[CPEO-MEF] EPA approves Army's closure plan for Jacads on Johnston Atoll

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

September 6, 2002

Contact:  Wendy Chavez, U.S. EPA, 415/947-4248, chavez.wendy@epa.gov

     SAN FRANCISCO   The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today
approved the U.S. Army's revised closure plan for the Johnston Atoll
Chemical Agency Disposal System (JACADS) facility.

     "Approval of the revised plan provides the Army with a green light
to proceed with closing the facility and returning Johnston Atoll
conditions safe for people, birds and marine life," said Arlene Kabei,
associate director for the EPA's hazardous waste management program for
the Pacific Southwest office.

     The closure plan addresses the JACADS facility's dismantling,
treatment of waste and methods of clean up. The  plan includes a human
health and ecological risk assessment, a sampling and analysis plan, and

a quality assurance project plan. The facility was designed to
incinerate military weapons containing blister agent (known as mustard)
and chemical nerve agent.

     Beginning in 1990, with the world's first chemical weapons
incinerator, the Army destroyed four million pounds of the chemical
agent and chemical weapons originally stored on Johnston Atoll.  In
November 2000, the Army destroyed the last of the remaining chemical
weapons stockpiled there.

     After JACADS closure is complete, the atoll will remain a national
wildlife refuge as established in 1926.  The atoll, an unincorporated
territory of the U.S., is approximately 800 miles southwest of the
Hawai'ian islands and will be turned over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.  The Army is required to ensure the area is in a safe condition

upon departure.

     Johnston supports a rich and varied ecosystem for thousands of
nesting seabirds, beautiful corals and colorful tropical fish.  It
consists of approximately 50 square miles of shallow coral reef
surrounding four islands.

      Due to extensive comments from the EPA and the public, the Army
revised its JACADS closure plan as announced through a public notice in
Nov. 2001.  The Army held its most recent public meeting regarding the
closure plan in Honolulu on Dec. 11, 2001.  The EPA received comments
from the public on the revised closure plan in a comment period that
ended Feb. 28, 2002.

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