Blue Grass plant managers looked back at 2017 accomplishments and focused on future goals during a quarterly public meeting Dec. 13.

“In the spring, we sat down and looked at the Integrated Master Schedule,” said Jeff Brubaker, site project manager, Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. “We identified 32 major testing milestones to get us to operations in the coming years. We achieved all of our 2017 milestones.”

Those 2017 milestones include items such as 25 percent of systems turned over to the operations team, Agent Neutralization System demonstration, Off-Gas Treatment system work and more, Brubaker said.

“Staffing is currently just a little less than 800 employees,” said Ron Hink, project manager, Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass. “In the coming months, we will start up the hiring ramp. We’re looking at hiring more than 300 people.”

The managers said due to supplemental funding received earlier this year, they were able to re-start work on the Explosive Destruction Technology, or EDT, facility.  The goal is to begin EDT operations, which will destroy Kentucky’s mustard agent munitions, in 2019.

The next quarterly Kentucky Chemical Demilitarization Citizens’ Advisory Commission and Chemical Destruction Community Advisory Board meeting will take place March 14. To view a recap of 2017 highlights, watch Kentucky Chemical Weapons Destruction: 2017 Year in Review.