    cartome.org

8 August 2001

Source: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2001_register&docid=01-19843-filed

    [Federal Register: August 8, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 153)]
    [Notices]
    [Page 41574]
    From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
    [DOCID:fr08au01-61]

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    DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

    Department of the Army

    Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
    (EIS) for the Destruction of Non-Stockpile Chemical Warfare Materiel at
    Pine Bluff Arsenal, AR

    AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

    ACTION: Notice of intent.

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    SUMMARY: The Department of Army announces its intent to prepare a site-
    specific EIS on the potential impacts of the destruction of the non-
    stockpile chemical warfare materiel (CWM) stored at Pine Bluff Arsenal
    and to initiate the public scoping process for the EIS. The EIS will
    examine potential environmental impacts of the alternatives of various
    destruction options. The destruction activities proposed for Pine Bluff
    Arsenal will have the following functions: (1) Munitions Accessing:
    Various accessing technologies will be assessed to include Drill and
    Drain, Sawing, Shearing and Reverse Assembly; (2) Chemical Agent
    Treatment: Technologies under consideration for agent destruction
    include Chemical Neutralization and Incineration; (3) Non-Agent
    Treatment: Industrial chemicals and binary agent precursors may be
    treated with the same technologies as the agents or neutralized agent
    waste, or may be shipped without processing to a Treatment, Storage,
    and Disposal Facility; (4) Munition Body Component and Explosives
    Treatment: Munition body decontamination and destruction technologies
    under consideration include Detonation, Shredding, Cutting (Saws and
    Fluid Jet), Plasma Arc, and Demilitarization in a Deactivation Furnace;
    (5) Post-treatment/Disposal of Liquid Waste: Technologies under
    consideration for post-treatment and disposal of liquid waste include
    Bio-Treatment, Plasma Arc, Gas Phase Chemical Reduction, Supercritical
    Water Oxidation, Incineration, Solidification and Stabilization, and
    Processing at a Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facility; (6)
    Treatment/Disposal of Solid Waste: Technology under consideration for
    treatment/disposal of solid wastes include Plasma Arc, Gas Phase
    Chemical Reduction, and Landfilling.
        The alternatives to be analyzed in the EIS are: (1) Building one or
    more new facilities, (2) using the Pine bluff Chemical Agent
    Destruction Facility currently under construction, (3) bringing the
    mobil treatment systems currently under development by the Product
    Manager for Non-Stockpile Chemical Materiel to Pine Bluff Arsenal and
    using them, (4) using non-developmental items, and (5) no-action
    (continued storage of the non-stockpile chemical warfare materiel at
    the Arsenal).

    ADDRESSES: Written comments may be forwarded to the Program Manager for
    Chemical Demilitarization, Public Outreach and Information Office
    (ATTN: Mr. Jeff Lindblad), Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010-4005.

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jeff Lindblad at 410-436-4555, by
    fax at 410-436-5122, or by email at
    jeffrey.lindblad@pmcd.apgea.army.mil.

    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In compliance with the National
    Environmental Policy Act (Title 40, CFR Parts 1500-1508), the Army will
    prepare an EIS to assess the environmental impacts of the destruction
    of the non-stockpile chemical warfare materiel stored at the Pine Bluff
    Arsenal. Public Law and international treaty mandate the destruction of
    most of the non-stockpile chemical warfare materiel. This EIS will
    analyze the potential impacts of the various methods of destroying the
    items that are not part of the unitary stockpile. This site-specific
    EIS continues the process that began when Congress established the
    Chemical Demilitarization Program in Public Law 99-145 (1985).
        The specific purpose of the current analysis is to determine the
    environmental impacts of the alternatives that could accomplish the
    destruction of the non-stockpile chemical warfare materiel currently
    stored at the Arsenal, including the alternatives of using the
    technologies successfully demonstrated by the Chemical Stockpile
    Disposal Project, the Alternative Technologies and Approaches Project,
    the Assembled Chemical Weapons Assessment program, and any non-
    developmental items.
        The Army will hold scoping meetings to aid in determining the
    significant issues related to the proposed action which will be
    addressed in the EIS. The scoping process will incorporate public
    participation, including Federal, State of Arkansas, and local
    agencies, as well as residents within the affected environment. The
    dates, times, and locations of scoping meetings will be announced in
    appropriate news media at least 15 prior to these meetings.

        Dated: August 1, 2001.
    Raymond J. Fatz,
    Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety, and
    Occupational Health) OASA(I&E).
    [FR Doc. 01-19843 Filed 8-7-01; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 3710-08-M