Delaware Delegation Requests Public Meeting from U.S. Army on Chemical Agent Transfer

CONTACTS:
Biden/Margaret Aitken: (302) 573-6059
Carper/Bill Ghent: (202) 224-8395
Castle/Lisa Purzycki: (202) 225-4165
Washington, DC – Senators Joe Biden and Tom Carper and Congressman Mike Castle co-signed a letter today to the United States Army’s Chemical Materials Agency Project Manager, Colonel Jesse Barber, requesting that the Army set a date for a public meeting to discuss the Army’s pending proposal to award a contract to the DuPont Chambers Works Secure Environmental Treatment Unit. The contract would require the transport of the neutralized chemical agent, VX hydrolysate, to DuPont’s Deepwater, New Jersey unit. Below is a copy of the letter sent to the U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency: January 30, 2004 Col. Jesse L. Barber Alternative Technologies and Approaches
U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency
ATTN: SFAE-CD-A/PMATA
Bldg E-4585/Room 53
APG, MD 21010-4005
Dear Colonel Barber: We are writing to request that you set a date for a U.S. Department of the Army public meeting in Delaware to discuss the Army’s pending proposal to award a contract to the DuPont Chambers Works’ Secure Environmental Treatment Unit in Deepwater, New Jersey. On behalf of the public, we look forward to hearing more about the procedures that will be followed to transport this neutralized chemical agent, VX hydrolysate, from Indiana to New Jersey, as well as the route it will follow. We are also interested in hearing about the specific process that will be used to bring this material to New Jersey and how it will be disposed in the Delaware River. It is our understanding there will be significant impacts to aquatic life if trace amounts of VX hydrolysate make their way into this already ecologically fragile waterway. DuPont Chamber Works’ facility is very close to Wilmington, our most populous city. In addition, the facility is located at a point where the entire river is within the state of Delaware. The prospect of this material being transported through Delaware and discharged into its water is of great interest to all Delawareans. We believe that Delawareans’ input into this matter is essential, and we look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible on a meeting date, time, and location. Thank you for your prompt attention.