A permit modification request approved April 29 by Kentucky environmental regulators adds another option to safely destroy secondary waste during closure at the Blue Grass plant.

The Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection decision allows the Static Detonation Chamber, or SDC, 1200 to destroy drained, containerized rocket warheads, or CRWs, containing residual amounts of GB nerve agent once it has completed destruction of VX nerve-agent CRWs. The SDC 1200 has been destroying VX nerve-agent CRWs since October 2023 as part of the plant’s closure phase. The CRWs are classified as secondary waste.

“This is good news,” said Bill Buchanan, environmental manager, Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass. “We want to make sure we have every tool available if we need it to complete the secondary waste destruction as quickly, but as safely, as possible and in an environmentally compliant manner.”

CRWs containing GB nerve agent are being destroyed in a second SDC unit, the SDC 2000. Last year, the state approved a similar permit modification to allow processing of drained VX nerve-agent CRWs in the SDC 2000 after it completes destruction of GB nerve-agent CRWs.

“Having both contingencies gives us alternatives to meet operational challenges should they occur and stay on track for timely completion of the secondary-waste campaigns,” Buchanan said.

The SDC units are estimated to complete their current CRW secondary-waste destruction missions this fall.