Topped by the destruction of the final chemical weapons stored in Kentucky, workers at the Blue Grass plant reached a series of milestones in 2023.
“From destroying the last weapons to the beginning of closure and starting up new systems, it’s hard to grasp everything the workforce achieved during 2023,” said Shannon Pendergrass, site project manager, Blue Grass plant. “Each of them should be proud. This has been a historic year.”
The final chemical weapon, an M55 rocket containing GB nerve agent, was destroyed July 7. The feat attracted global attention, marking the end of the last declared stockpile in the United States and the world. The date was 85 days ahead of the nation’s Sept. 30 Chemical Weapons Convention treaty commitment.
On Oct. 11, nearly 400 people, including workers, community members and state and national leaders, celebrated the accomplishment. The event, Honoring Our Commitment: Chemical Weapons Stockpile Destruction Complete in Kentucky, included remarks from U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, the presentation of a flag flown over the Pentagon to the community, and recognition of people who played key roles during the years in the project’s success.
Starting in January, the plant’s larger Static Detonation Chamber, the SDC 2000, began operations to augment the main plant. This system destroyed drained and undrained rocket warheads, overpacked M55 rockets, M55 rockets that were unsuitable for processing in the main plant and overpacked contaminated and non-contaminated rocket motors.
By late July, the workers transitioned into the closure phase, decommissioning the main plant and its equipment under a detailed plan approved by the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection.
During closure, the SDC 2000 continues to destroy drained, containerized rocket warheads containing residual amounts of GB nerve agent. In October, the SDC 1200 finished changeover and began destroying containerized rocket warheads previously drained of VX nerve agent. The warheads are all classified as agent-contaminated secondary waste.
“Every year has been special but to look at what has been safely accomplished this year, it’s pretty remarkable,” said Ron Hink, project manager, Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass. “It’s hard to say thank you enough to the workers, the community, the families, who have helped make it all possible.”
With closure underway, safety and the workers remain the priority, Hink said. Through the end of October, workers had completed more than 1,500 days without a lost-time accident.
Since April, workers have been provided networking and training assistance to find new jobs after their scheduled release dates.
As 2023 comes to a close, the team remains committed to closure, the final phase of the project. This phase is projected to take three to four years to complete.
