THE UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
3010 DEFENSE PENTAGON
WASHINGTON, DC 20301-3010
MAR 01 2010
MEMORANDUM FOR SECRETARY OF THE ARMY
SUBJECT: Final Implementation Plan for the Recovery and Destruction of Buried Chemical Warfare Materiel
The Deputy Secretary of Defense designated the Secretary of the Army as the DoD Executive Agent (EA) for destruction of non-stockpile chemical warfare munitions, agents, and by-products on March 13, 1991. This designation is consistent with DoD Directive 5101.1, “DoD Executive Agent,” dated September 3, 2002.
The authorities and responsibilities of this EA designation include, among other functions: (a) maintaining DoD’s inventory of locations known or suspected to contain chemical warfare materiel (CWM) and chemical agent identification sets (CAIS); (b) the execution of CWM response or other actions, such as range clearance activities, needed to address these sites; (c) supporting explosives or munitions emergency responses that may involve recovered chemical warfare materiel (RCWM) or CAIS; (d) addressing, regardless of the circumstances under which found, RCWM and munitions and other materials that have an unknown liquid or chemical agent fill (munitions and materials of interest); (e) planning, programming and budgeting for the EA functions for the assessment of the fill of RCWM and munitions and other materials of interest, the destruction of RCWM, and those functions and equipment related to such assessment and destruction; and (f) integrating and coordinating the RCWM Program with all DoD Components. Collectively, these and related functions make up the RCWM Program.
This EA designation ensures a comprehensive approach for addressing RCWM and determining whether, munitions and other materials of interest are RCWM. Under this EA determination, the Army’s execution of the RCWM Program will provide consistency, avoid duplication, and provide for the efficient use of those limited resources that support the assessment of liquid and chemical agent fills and the destruction of RCWM.
The Army will establish procedures for: (a) the execution of RCWM response or other actions needed to address RCWM; (b) the support of explosives or munitions emergency response actions that may involve RCWM or CAIS; (c) the assessment of both RCWM to determine its chemical agent (CA) fill, and recovered munitions and materials of interest to determine whether the fill is a CA; (d) me destruction of all RCWM in a manner mat complies with applicable federal and state laws and regulations and DoD policies; (e) the sustainment of required crews and equipment; and (f) the maintenance of related equipment. As part of the responsibilities under tins EA designation, the Army will work witii the other DoD Components to develop a proposal for DoD approval that clearly defines the roles and responsibilities of the DoD Components.
The deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Installations and Environment (DUSD(I&E)) and the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller), in coordination with the Army and the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Nuclear and Chemical and Biological Defense Programs (ATSD(NCB)), will determine an appropriate funding profile for a new RCWM Program account. However, the funding source for the assessment of RCWM and munitions and other materials of interest, the destruction of RCWM, the sustaihment of crews and equipment, and the maintenance of related equipment will be the Chemical Agent and Munitions Destruction, Defense (CAMD, D) appropriation pending establishment of the RCWM Program account. Once implemented and funded, the RCWM Program account will be resourced from the DoD’s Total Obligation Authority and will be separate and distinct from the CAMD,D account used for the other portions of the Chemical Destruction Program. Those functions and activities not related to the assessment of RCWM and munitions and other materials of interest and the destruction of RCWM will be funded by the Defense Environmental Restoration Program accounts or other appropriations normally available to fund such functions and activities. Once established, the RCWM Program account will fund: (a) the assessment of both RCWM to determine the most likely chemical agent fill; (b) the assessment of munitions and other materials of interest to determine whether they are RCWM; (c) destruction of RCWM; (d) the sustainment and maintenance of required crews and equipment; and (e) program management and other necessary functions of the EA.
Within 180 days of receipt of this memorandum, I request the Army develop and submit to me for review timelines and milestones that are coordinated with DUSD(I&E), ATSD(NCB), and the other DoD Components for me following activities - at a minimum:
• Delineate program management roles and responsibilities to ensure seamless work flow and funding at the sites currently identified as being CWM response sites;
• Determine the funding required for support of the RCWM Program for consideration in the planning, programming, and budgeting process for the Fiscal Year 2012 through 2017 Program Objectives Memorandum; and
• Provide technical advice and support the planning, programming, and budgeting process for those environmental response actions that may involve RCWM under the DERP,
My point of contact is Ms. Deborah Morefield at 703-571-9067.
cc:
Secretary of the Navy
Secretary of the Air Force
Director, Defense Logistics Agency
