Toxic nerve agent eliminated from Wabash Valley
Posted: Aug. 11, 2008

NEWPORT, Ind. (WTHI) - For nearly 40 years, workers at the Newport Chemical Depot have stored over 1,200 tons of the deadly nerve agent VX.

For the past three years, crews have been working to neutralize the toxic liquid. That process is now complete.

Monday afternoon officials at the Newport Chemical Depot announced the last drop of VX has been neutralized, making it no longer a threat to our area and nation as a whole.

For the past three years, three months, and three days in the small town of Newport, Indiana, workers have been neutralizing the deadly nerve agent, that if used could eat away at someone's nervous system.

For the past two weeks workers transported the last of the VX to a storage facility, and, just before midnight last Friday the last drop was neutralized.

"Today represents the elimination of all risk to the Newport's community so it's just a wonderful day and I'm very proud of everybody thats made it happen," Jeffrey Brubaker, who was the site project manager said.

Brubaker also believed the destruction of the deadly chemical was step in the right direction for national security.

"It's of significance to our military, to the department of army and to the department of defense to our troops overseas that are fighting to eliminate weapons of mass destruction. Were supporting them back home with the elimination of our own stockpiles," Brubaker said.

Now that all the VX has been neutralized, the next step is to transport the remaining byproduct to Texas.

Once that's done, the only thing left will be to dismantle the facility. At this point, no decision has been made on what will be done with the land.

Report by Jane Santucci, WTHI