The Pueblo plant has moved into its final stage, closure, following approval of its main plant closure plan by state regulators March 29.
“Approval of the plan allows us to completely proceed into closure activities to close the book on chemical weapons stockpile destruction in Colorado,” said Walton Levi, site project manager, Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP). “It’s been decades in the works, but now we’ve reached the final stage.”
The closure process involves five major factors: decontamination, decommissioning, dispositioning, demolition and administrative closeout. Project leaders are committed to closing the 85-acre site in accordance with all laws and regulatory requirements. All wastes generated during closure will be transferred off site to permitted treatment and disposal facilities.
“We will continue to prioritize the safety of the workforce, community and environment throughout the closure of this chemical destruction facility,” Levi said.
Since the mission of destroying the portion of the declared U.S. chemical weapons stockpile stored at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot since the 1950s was completed on June 22, 2023, PCAPP managers have been working with Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment staff to finalize details of the closure plan and conducting limited disassembly tasks under a temporary authorization.
During the last nine months, the workforce has been reduced by about 400 due to planned reduction in force, attrition and retirement. The remaining PCAPP team benefits from many personnel who have experience from previous U.S. chemical demilitarization projects, some of whom have participated in closure activities at one or more of the seven former demilitarization locations, Levi said.
The closure stage is the final step of the PCAPP life cycle that began in September 2002, when the Bechtel Pueblo Team was awarded the systems contract to facilitate the plant through all six project stages — design, construction, systemization, pilot testing, operations and closure.
The closure stage is expected to take several years.
