Contact:
Blue Grass Chemical Stockpile Outreach Office
(859) 626-8944
RICHMOND, Ky. – The Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) held a public event May 29 at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Richmond to commemorate the start of chemical agent destruction operations in Kentucky. Hundreds attended the event, which featured Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell as the keynote speaker. Gov. Matt Bevin, Department of Defense and industry leaders also provided remarks.
“So today is much more than a ribbon cutting. It’s getting one step closer to fulfilling the Army’s promise to the people of Madison County,” McConnell said. “I offer my sincere thanks to the operators, technicians, maintenance staff, construction workers and the many others whose stewardship of this dangerous stockpile has helped us avoid disaster.”
“The people of Madison and the neighboring counties have been good citizen-stewards of the stockpile, as employees of the depot, providing decades of safe and secure storage, and as members of the workforce, helping to build these facilities and soon perform the destruction operations,” said Dr. Charles Ball, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Threat Reduction and Arms Control. “You have made – and are making – a significant contribution to our national defense, and it is sincerely appreciated.”
“Each time we mark a milestone in chemical weapons destruction across this great country, we do it proudly and humbly,” said Michael Abaie, program executive officer, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives. “I am humbled when I think of the global significance of our work.”
“The start of operations for the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant is a milestone not only for Kentucky, but also for the entire country, as we honor our commitment to safely and completely destroy our stockpile of chemical weapons,” said Matt Bevin, governor, Commonwealth of Kentucky. “I appreciate our local, state and federal partners for working together to ensure that the plant operates safely and efficiently, as it carries out this important work.”
“I’d like to thank the state of Kentucky for partnering with us to make this day possible,” said Michael Costas, Defense and Security general manager, Bechtel National Inc. “Having the entire state behind our mission here means a lot.”
The Madison County Veterans Committee Color Guard presented the colors, the 100th Army Band from Fort Knox, Kentucky, provided music during the event and Kelley McBride, public information officer, Madison County Emergency Management Agency/Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program, sang the national anthem. The invocation was given by Richmond Mayor Robert Blythe.
BGCAPP is scheduled to begin destruction of mustard agent projectiles in the Static Detonation Chamber within the next several weeks.
BGCAPP will safely destroy a chemical weapons stockpile stored at the Blue Grass Army Depot. The depot, located near Richmond, Kentucky, provides conventional ammunition services, chemical defense equipment management and manufacturing capabilities for the Department of Defense. The Blue Grass Chemical Activity, a tenant of the 15,000-acre depot, is responsible for the safekeeping of the portion of the nation’s chemical weapons stockpile stored at the depot. Together, the U.S. Army and the community surrounding the depot are working in a committed partnership to support the safe destruction of the Blue Grass chemical weapons stockpile.
The main plant slated to destroy the nerve agent portion of the stockpile of chemical munitions is anticipated to start up late this year.
For additional BGCAPP information, contact the Blue Grass Chemical Stockpile Outreach Office at (859) 626-8944 or bgoutreach@iem.com. Visit www.peoacwa.army.mil for more information on the program to destroy the chemical weapons stored at the Blue Grass Army Depot.
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Photograph attached and embedded below.
Caption: Distinguished guests and government personnel flanking Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, center, cut a ribbon signifying cutting ties to a family of obsolete weaponry at a May 29 event in Richmond to mark the start of agent operations in Kentucky. The Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant is scheduled to start destroying mustard-agent projectiles in the Static Detonation Chamber in early June.
