Pueblo CW Disposal Cost, Schedule Concern Locals

Local advisers to the Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado expressed differing levels of concern this week over revised cost and schedule estimates for disposal of munitions stored at the site, The Pueblo Chieftain reported (see GSN, Oct. 11).

The head of the U.S. Army’s Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives program met Tuesday with the Colorado Chemical Demilitarization Citizens Advisory Commission.  He told members that the cost of destroying the 2,611 tons of mustard agent stored in 780,000 munitions at the depot had doubled to $3 billion.  Disposal is not expected to be finished until 2020, with the completion of cleanup slated for 2023.

The Chemical Weapons Convention requires that member states complete disposal efforts no later than 2012.  U.S. officials have acknowledged they would not meet that deadline (see GSN, April 18).

Rising estimates for weapons disposal at Pueblo and the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky triggered a Defense Department cost review expected to be finished in 60 days.  Citizens Advisory Commission Chairman John Klomp said he has been assured that funding would continue for the Pueblo disposal facility, the Chieftain reported.

Another commission member said she was surprised by the new cost and schedule estimates.  Irene Kornelly said she is worried the Pentagon might halt the program, as it did two years ago following higher than expected cost projections.

“I am concerned,” she said.  “Here we go again, we’re looking at the same issues again, all of which we thought we’d gotten rid of a long time ago.”

Changes in leadership at the Pentagon could lead to changes in support for weapons disposal at Pueblo, Kornelly said.

“How many administrations will we have between now and 2023?” she said.  However, “I do believe we can get to a certain point in construction where they won’t be able to change their mind” (John Norton, The Pueblo Chieftain, Oct. 12).

Back to top
About Newswire  |  Contact National Journal  |  Re-Use Guidelines © Copyright 2008 by National Journal Group, Inc. The material in this section is produced independently for NTI by National Journal Group, Inc. Any reproduction or retransmission, in whole or in part, is a violation of federal law and is strictly prohibited without the consent of the National Journal Group, Inc. All rights reserved.