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.
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.
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.