The Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant, or PCAPP, is in the closure phase. From 2015 to 2023, the PCAPP team destroyed 780,078 projectiles and mortar rounds containing 2,613 tons of the blister agent mustard. The last chemical weapon in the stockpile in Colorado was destroyed June 22, 2023. The Pueblo plant will be in the closure phase for approximately two more years.
The last chemical munition in the declared U.S. stockpile was destroyed July 7, 2023, in Richmond, Kentucky.
Highlights
- Representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made their final annual oversight visit of the PCAPP laboratory and monitoring operations.
- The project provided more than 200 computer monitors to Pueblo area schools through the property disposition process and the Computers for Learning program, which provides information technology equipment to schools and educational nonprofit organizations.
- For the first time since 2014, the Pueblo plant workforce is below 1,000 members as demolition approaches. Another 200 employees will be released in May.
- Testing has begun for a drone that will be used during regular aerial monitoring of bird and wildlife migration and for documentation of the closure/demolition process.
Safety
- As of March 31, 2025, the Bechtel Pueblo team completed 5,133,704 hours without a lost-time accident.
Main Plant
- Removal of piping, pumps and other equipment continues in the Toxic Cubicle inside the Agent Processing Building.
- Equipment removal is complete in Munitions Treatment Unit (MTU) 1 and is nearing completion in MTU 2.
- Removal of air-monitoring equipment has begun in the Enhanced Reconfiguration Building.
- Nine interim Demolition Readiness Reports for the Biotreatment Area are in the works or in review.
Static Detonation Chambers (SDC)
- Awaiting approval from state regulators of the Reuse Readiness Report (RRR) for Unit 1 so disassembly can begin in April.
- Unit 2 sampling and decontamination is complete, and the RRR has been submitted to the independent engineering consultant.
- Unit 3 cleaning and testing occurred in preparation for Unventilated Monitoring Tests (UMTs). Process piping removal and cleaning of the detonation chamber and off-gas treatment system continues.
Workforce Transition
- 951 workers are employed on the project as of March 31, 2025.
Environmental Permitting
- The U.S Army Chemical Materials Activity-West permit renewal, which includes some of the PCAPP SDC documents, was approved by state regulators, as well as several Closure Planning Notifications that signal specific fieldwork can begin. One example is Permit Modification Request C006, which allows for removal of the sump and trench liners in the Munitions Washout System.
- State regulators also approved Closure Planning Notifications SO31 and SO33, which provide an equipment staging area for disassembly of the SDC and add sampling requirements for Tank 150 in SDC Unit 2.
Upcoming Meetings
- The next Colorado Chemical Demilitarization Citizens’ Advisory Commission meeting will be held online April 30 at 3 p.m. MT. Join online by using the link and information below.
Online platform: Zoom
Phone: 1 (719) 359-4580 Meeting ID: 84351934182#
