wednesday, February 11, 2004

PENNSVILLE TWP. -- In an effort to answer questions about the proposal to treat the neutralized byproduct of the chemical nerve agent VX at the DuPont Secure Environmental Treatment Unit at the Chambers Works, the U.S. Army and DuPont have opened the lines of communication to the public even further.

Copies of the draft revised final -- Finding Of No Significant Impact, Environmental Assessment and Transportation Analysis -- are available for public view at the Penns Grove-Carneys Point Public Library, South Broad Street, Penns Grove.

The report, available for public reading, is in a white one-inch binder entitled "U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency Program." Library hours of operation are: Monday and Wednesday, 10 a.m. to noon, and 2:30 to 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 2:30 to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. It had originally been announced that the study would be available for public viewing at the Pennsville library.

For information on behalf of DuPont, it's environmental treatment facility, unique technology and current neutralized waste stream visit www.set.dupont.com/dod.html. Here questions can be posted and copies of informational kits can be requested for review.

Interested persons can contact the Army's Public Outreach at 1-800-488-0648 or visit www.pmcd.apgea.army.mil for more information.

The U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency announced Feb. 6 that two public information sessions will be held -- one in New Jersey and one in Delaware -- however the date, time and location of the meetings have not been announced as of yet.

Among the information that will be provided at the meeting are topics including the destruction process for the chemical agent in Newport, Ind., where it is currently stored, DuPont's treatment method for the resulting caustic wastewater byproduct and the transportation assessment.

Currently DuPont is conducting their analysis of the transportation assessment, ability to treat the wastewater and the environmental effects of the discharge of the treated waste water to the Delaware River. These findings will be reviewed by an independent third party to confirm the work was conducted properly and the information is correct.

The Army completed their review of the health and environmental issues. Once the results are in, the two open public information meetings will be scheduled. Analysis documents of the studies will be available for public review at least 14 days before the public information sessions to provide the public with a broader perspective of the potential project and comprehensive information.

The nerve agent VX was originally manufactured by the U.S. for military use as a chemical weapon. After Sept. 11, 2001 the U.S. Department of Defense made it a priority to eliminate the stockpiles of the country's chemical weapons which many felt could be a potential target for terrorists.

DuPont is currently bidding for the contract to process the wastewater, or hydrolysate, a byproduct of the nerve agent VX at the Deepwater facility here.

Under the proposed contract, the Army would neutralize and destroy stockpiles of the chemical nerve agent VX at the Newport Chemical Agent Disposal Facility. The caustic wastewater would then be transported to the DuPont Chambers Works bio-degredation facility where it would be further neutralized and properly treated for disposal.

The entire process would occur at a slow rate over a period of time, not all at once officials said.