[CPEO-MEF] Army Expedites Aberdeen Mustard Agent Disposal

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

Program Manager for Chemical Demilitarization Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 9, 2002
ABCDF # 02-01

CONTACT:  Kathy DeWeese, Public Affairs Office, 
Aberdeen Chemical Agent Disposal Facility, 410-436-5253

ARMY PLANNING TO EXPEDITE CHEMICAL STOCKPILE DISPOSAL PROJECT

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. ? U.S. Army representatives announced today
that they are working with State of Maryland officials and the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency on a plan to accelerate the destruction
of the chemical agent stockpile stored here. 

After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Army undertook specific
measures to ensure the continued security of the chemical agent
stockpile.  It also immediately began evaluating additional methods to
reduce the public risk associated with chemical stockpile storage,
including methods to accelerate stockpile destruction.  The Army and its
contractor team are working closely with the state, regional and local
officials to determine the safest, most effective way to speed up the
disposal process at the Aberdeen facility.  

?Accelerating the disposal of the stockpile will involve the same
neutralization technology and much of the same equipment already on hand
for the facility currently under construction,? said Kevin J. Flamm, the
Army?s project manager for Alternative Technologies and Approaches, who
is responsible for stockpile destruction at APG. ?We are essentially
simplifying the process and reordering its sequence.?

Under the accelerated program, the mustard agent stockpile could be
destroyed as much as three years ahead of the current schedule, which
was previously set for 2006. Some of the operations that would have been
performed by automated machinery may now be done by hand.  The
accelerated plan calls for neutralizing the mustard agent first, then
cleaning and disposing of the empty steel containers later.  This
eliminates the greater risk sooner, rather than it being reduced
gradually over time. The secondary biotreatment phase of the disposal
process will be relocated to an existing off-site commercial facility,
which will further shorten the disposal time.
 
?We have been working closely with federal, state and county authorities
for several years in our efforts to destroy the stockpile in a safe and
environmentally sound manner,? said Joseph W. Lovrich, ABCDF site
project manager.  ?Their extensive knowledge of our project and their
appreciation for the need to speed it up in the wake of recent events
brought us to agreement on this expedited process.?

Public meetings are scheduled to explain the plan to community members
in greater detail. In Harford County, a public meeting will be held at
the Edgewood Senior Center on Wed., Jan. 16 at 6:30 p.m.  In Kent
County, citizens are invited to attend a meeting at Chestertown Middle
School on Thurs., Jan. 17, at 6:30 p.m.  For further information on
these meetings, call the Edgewood Chemical Stockpile Outreach Office at
410-676-6800. 


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