Federal and site officials told the Chemical Demilitarization Citizens Advisory Commission on Dec. 10 that work to close and hand over the Pueblo chemical destruction facility is advancing and that demolition is expected to begin in calendar year 2026.

"We expect that demolition will start in calendar year 2026," said Tammy Atkins, Program Executive Office for ACWA, who reported that demolition-preparation activities are underway at the Pueblo Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAP) and at Bluegrass.

Officials described a multi-agency transition in which property and operational responsibilities will be transferred to installation and local redevelopment authorities. Catherine, a representative of the U.S. Army Chemical Materials Activity West, said the command plans to transfer real and personal property to Fort Carson under IMCOM no later than March 31 and is planning a reduction-in-force no later than June 27, 2026, with voluntary separation options to reduce the need for involuntary separations.

U.S. Army and BRAC officials said environmental cleanup work will continue under state oversight and that some property may be eligible for early transfer where requirements are limited to long-term monitoring or select remediation actions. Mr. Foster, an assistant secretary at the Army, said his office recently awarded what he described as "over a $100,000,000 contract" intended to provide a five-year projection of environmental cleanup work that will support property transition and redevelopment.

Project managers highlighted a staged staffing plan tied to demolition readiness reports (DRRs) and permit approvals. Officials said the DRRs and independent third-party reviews are prerequisites to ending engineering controls and beginning demolition of specific facilities.

Next steps: project staff said technical readiness reviews and ongoing permit modifications will determine the sequencing of demolition activities and any early-transfer parcels. The next CAC meeting is scheduled for Feb. 25, 2026, at 3 p.m., when officials expect to report further progress.