PCAPP Monthly Recap - May 2020 - Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)

PCAPP Monthly Recap – May 2020

Published: June 2, 2020 | Category: Monthly Recap, PCAPP News

Local project employment: 1,636. Local payroll paid to date: $1.99 billion. Quantity destroyed: 1447.8 U.S. Tons.

Highlights

PCAPP paused its destruction of chemical weapons May 12 due to leaks and corrosion discovered within the Spent Decontamination System piping/components. Destruction operations were halted to complete installation and associated independent engineering certification of a temporary system for processing spent decontamination fluids through the wash water system. Destruction operations will resume once the fieldwork for this temporary/alternate system is complete and certifications/approvals have been received.
The Colorado Chemical Demilitarization Citizens’ Advisory Commission (CAC) held a virtual public meeting May 27. PCAPP and Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) staff discussed with CAC members the SDS piping issues that had paused munitions destruction. Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP) coordinator Lisa Shorter gave a presentation on local planning for the program’s end. Pueblo Chemical Stockpile Outreach Office (ORO) staff gave an update on outreach activities, the office’s closure to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic and social media achievements. ORO staff are working remotely until further notice but will continue to keep the public informed via the usual online platforms.
Shipments of hydrolysate from PCAPP to Veolia in Port Arthur, Texas, concluded May 11. More than 350,000 gallons were transferred to Veolia’s permitted hazardous waste disposal and storage facility. Brian Ramdwar, deputy plant manager, PCAPP, said the tanker shipments, which began April 10, were completed without safety or compliance issues. The shipments were recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce on-site waste storage during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Static Detonation Chamber Sprung structure coverings were nearly (96%) completed and local utility electrical power was connected to the SDC site. Three SDC units will augment the main plant by destroying munitions not suitable for its automated process. They are expected to come online by the end of the calendar year.
The Bechtel Pueblo Team donated a combined $50,000 to Pueblo County agencies from a $3 million Bechtel Group Foundation fund benefiting global pandemic relief. United Way of Pueblo County received $40,000 and the Pueblo Cooperative Care Center received $10,000.
As of May 28, 246,699 155mm projectiles have been processed in the main plant.
Baseline reconfiguration of 4.2-inch boxed mortar rounds from boxed storage to pallets ready for processing continued. As of May 28, 91,637 4.2-inch mortar rounds have been reconfigured.

Upcoming Meetings

Colorado Chemical Demilitarization Citizens’ Advisory Commission, Permitting Working Group and Biotreatment Utilization Group Meeting (Tentative)
June 24, 2020, at 2 p.m. MDT
Google Meet

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The Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant is a state-of-the-art facility built to destroy the chemical weapons stockpile stored at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot, Colorado. The main plant uses neutralization followed by biotreatment to destroy the mustard agent stockpile. The safety of the workforce and neighboring communities is the project’s most important priority.