|
Hoyer Delivers Major Defense Funds To Upgrade Joint CAD/PAD Facility, Agile Chemical Facility
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Saturday, October 09, 2004
WASHINGTON - The U.S. House of Representatives passed the fiscal year 2005 Military Construction Appropriations and Defense Authorization Conference Reports today that provide funds for two projects important to Indian Head Naval Surface Warfare Center and Charles County. Only one of these projects was included in the President's fiscal year 2005 budget, the other was added to the bills at the request of Congressman Hoyer.
"Earlier this year, I was able to help secure $23 million in bills passed by the House of Representatives to upgrade two important facilities at Indian Head and I am pleased that the Congress reinforced its continued commitment to the base and the entire region by including these funds in the Conference Reports today," said Congressman Hoyer. "This funding will allow Indian Head to expand its already impressive capabilities further demonstrating what an essential resource the base is to our national security.
"The projects included in today's Conference Reports will improve facilities for two important programs located at Indian Head, thereby enabling them to function much more efficiently. The funding will relocate engineers and scientists working on the CAD/PAD program and working in the Agile Chemical facility from old and less efficient buildings to new state-of-the-art facilities.
"The Joint CAD/PAD program keeps our military pilots safe should they have to eject in the event of an emergency. Indian Head operates the entire CAD/PAD program and as a joint program, it supports every branch of the military.
"Additionally, Indian Head is the only location in the United States that produces nitrate esters which keeps weapons safe when transported and operated in hazardous environments. Funds to consolidate and improve both of these facilities will make positive steps to keep our troops safe, and ensure that the engineers and technicians have a safer place to work.
The funding that will benefit Indian Head included in the Fiscal Year 2005 Military Construction Appropriations and Defense Authorization Conference Reports passed today is listed below:
Joint CAD/PAD Transfer Facility P-154, $9.1 Million
The Cartridge Actuated Device/Propellant Actuated Device (CAD/PAD) program develops the devices that enable a pilot to eject from an aircraft in the event of an emergency. Advancements made in this program ensure that military pilots can perform their jobs more reliably and safely.
The CAD/PAD Transfer facility at the NSWC Indian Head Division has been in operation for more than three decades and manages all of the CAD/PAD inventories and materials. These operations are currently conducted at twenty-year old, obsolete and inefficient facilities that are spread throughout the Indian Head Division. Funds for the Joint CAD/PAD Facility were not included in President Bush's defense budget request and were included in the House passed versions of the Defense Authorization bill and the Military Construction Appropriations bill, and the Conference Report passed today at the request of Congressman Hoyer.
The existing facilities do not provide an appropriate environment for NSWC employees. For instance, three separate facilities are utilized for shipping, five facilities are used to store packing material, and tractor-trailers cannot access the building where most CAD/PAD materials are stored and packaged. Additionally, it is extremely time-consuming to travel between the buildings on the base. This funding will allow for the consolidation of operations from several buildings into a single new state-of-the-art complex.
Agile Chemical Facility, $13.9 Million
The NSWC Indian Head Division is the only location in the United States that produces nitrate esters used in fleet weapons, making the weapons safe to transport and operate in hazardous environments. This work is currently done in two aging facilities at Indian Head. The existing plants are beyond cost effective repair, and the $13.9 million included in this bill will consolidate the work into a new, single facility at NSWC Indian Head.
The current facilities require an inordinate amount of resources to maintain and operate, severely limiting the type and quantity of nitrate esters that Indian Head can produce, resulting in increased costs for propellants and explosives. Additionally, workplace safety will be enhanced by reducing the amount of material that can be detonated and the amount of industrial wastewater generated by the facility.
# # #
|
|
