Three public meetings in the Pueblo area provided citizens an opportunity to learn about the proposed installation and operation of Static Detonation Chambers at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot.

“Giving the public an opportunity to ask questions and become more informed about what’s happening in their community is extremely important to the public participation process,” said Jeannine Natterman, public involvement coordinator, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

”The next step is to finish assembling the permit modification application, which will be submitted to CDPHE by the end of May,” said Mike Saupe, environmental manager, Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. The depot will submit the application for their Part B Hazardous Waste Permit, Saupe said.

Future public meetings will be held after submittal of the permit modification application to assemble and operate the units, and there will be a public hearing when the state has issued the draft permit. Public notices will advertise future meetings.

The electrically heated detonation chambers reduce the risk of workers entering contaminated spaces to perform maintenance tasks associated with processing problematic munitions through the highly-automated pilot plant.