138th Year... and still on the job!	Thursday June 21, 2007

Chemical Depot update


EDITORIAL
THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAN

PUEBLO CHEMICAL Depot is in line to receive $35.2 million in federal funds to construct the buildings where a stockpile of chemical weapons are to be destroyed under terms of an international treaty.

U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced last week that the Military Construction Appropriations Subcommittee approved the funding requested by the Department of Defense.

The money will be used to continue construction work at the Pueblo Chemical Depot, including the main buildings where weapons containing mustard agent will be disassembled and the chemicals neutralized.

An Allard spokesman said another $132.4 million for research and development also is due to be approved for the Pueblo program.

Issues remain over the neutralization process's wastewater byproduct - called hydrolysate. Although the Pentagon wants to ship the Pueblo hydrolysate for disposal elsewhere, the Army this week halted shipments of another type of wastewater from Indiana to an incineration plant in Texas, pending the outcome of legal protests in both those states.

Indiana groups protest the shipment of hazardous waste, while Texas groups complain about the possible threats to air quality from incineration. The outcome of their request for a court injunction to block the Indiana-to-Texas move eventually could affect the Army's ultimate decision on how to handle the Pueblo hydrolysate.

However that other legal dispute is resolved, we urge the Army to press forward without further delay to carry on the chemical demilitarization program at Pueblo Chemical Depot.