Colorado loses bid to enforce deadline for weapons destruction at Army depot

Colo. loses bid to enforce weapons destruction

DENVER — A federal judge has rejected a request from Colorado health officials to set an enforceable deadline for destroying chemical weapons stored at an Army facility outside Pueblo.

U.S. District Judge Richard Matsch ruled Tuesday that federal law limits the state’s authority to set timelines and deadlines for destroying mustard agent stored at the Pueblo Chemical Depot.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment filed the lawsuit. Jim Martin, the agency’s executive director, says state officials will consult with the Colorado congressional delegation about enforcing the 2017 deadline set by Congress.

The state health department recently filed a second lawsuit to force the Army to increase the frequency and level of monitoring of the stored weapons. No court date has been set in the case.