PUEBLO, Colo. -- In order to keep good faith on a treaty, a new plan is being considered to speed up the process of disarming some of the mustard gas munitions that are stored at the Pueblo Chemical Depot.

The proposal is to blow up around 125,000 shells, which accounts for about 16percent of the stockpile, using explosive destruction technology. An environmental assessment declared it safe, but what do you think?

Officials with the Pueblo Chemical Depot and the Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives program met with members of the public Tuesday evening to hear opinions. Officials with the ACWA also explained how the process works to disarm the munitions and why they feel it’s safe.

Organizers say the goal of the meeting is to get accurate information out to the public, which is extremely important in this case given that a decision will be made on the proposal fairly quickly.

"This is a little more rapid of a way we would normally roll out a new initiative, but I think we have all the information available and hopefully we'll be able to address all of their concerns," said Kevin Flamm, the program manager for ACWA.

This is the second public meeting of its kind. The first was held in March and about 85 residents showed up, but Tuesday only about 20-30 came to learn more.

"It is a much better solution than this billion-dollar monstrosity they're building, but it's too bad they didn't go with this method to start with because it would have saved millions and millions of dollars,” said Walter Frost, a resident.

Frost is referring to the other project currently under construction at the depot to disarm the munitions through a complex water neutralization process called the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant, or PCAPP. Officials say that this new plan is meant to work in conjunction with PCAPP and that the money spent on that project will not go to waste.

The public comment on this proposal lasts until April 30. If you want to submit a comment, you can do so by calling the Pueblo Chemical Stockpile Outreach Office at 719-546-0400 or visit www.pmacwa.army.mil.

A decision is expected to come from the Army by late spring or early summer of this year.