Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement on Transportable Treatment Systems for Non-Stockpile Chemical Warfare Materiel

The Army's Product Manager for Non-Stockpile Chemical Materiel has analyzed the potential environmental and socioeconomic consequences of two alternative courses of action in the DPEIS with respect to the Army's chemical demilitarization responsibilities: (1) Using transportable chemical treatment systems, under which the Army would use as many as four different types of transportable systems currently being developed to chemically treat non-stockpile CWM. (2) The no action alternative, under which the Army would discontinue development of the transportable treatment systems currently being developed and continue storage of non-stockpile CWM until other technologies are developed. Other alternatives that were considered, but not evaluated in detail, are: (1) Using stockpile CWM disposal facilities; (2) using other treatment systems or technologies, none of which have currently been sufficiently developed as part of an integrated system for the treatment of non-stockpile CWM; and (3) using commercial treatment facilities, which would require changes in federal law and Army policy. The Army has determined, based on the DPEIS, that the no-action alternative could lead to the United States violating the Chemical Weapons Convention timetable requirements for destroying currently stored non-stockpile CWM or CWM recovered in the near future. The Army further concludes that using stockpile disposal facilities, other treatment systems, or commercial treatment facilities are not feasible alternatives given certain legal requirements, in addition to the time restraints of the Chemical Weapons Convention. The Army's preferred alternative course of action is to complete the development of transportable chemical treatment systems and make them available for deployment. Subsequent environmental reviews by the appropriate DoD authorities would address the impacts of actual deployment to specific locations. A series of public meetings will be held at nine U.S. locations during the comment period to afford the public the opportunity to provide oral and written comments on the DPEIS. These meetings will tentatively be held in the vicinity of Aberdeen, MD; Alexandria, LA; Anchorage, AK; Huntsville, AL; Indianapolis, IN; Salt Lake City, UT; San Antonio, TX; Santa Rosa, CA; and Tampa, FL. The specific time, locations, and dates of these meetings will be announced in appropriate news media at least 15 days prior to each meeting. Comments made at the public meetings and written comments received during the comment period will be used in the preparation of the Final PEIS. Copies of the DPEIS have been forwarded to the EPA; other federal state, and local agencies; Native Americans; public officials; and organizations and individuals who previously provided substantive comments during the PEIS scoping process or have expressed interest in the Non-Stockpile Chemical Materiel Program. Copies of the DPEIS can also be obtained by calling the Public Outreach and Information Office of the Program Manager for Chemical Demilitarization at 1-800-488-0648 or (410) 436-3445; fax (410) 436-8737 or may be accessed at the following web site: www-pmcd.apgea.army.mil/nscmp/index.html.

Dated: October 14, 1999. Raymond J. Fatz, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and Occupational Health) OASA(I&E). [FR Doc. 99-27501 Filed 10-20-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3710-08-M