On June 22, 2023, the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP) completed destruction of the U.S. chemical weapons stockpile at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot (PCD) in Colorado, which consisted of 780,089 chemical weapons containing mustard agent. The Colorado stockpile included three munition types: 155mm and 105mm projectiles and 4.2-inch mortar rounds.

Project Update:

• Workers and technicians at PCD and the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky, including the PCAPP and Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant workforces, were nominated by the U.S. Arms Control Association for Arms Control Persons of the Year for successfully and safely completing the job of eliminating the United States’ remaining declared stockpile of chemical munitions as required by the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention. Online voting for the award began Dec. 8 and will run through Jan. 11, 2024. A winner will be announced around Jan. 12, 2024. Votes may be cast at https://www.armscontrol.org/2023-12/2023-arms-control-persons-year-nominees. (The system will send an email that requires a response before an online vote can be counted.)
• The final version of the National Defense Authorization Act, the annual U.S. defense authorization bill, has been sent to the President for his signature. The bill indicates the closure and transfer of PCD should be completed within a year of demilitarization operations. There is no impact from this legislation on PCAPP with respect to our reporting structure or our closure deadlines. While PCD has adapted its reporting to include both the U.S. Army Installation Management Command at Fort Carson, Colorado, and the U.S. Army Chemical Materials Activity at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, PCAPP remains a project administered by the Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives.

Main Plant:

• The closure plan for the main plant (Permit Modification Request B071) remains under review by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), following the 30-day public comment period extension through Jan. 15.

Static Detonation Chamber (SDC):

• The closure plan for the SDC complex (B028) was submitted to CDPHE in December. 

Closure-related Activities:

• In December, the Pueblo Chemical Stockpile Outreach Office was returned to the Pueblo Union Depot and the PCAPP Training Facility at 4 Jetway was returned to the Pueblo Economic Development Corporation. The outreach office closed to the public on Nov. 17, but outreach staff remain available at PuebloOutreach@iem.com or 719-549-4959.
• On Dec. 13, more than 200 PCAPP and PCD employees attended an on-site job fair and visited with representatives from Bechtel, Amentum and Battelle projects.
• The Pueblo Workforce Center continues to host Transition Help Tuesdays at PCAPP. One-on-one sessions are offered to employees, providing guidance and information for employment transition, including resume review, workshops, access to LinkedIn Learning and career coaching programming.

• The public is invited to a discussion regarding the Class 2 Permit Modification Request B073, Equipment Disassembly and Containerization, to the PCAPP Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Permit, No. CO-20-09-02-01, and a Temporary Authorization Request for disassembly and waste containerization of other specific equipment at 2 p.m. MT Jan. 10, 2024.
  
  Computer: Zoom
  Phone: 1 (719) 359-4580
  Meeting ID: ‪837 6247 4206#

• Walton Levi, site project manager, PCAPP, will provide a plant update as part of a PuebloPlex board meeting at noon MT Jan. 11 at the District Attorney’s office at 701 Court St. in downtown Pueblo.

• The next Colorado Chemical Demilitarization Citizens’ Advisory Commission meeting will be online at 3 p.m. MT Jan. 31.
  
  Individuals interested in joining online can participate using the link and information below.
  
  Computer: Zoom
  Phone: 1 (719) 359-4580
  Meeting ID:  844 3279 1550#

The Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant, or PCAPP, was built to destroy the chemical weapons stockpile formerly stored at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot. This video portrays PCAPP operations prior to the June 22, 2023, completion of destruction of the stockpile in Colorado. The main plant used neutralization followed by biotreatment and was supplemented by Static Detonation Chamber units to destroy mustard agent munitions. With destruction operations complete, the safety of the workforce, neighboring communities and the environment during the closure phase remains the project’s priority.