Comment Period Open for Plant Permit Modification

Dummy motors separated from dummy rocket warheads sit in a test box in the Munitions Demilitarization Building at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant during systemization. Environmental staff have submitted a permit modification request for additional storage for uncontaminated rocket motors to the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection so the motors can be safely stored prior to their eventual disposal.
Dummy motors separated from dummy rocket warheads sit in a test box in the Munitions Demilitarization Building at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant during systemization. Environmental staff have submitted a permit modification request for additional storage for uncontaminated rocket motors to the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection so the motors can be safely stored prior to their eventual disposal.

The public comment period for a Blue Grass permit modification ends Nov. 10.

“We’re requesting a modification to the depot’s existing additional Resource Conservation and Recovery Act permit through the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection to support additional storage of rocket motors uncontaminated by chemical agent,” said Bill Buchanan, environmental permitting manager, Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass. “Now we are installing equipment for the new rocket warhead destruction process, we need to have permitted storage for the motors before their eventual destruction.”

The motors will be separated from the warheads as part of the destruction process, Buchanan said. The warheads will be individually containerized and destroyed in one of the plant’s Static Detonation Chamber units. The destruction process for the motors has yet to be determined, hence the need for additional storage.

“We appreciate the public’s engagement through the public comment period,” Buchanan said. “It was built into the permitting process to ensure the community has a chance for their input to be considered on these subjects.”

No public meeting will be held regarding these permit modification requests due to federal, state and local guidelines for social distancing because of the COVID-19 pandemic. For access to the environmental documents and information on how to comment, please follow this link. Comments will be accepted through Nov. 10.

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