[Federal Register: August 6, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 151)]
[Notices]               
[Page 42011-42012]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06au98-34]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

 
Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for Pilot Testing of Neutralization/Biotreatment of Mustard 
Agent at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: This announces the availability of the Final Environmental 
Impact Statement (FEIS) which assesses the potential environmental 
impacts of the design, construction, systemization and operation of a 
facility to pilot test the neutralization/biotreatment process of 
mustard agent using water at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Maryland. 
The proposed facility will be used to demonstrate, as part of a 
research and development program, the feasibility of adopting the 
neutralization process using water, followed by biotreatment, to 
destroy mustard agent currently stored in ton containers at APG.

DATES: Written comments received within 30 days of the publication of 
the Environmental Protection Agency's Notice of Availability for this 
action will be considered by the Army during final decision making.

ADDRESSES: To obtain a copy of the FEIS, write to Ms. Nancy Hoffman, 
Edgewood Community Outreach Office, Woodbridge Station, 1011 Woodbridge 
Center Way, Edgewood, Maryland 21040.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Catherine Herlinger, Office of the 
Program Manager for Chemical Demilitarization, ATTN: SFAE-CD-P Building 
E4585, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, 21010-5401;

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telephone: (800) 488-0648 or (410) 463-2583; e-mail: 
cherling@cdra.apgea.army.mil.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The alternatives considered in this DEIS are 
no action (i.e., continued storage of mustard agent at APG) and 
locating the pilot facility at one of two potential sites within APG. 
Although the no action alternative is not viable under Pub. L. 99-145, 
the Department of Defense Authorization Act of 1986, it was analyzed to 
provide a comparison with the proposed action. In addition, the no 
action alternative is considered to be deferral of research and 
development of the neutralization process as an alternative technology.
    The FEIS concludes that mustard agent stored in bulk containers can 
be pilot tested at APG in a safe and environmental acceptable manner 
using the water neutralization (hydrolis) process, followed by 
biotreatment. At one time, the option of sending the hydrolysate to an 
off-site biotreatment facility was considered by the Army. However, the 
Army has been unable to identify a suitable off-site biotreatment 
facility that would accept the neutralization hydrolysate and also 
conform to the safety and environmental protection requirements of the 
proposed action. Accordingly, off-site biotreatment is not addressed 
further in this EIS.
    The Department of the Army prepared a Draft EIS (DEIS) which 
assessed the potential site-specific health and environmental impacts 
of the construction, systemization and operation of an on-site facility 
to pilot test the neutralization/biotreatment process of mustard agent 
using water at APG, Maryland. A Notice of Availability was published on 
March 27, 1998 (63 FR 14922), which provided notice that the Draft EIS 
was available for comment. Comments from the DEIS have been considered 
and responses are included in this Final EIS. After a 30-day waiting 
period the Army will publish a Record of Decision.

    Dated: July 29, 1998.
Raymond J. Fatz,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health) OASA (I,L&E).
[FR Doc. 98-20971 Filed 8-5-98; 8:45 am]
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