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Public Comment Opportunity

Online Public Comment Opportunity
View the Draft Finding of No Significant Impact and the Environmental Assessment of Proposed Installation and Operation of Explosive Destruction System and Explosive Destruction Technology at U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot. Learn how to submit formal comments electronically. Public comment period ends April 27, 2010.

Draft Finding of No Significant Impact of Environmental Assessment of Proposed Installation and Operation of Explosive Destruction System and Explosive Destruction Technology at U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot.

These documents are available for review on the Environmental Assessment page. The public comment period is Feb. 27 through April 27, 2010.

In October 2009, the Department of Defense (DoD) requested that the ACWA Program Manager study how to maintain continuity of demilitarization operations between U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency completion and ACWA start-up, consistent with ongoing efforts to accelerate destruction operations in both Colorado and Kentucky while maintaining the program’s exemplary safety record. As a result, the employment of explosive destruction technologies, first in Colorado and later in Kentucky, is under consideration to augment the planned destruction technology at those two sites.

To meet the requirements of National Environmental Policy Act and Title 32 Code of Federal Regulations Part 651, the U.S. Army conducted an Environmental Assessment to evaluate the environmental impacts of the proposed acceleration of the construction and operation of explosive destruction system/explosive destruction technology systems at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot.

A Public Meeting will be held on Thursday, March 18 at 6 p.m. at the Olde Towne Carriage House in Pueblo, Colo. Information regarding the Environmental Assessment and the continuity of chemical weapons demilitarization will be available.

For more information download the press release.

BGCAPP Update

Jeff Brubaker, BGCAPP site project manager (right) and Mark Seely, Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass project manager sign the final piece of structural steel prior to it being lifted into place on the Control and Support Building.

Components of the Metal Parts Treater are arriving and being unloaded at the construction site.

Structural Steel Complete on Control and Support Building. Construction at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) site has reached a major milestone with the placement of the last piece of structural steel on the Control and Support Building. Team members recognized this milestone by photographing and signing the last piece of structural steel as it was lifted into place. The Control and Support Building is the electronic control center for operating and monitoring the demilitarization and neutralization process. “This is a significant milestone which shows the team’s commitment to progress and safety. I’m proud of the men and women who continue to work hard on the project. With each step, we get closer to achieving our mission and making the Richmond community a safer place.” said Jeff Brubaker, BGCAPP site project manager.

Construction Update: Construction in progress includes structural steel for the Control Support Building, foundations and vertical rebar for the Munitions Demilitarization Building, installation of the Utility Power Centers, foundation work for the Utility Building and the concrete pad for the truck “drop and swap” lot. Additionally work is starting on the Fire Water Pump House and components of the first Blue Grass Specific Equipment – the Metal Parts Treater – have arrived at the site.

Design Update: The remaining design work includes the Utility Block, Hydrolysate Storage Area, Container Handling Building, Entry Control Facility, electronic security system and the stand-by diesel generator.

Acquisitions: More than $44 million spent with Kentucky companies since project inception.

For more information about the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destuction Pilot Plant visit the BGCAPP Front Page.

PCAPP Update

Structural steel is placed on the Biotreatment Electrical Building foundation.

PCAPP ironworkers connect steel beams within the Biotreatment Electrical Building.

Vertical Construction Progress in Pueblo. At the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant, vertical construction continues as ironworkers begin to place and connect steel beams on the Biotreatment Electrical Building (BEB) foundation. The BEB holds the electrical feeds and controls for the Biotreatment Area (BTA). It will also contain motor control centers, controls cabinets, communications, and other small power panels for lighting and receptacles. This equipment works together to control and power the biotreatment equipment as well as the supporting utilities. The BTA is a key component of the pilot plant, as this is where the hydrolysate will be treated with microbes that break down the solution into water and biosludge.

Construction Update: The warm fall and mild early winter weather allowed construction efforts to continue without a hitch on critical path structures such as the Agent Processing Building (APB) and the Enhanced Reconfiguration Building (ERB) of the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP). In the APB, work continues on the: platform erection, HVAC system, cable trays, hi-bay lighting, process piping and interior masonry walls. The following work is being done within the ERB: placement of structural and miscellaneous steel, installation of interior composite walls and HVAC ductwork. Excavation, rebar and formwork continues on the Immobilized Cell Bioreactors and off-gas pads. Precast panels are being erected for the Energetics Service Magazines and the Munitions Service Magazines. In other construction news, progress is being made inside the now fully enclosed Control and Support Building. Vertical steel placement continues for the outer walls of the Biotreatment Electrical Building.

Acquisitions: The systems contractor has awarded more than $199 million in subcontracts to Colorado companies since project inception.

For more information about the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destuction Pilot Plant visit the PCAPP Front Page.

Upcoming Public Meetings and Events

Members of the Kentucky Chemical Demilitarization Citizens’ Advisory Commission and Kentucky Chemical Destruction Community Advisory Board participate in a discussion on the chemical weapons disposal project during a recent quarterly meeting.

BGCAPP Meetings and Events

Upcoming meeting date: June 8, 2010

Public meetings of the Kentucky Chemical Demilitarization Citizens' Advisory Commission and the Chemical Destruction Community Advisory Board are held at Eastern Kentucky University's Carl D. Perkins Building on Kit Carson Drive in Richmond, Ky., at 1:30 p.m.

PCAPP Meetings and Events

Upcoming meeting date: March 18, 2010

The next Colorado Chemical Demilitarization Citizens’ Advisory Commission meeting on March 18 will be held at 3 p.m. at the Pueblo City County Health Department at 101 West 9th Street in Pueblo, Colo.

A Public Meeting will be held on Thursday, March 18 at 6 p.m. at the Olde Towne Carriage House in Pueblo, Colo. Information regarding the Environmental Assessment and information on the continuity of chemical demilitarization will be available.

For more information about PCAPP and BGCAPP public involvement activities visit the BGCAPP Public Involvement and PCAPP Public Involvement pages.

Connect with ACWA

There are many ways for you to Connect with ACWA and learn more about the program. In addition to the resources available on this Web site, the following offer you further information about ACWA:

ACWA E-mail Updates
Sign up for our monthly e-mail update to receive the latest news on the project and upcoming public events.

ACWA YouTube Channel
The ACWA YouTube channel features informative videos about the chemical weapons destruction projects in Colorado and Kentucky.

ACWA Photos on Flickr
The ACWA Photostream on Flickr showcases additional pilot plant construction and event photographs.

ACWA RSS Feed
Interested in finding out when new information or photos are posted on the ACWA Web site? Learn how to sign up to receive notification by subscribing to the ACWA RSS feed.

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ACWA MISSION

The safe and environmentally sound destruction of the chemical weapons stockpiles stored at the Blue Grass Army Depot, Ky., and the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot, Colo.

Learn more about ACWA.