This report discusses Chemical Warfare: A Primer on Agents, Munitions, and Defensive Measures.

The recent Department of Defense proposal to develop a capability to modernize and expand the current U.S. chemical warfare munition stocks with binary nerve agent munitions has focused attention on the subject of chemical warfare. This paper provides a brief introductory discussion of modern chemical warfare, describing the types of agents, delivery methods, and defense against chemical agents. It does not discuss policy, strategy, tactics, or disarmament aspects of chemical warfare. These issues w i l l be covered i n CRS Issue Brief IB 8l08l .

The essential objective of Phase I of our program is to demonstrate extended capabilities for the Linear Pocket Feeder (LPF). This requires extensive modification of both our test facility and the LPF. At this time we estimate that delays in modifications will prevent our testing the LPF until at least mid-May, a month and a half later than originally scheduled. However, we have reviewed our test plan and facility operation in detail and conclude that testing can probably be completed by the end of August as originally proposed, and that the program is not jeopardized in any other way. In fact, our projected delay in specified testing is due in part to our initial testing - crude but successful, with pulverized coal (PC). On the strength of this success, we are attempting to go immediately to an LPF and feed system that is fully modified for PC. A status report task by task is given.

This study was performed to assess the feasibility of producing fuel ethanol from sugar beets. Sugar beets are a major agricultural crop in the area and the beet sugar industry is a major employer. There have been some indications that increasing competition from imported sugar and fructose sugar produced from corn may lead to lower average sugar prices than have prevailed in the past. Fuel ethanol might provide an attractive alternative market for beets and ethanol production would continue to provide an industrial base for labor. Ethanol production from beets would utilize much of the same field and plant equipment as is now used for sugar. It is logical to examine the modification of an existing sugar plant from producing sugar to ethanol. The decision was made to use Great Western Sugar Company's plant at Mitchell as the example plant. This plant was selected primarily on the basis of its independence from other plants and the availability of relatively nearby beet acreage. The potential feedstocks assessed included sugar beets, corn, hybrid beets, and potatoes. Markets were assessed for ethanol and fermentation by-products saleability. Investment and operating costs were determined for each prospective plant. Plants were evaluated using a discounted cash …