Comment Period Open for Public Input on Draft Environmental Permit

Workers drill holes for structural steel placement on the Static Detonation Chamber 1200 Off-gas Treatment System Building foundation at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. A public comment period is open through March 16 for a permit modification request for this system.
Workers drill holes for structural steel placement on the Static Detonation Chamber 1200 Off-gas Treatment System Building foundation at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. A public comment period is open through March 16 for a permit modification request for this system.

The Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection, or KDEP, has tentatively approved and released for public notice two modifications to the existing hazardous waste permit for the Blue Grass plant.

“KDEP worked closely with us on the generation and progress of these permit modification requests,” said John McArthur, environmental manager, Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass. “This process, including the opportunity for the community to provide their input, is an important and required part of proposing certain changes to plant design, construction and operations.”

The first permit modification is for the addition of the Static Detonation Chamber, or SDC, 2000 for the treatment of drained GB rocket warheads and overpacked GB rockets. The second permit modification is for the addition of a new off-gas treatment system for the existing SDC 1200 facility for the treatment of drained VX rocket warheads. Both permits are necessary for destroying the drained, containerized warheads, which are considered secondary waste.

“This is the public’s opportunity to look at these requests. We want to make them aware of the pending decision, understand the information and be able to be included in the process for the final decision,” said Todd Powers, senior environmental scientist consultant, KDEP. “This is required by regulations, but the agency as a whole wants the public to be involved in the process of making decisions like this.”

Anyone wishing to comment on the tentative decision to approve these permitting actions should submit comments on or before March 16, 2022, the close of the public comment period. For access to the environmental documents and information on how to comment, please follow this link.

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