96-26342. Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Disposal of Chemical Agents and Munitions Stored at Pine Bluff Arsenal, Arkansas

[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 200 (Tuesday, October 15, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 53725]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-26342]



[[Page 53725]]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Disposal of Chemical Agents and Munitions Stored at 
Pine Bluff Arsenal, Arkansas

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: This announces the availability of the Final Environmental 
Impact Statement (FEIS) on the construction and operation of the 
proposed chemical agent demilitarization facility at Pine Bluff 
Arsenal, Arkansas. The proposed facility will be used to demilitarize 
all stockpile chemical agents and munitions currently stored at Pine 
Bluff Arsenal. The FEIS examines the potential impacts of on-site 
incineration, alternative sites within the Pine Bluff Arsenal, and the 
``no action'' alternative. The ``no action'' alternative is considered 
to be a deferral of the demilitarization with continued storage of 
agents and munitions at Pine Bluff Arsenal.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In its Record of Decision (53 FR 5816, 
February 26, 1988) for the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact 
Statement on the Chemical Stockpile Disposal Program (CSDP), the 
Department of the Army selected on-site disposal by incineration at all 
eight chemical munition storage sites within the continental United 
States as the method by which it will destroy its lethal chemical 
stockpile. On March 29, 1989 (54 FR 12944-45), the Department of the 
Army published a Notice of Intent in the Federal Register which 
provided notice that, pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act 
and implementing regulations, it would prepare a draft site-specific 
EIS for the Pine Bluff Arsenal. In 1995, the Department of the Army 
prepared a Draft EIS to assess the site-specific health and 
environmental impacts of on-site incineration of chemical agents and 
munitions stored at the Pine Bluff Arsenal. A Notice of Availability 
was published on June 9, 1995 (60 FR 30537), which provided notice that 
the Draft EIS was available for comment. Comments from the DEIS have 
been considered and responses are included in this Final EIS. After a 
30-day waiting period the Army will publish a Record of Decision. 
Copies of the Final EIS may be obtained by writing to the following 
address: Program Manager for Chemical Demilitarization, ATTN: SFAE-CD-
ME, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21010-5401.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will 
also publish a Notice of Availability for the Final EIS in the Federal 
Register.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Above address, or Ms. Cathy Stalcup at 
[phone]/2583.
Richard E. Newsome,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Environment, Safety and 
Occupational Health) OASA (I, L&E).
[FR Doc. 96-26342 Filed 10-11-96; 8:45 a.m.]
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