The U.S. Army's Chemical Materials Activity (CMA) is the world leader in programs to store, treat, and dispose of chemical weapons safely and
effectively. The activity developed and used technologies to safely store and eliminate chemical weapons at seven stockpile sites while protecting the
public, its workers and the environment. CMA also has the storage mission at the Nation's final two stockpile sites. CMA was created to incorporate the
former Program Manager for Chemical Demilitarization and portions of the U.S. Army Soldier and Biological Chemical Command into one activity. This
streamlines operations and allows for greater integration of these programs. More information on the organization is available at About CMA.
UMCD Deactivation Ceremony Held July 17
After 71 years, the Umatilla Chemical Depot (UMCD) closed another chapter in its storied history when hundreds gathered for a deactivation ceremony at the very place that once stored and eventually destroyed about 12 percent of the Nation’s chemical weapons.
The ceremony was known as “Operations Lights Out” and was led by Mr. Don Barclay, acting director of the U.S. Army Chemical Materials Activity. Depot Commander Lt. Col. Kris Perkins relinquished command at the ceremony.Work remains to be done at the depot, including continued
decontamination and dismantling of the Umatilla Chemical
Agent Disposal Facility incineration plant, which is where the
chemical weapons were destroyed.
PCD steps up to support Waldo Canyon Fire disaster
The U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot Fire Department through its mutual aid agreements began supporting a raging forest fire west of Colorado Springs, which affected nine PCD workers and six workers from the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP) residing in the fire area on Tuesday, June 26.
Constant record breaking high temperatures with very little rain started the tinderbox; coupled with the spreading fire and microburst downdrafts from a thunderstorm, a perfect firestorm blew out of control at Waldo Canyon, west of Colorado Springs, where two died and 346 residential homes burned to the ground. All depot displaced residents returned to their homes on July 3.
Environmental cleanup underway
Initial cleanup on Deseret Chemical Depot’s (DCD) Solid Waste Management Units (SWMUs) 1 and 25 is underway.
Surface cleanup activities are expected to conclude May 2013. Afterwards, additional investigations will determine if there is a need for additional remediation.
10/18/2012 Tooele, UT
DCD Monthly Update [2,329KB pdf] Deseret Chemical Depot update for October 2012