[Federal Register: December 27, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 249)]
[Notices]
[Page 79063-79064]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27de02-72]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army
Notice of Availability (NOA) of the Final Environmental Impact
Statement (FEIS) for the Destruction of Chemical Agents and Munitions
at Blue Grass Army Depot, KY
AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: This announces the availability of the FEIS that assesses the
potential environmental impacts of the design, construction, operation
and closure of a facility to destroy the chemical agents and munitions
currently stored at the Blue Grass Army Depot (BGAD). The FEIS examines
the potential environmental impacts of the following destruction
facility alternatives: (1) Baseline incineration facility; (2)
neutralization followed by supercritical water oxidation; (3)
neutralization followed by supercritical water oxidation and gas phase
chemical reduction; (4) electrochemical oxidation; and (5) no action
(i.e., continued storage of chemical munitions at BGAD). Although the
no action alternative is not viable under Pub. L. 990145 (DoD
Authorization Act of 1986), it was analyzed to provide a comparison
with the proposed action. The FEIS identifies pilot testing of
neutralization followed by supercritical water oxidation as the
agency's preferred alternative for destruction of chemical munitions at
BGAD.
DATES: The waiting period for the FEIS will end 30 days after
publication of the NOA in the Federal Register by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency.
ADDRESSES: To obtain copies of the FEIS, contact the Program Manager
for Chemical Demilitarization, Public Outreach and Information Office
(ATTN: Mr. Gregory Mahall), Building E-4585, Aberdeen Proving Ground,
Maryland 21010-4005.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Gregory Mahall at 410-436-1093, by
fax at 410-436-5122, by mail at the above listed address or by
electronic mail at gregory.mahall@pmcd.apgea.army.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In its Record of Decision (ROD) on February
26, 1988 (53 FR 5816, February 26, 1988) for the Final Programmatic
[[Page 79064]]
Environmental Impact Statement on the Chemical Stockpile Disposal
Program (CSDP), the Army selected on-site disposal by incineration at
all eight chemical munition storage sites located within the
continental United States as the method by which it will destroy its
lethal chemical stockpile. The Army published a Notice of Intent in the
Federal Register (65 FR 20140-41, December 4, 2000) which provided
notice that, pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act and
implementing regulations, it was preparing a draft site-specific EIS
for the Blue Grass Chemical Agent Disposal Facility. The Army published
a Draft EIS to assess the site-specific health and environmental
impacts of on-site disposal of the chemical agents and munitions stored
at the BGAD on May 31, 2002. All public comments received on the DEIS
have been addressed in the FEIS.
The Program Manager for Assembled Chemical Weapons Assessment
(ACWA) prepared a separate EIS. The ACWA EIS is for follow-on pilot
testing of the ACWA Program pursuant to the process established by
Congress in Pub. L. 104-208 and 105-261. The ACWA EIS emphasizes the
feasibility of pilot testing one or more of the ACWA technologies at
one or more sites. One of the four sites evaluated in the ACWA EIS was
the BGAD. Information provided by the ACWA Program concerning the
neutralization technologies provided the basis for analysis of the
neutralization technologies and comparison with incineration in this
site-specific EIS for stockpile destruction at Blue Grass. This site-
specific EIS and the ACWA EIS serve complementary purposes.
The decision for the technology to be implemented to destroy the
chemical weapons stockpile at BGAD will be made by the DAE and a ROD
will be signed following the end of the 30-day waiting period.
Dated: December 19, 2002.
Richard E. Newsome,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and
Occupational Health) OASA (I&E).
[FR Doc. 02-32669 Filed 12-26-02; 8:45 am]
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