[Federal Register: March 24, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 56)]
[Notices]               
[Page 14073-14074]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24mr98-41]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

 
Notice of Availability of the Draft 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 (NOA).

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SUMMARY: This announces the availability of the Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (DEIS) 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 two containers at APG.
    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 Public Law 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.

DATES: The public comment period for the DEIS will end 45 days after 
publication of the NAO in the Federal Register by the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency. Public comments received on the DEIS 
will be considered and addressed in the final EIS and considered by the 
Army in its Record of Decision.

ADDRESSES: To obtain copies of the DEIS, contact Ms. Nancy Hoffman at 
Edgewood Community Outreach Office at (410) 676-6800 or write to: 
Woodbridge Station, 1011 Woodbridge Center Way, Edgewood, Maryland 
21040.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Office of the Program Manager for Chemical Demilitarization, ATTN: 
SFAE-CD-P (Ms. Catherine Herlinger), Building E4585, Aberdeen Proving 
Ground, Maryland 21010-5401; telephone: (800) 488-0648 or (410) 671-
1479; e-mail: cherling@cdra.apgea.army.mil.


[[Page 14074]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DEIS concludes that mustard stored in 
bulk containers can be pilot tested at APG using the neutralization 
(hydrolysis) process with water, followed by biotreatment, in a safe 
and environmentally acceptable manner. At one time, the option of 
sending the hydrolysate to an off-site biotreatment facility was under 
consideration 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. 
Therefore, off-site biotreatment is not addressed further in this DEIS.

    Dated: March 18, 1998.
Richard E. Newsome,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health) OASA (I, L&E).
[FR Doc. 98-7597 Filed 3-23-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M