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Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)
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      Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)


      Mission: The safe elimination of chemical weapons at Pueblo and Blue Grass by Sept. 30, 2023

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      Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP)

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      Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP)

      PCAPP is safely destroying the chemical weapons stockpile currently in storage at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado.

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Officials Recognize Chemical Weapons Destruction Milestone

Published: August 2, 2022 | Category: PCAPP News, Program Milestones, Public Involvement
  • Michael Costas, general manager, Defense and Space, Bechtel National Inc., speaks during the End of the 105mm Projectile Destruction Campaign event, held in Pueblo, Colorado on July 27, 2022. Seated are Nick Gradisar, mayor of Pueblo; Craig Campbell, principal deputy, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Threat Reduction and Arms Control; Mallory Stewart, assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance; and Michael Abaie, program executive officer, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives.

    Michael Costas, general manager, Defense and Space, Bechtel National Inc., speaks during the End of the 105mm Projectile Destruction Campaign event, held in Pueblo, Colorado on July 27, 2022. Seated are Nick Gradisar, mayor of Pueblo; Craig Campbell, principal deputy, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Threat Reduction and Arms Control; Mallory Stewart, assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance; and Michael Abaie, program executive officer, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives.

  • Mallory Stewart, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, speaks at the End of the 105mm Projectile Destruction Campaign event in Pueblo, Colorado on July 27, 2022.

    Mallory Stewart, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, speaks at the End of the 105mm Projectile Destruction Campaign event in Pueblo, Colorado on July 27, 2022.

  • Irene Kornelly, chair, Colorado Chemical Demilitarization Citizens' Advisory Commission, and John Norton, chair, Biotreatment Utilization Group, and CAC member, cut a cake commemorating the end of the 105mm projectile destruction campaign, which was observed during an event in Pueblo on July 27, 2022. Seated are Nick Gradisar, mayor of Pueblo; Craig Campbell, principal deputy, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Threat Reduction and Arms Control; Mallory Stewart, Mallory Stewart, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance; Michael Abaie, program executive officer, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives; and Michael Costas, general manager, Defense and Space, Bechtel National Inc.

    Irene Kornelly, chair, Colorado Chemical Demilitarization Citizens' Advisory Commission, and John Norton, chair, Biotreatment Utilization Group, and CAC member, cut a cake commemorating the end of the 105mm projectile destruction campaign, which was observed during an event in Pueblo on July 27, 2022. Seated are Nick Gradisar, mayor of Pueblo; Craig Campbell, principal deputy, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Threat Reduction and Arms Control; Mallory Stewart, Mallory Stewart, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance; Michael Abaie, program executive officer, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives; and Michael Costas, general manager, Defense and Space, Bechtel National Inc.

  • The End of the 105mm Projectile Destruction Campaign event held in Pueblo, Colorado on July 27, 2022, was attended by nearly 200 community and workforce members. Pictured (L-R) are Sandy Romero, communications manager, Bechtel Pueblo Team; Nick Gradisar, mayor of Pueblo; Craig Campbell, principal deputy, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Threat Reduction and Arms Control; Mallory Stewart, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance; Michael Abaie, program executive officer, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives; and Michael Costas, general manager, Defense and Space, Bechtel National Inc.

    The End of the 105mm Projectile Destruction Campaign event held in Pueblo, Colorado on July 27, 2022, was attended by nearly 200 community and workforce members. Pictured (L-R) are Sandy Romero, communications manager, Bechtel Pueblo Team; Nick Gradisar, mayor of Pueblo; Craig Campbell, principal deputy, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Threat Reduction and Arms Control; Mallory Stewart, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance; Michael Abaie, program executive officer, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives; and Michael Costas, general manager, Defense and Space, Bechtel National Inc.

Community members joined government officials and project staff in Pueblo, Colorado July 27 to recognize completion of the 105mm projectile destruction campaign.

“On behalf of the entire Department of State, I want to thank you all for your dedication to meeting the September 2023 deadline for destruction of the U.S. chemical weapons stockpile,” said Mallory Stewart, Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance. “The complete destruction of the U.S. chemical weapons program will be historic and truly will make the world a safer place.”

On July 20, the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant team completed the 105mm projectile destruction campaign, the second of three campaigns to destroy the remaining U.S. chemical weapons stockpile stored at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot. The achievement was recognized at a public event held at the Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference center.

“This project has been transformative in our community and it’s hard to believe that we’re nearing the completion, said Nick Gradisar, mayor, City of Pueblo. “I want to give my congratulations to all of the team involved in this effort.”

The 105mm projectile destruction campaign began in December 2020. Approximately 383,000 105mm projectiles were destroyed using neutralization followed by biotreatment. The last munition destruction campaign, consisting of 4.2-inch mortar rounds, is underway. The original stockpile stored in Pueblo consisted of approximately 780,000 chemical weapons. As of July 29, less than 92,000 chemical weapons remain in the Colorado stockpile.

Related Posts

  • A pallet of previously rejected 155mm projectiles awaits destruction. Approximately 200 of the 155mm projectiles were rejected by the plant’s automated robotic destruction systems. The rejected munitions have been re-introduced into the system, now upgraded with the devices.

    Safe Destruction of Previously Rejected Projectiles Moves Forward in Pueblo Plant

    Published: September 13, 2022
  • The Improved Cavity Access Machine was proposed to safely destroy 4.2-inch mortar rounds in the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant automated process. Based on existing Cavity Access Machine technology, the ICAM uses a vacuum-powered probe to remove agent.

    Improved Equipment Could Accelerate Destruction at Pueblo Plant

    Published: July 5, 2022
  • After a chemical weapon is drained of agent and rinsed with high-pressure hot water, Agent Washwater Separator tanks collect fluid before sending it to Agent Neutralization Reactors to destroy the mustard agent. The Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant has two tanks, providing the plant with redundancy when neutralizing agent.

    Backup Systems Allow for Safe Repairs

    Published: March 28, 2022
  • A Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant maintenance technician dons and escape breathing apparatus during backup rescue training exercises in 2020.

    Pueblo Plant Safety Rates Exceed Industry Standard

    Published: August 17, 2021
  • Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant Entry Support Area tender Ezra Maldonado is outfitted with the Demilitarization Protective Ensemble prior to completion of the 10,000th DPE entry at PCAPP.

    Pueblo Plant Workers Achieve Safety Milestone

    Published: May 12, 2021
  • A Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant personal protective equipment technician dons a Powered Air Purifying Respirator hood during a PAPR training session.

    Repurposed Safety Equipment Used for Training

    Published: May 4, 2021
Pueblo, Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant

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Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)