Archive: Environmental Activities at BGCAPP

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

Record of Decision

February 2003: Record of Decision

Chemical Stockpile Disposal Project Destruction of the Chemical Agents and Munitions Stored at Blue Grass Army Depot, Kentucky.

Notice of Intent

December 2000: Notice of Intent Published In Federal Register

Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Design, Construction, and Operation and Closure of a Facility for the Destruction of Chemical Agents and Munitions at Blue Grass Army Depot, Kentucky.

Final Environmental Impact Statement

Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Disposal of Chemical Munitions at Blue Grass Army Depot (BGAD), Kentucky.

Available for review at our information repositories.


Environmental Permitting

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Research, Development and Demonstration (RD&D) Permit Application

August 2018: Draft Organic Air Emissions Permit

On Aug. 15, 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a draft Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments permit for organic air emissions at the BGCAPP. This permit will be a companion to the RD&D permit. The public comment period closed Oct. 1, 2018. For more information, visit https://www.epa.gov/ky/public-notice-hazardous-and-solid-waste-amendments-permit-modification-blue-grass-chemical-agent.


March 2018: Final RD&D Permit

In March 2018, the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection approved an updated RD&D permit for the destruction of chemical agents at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant.


November 2015: RD&D Permit Application, Revision 6, and Class 2 Permit Modification Request for Design Changes

The Blue Grass Army Depot and the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) submitted a revised RD&D permit application and a Class 2 permit modification request to the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection, Division of Waste Management, on Nov. 12, 2015.

The requested revision is with respect to the currently issued RD&D permit for the destruction of chemical agents and will transition the permitting documents to a standard, Part B format and modification request methodology, while retaining the RD&D classification. The Class 2 permit modification request includes modifications of the facility which address the destruction of cyanide in the Energetics Neutralization Reactors and the removal of the washout process from BGCAPP.


June 2007: RD&D Permit Application, Revision 4 Volume I

The Blue Grass Army Depot and Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass updated an environmental permit application in June. Revision 3 of the RD&D permit application was submitted to the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection, Division of Waste Management, in September 2006. After a review of the permit application, the department determined a need for additional information and issued a Notice of Deficiency. As a result of the request for more information, Revision 4, Volume I of the revised permit application was included along with the responses. There were no changes to Volume II of the permit application. The basis of the design for the Blue Grass project continues to be neutralization followed by supercritical water oxidation. Revision 4, Volume I incorporates the following:

  • Responses to the Notice of Deficiency comments
  • A revision to Part A of the Kentucky Hazardous Waste Permit Application
  • Changes in the description of the proposed RD&D process; facility construction and operation; record keeping procedures; closure process; and criteria to be used to determine effects on human health and the environment

September 2006: RD&D Permit Application, Revision 3

The Blue Grass Army Depot and Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass Joint Venture (the Permittees) submitted a revision of the RD&D Permit Application to the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection, Division of Waste Management on September 27, 2006 in accordance with the requirements of 401 KAR 38:060, Section 6, RD&D Permits. The basis of the design for the BGCAPP continues to be neutralization followed by supercritical water oxidation. This revision incorporates the following design changes:

  • Reducing the number of treatment units in the BGCAPP
  • Upgrades in the design that have occurred as the design has matured
  • Changes in how secondary wastes generated in the facility will be handled

September 2005: BGCAPP Hazardous Waste Management Facility Permit


November 2004: RD&D Permit Application, Revision 2

BGCAPP Air Quality Permit Application & Title V Permit

October 2016:  Clean Air Act (CAA) Title V Permit Renewal

On October 12, 2016, the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection, Division of Air Quality issued a Title V permit renewal for the BGCAPP facility, which included the addition of the EDT facility at the BGCAPP.


November 2014: Title V Air Quality Permit Modification

In May 2014, the Blue Grass Army Depot, in collaboration with the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant’s systems contractor, Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass, submitted a modification for the Title V Air Quality Permit to the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection (KDEP) Division of Air Quality for an Explosive Destruction Technology (EDT) facility. In August 2014, KDEP completed review of the permit application and judged it to be complete, allowing the project to begin construction on the EDT facility. KDEP officially approved the modification in November 2014.


June 2012: Final BGCAPP Air Quality Title V Permit


April 2010: BGCAPP Title V Air Permit Renewal Application


September 2004: Clean Air Act, Air Permit Application

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Hazardous Waste Permit

July 2024: Summary of Approved Class 1 Permit Modifications

On July 25, 2024, the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) announced that pursuant to Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection guidelines, the following BGCAPP design changes have been made. These design changes were included in Resource Conservation and Recovery Act permit modification for the facilities.


April 2024: Summary of Approved Class 1 Permit Modifications

On April 2, 2024, the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) announced that pursuant to Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection guidelines, the following BGCAPP design changes have been made. These design changes were included in Resource Conservation and Recovery Act permit modification for the facilities.


February 2024: Class 2 Hazardous Waste Permit Modification Requests

On Feb. 15, 2024, the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) submitted a request to the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection for a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Class 2 Hazardous Waste Storage and Treatment permit modification. The permit modification request is to allow processing of agent-contaminated secondary waste, specifically, drained VX warheads in canisters, at the Static Detonation Chamber (SDC) 2000 facility. The request is being made to provide contingent operational availability of the SDC 2000 unit once GB containerized rocket warhead processing is complete.


January 2024: Summary of Approved Class 1 Permit Modifications

On Jan. 4, 2024, the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) announced that pursuant to Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection guidelines, the following BGCAPP design changes have been made. These design changes were included in RCRA permit modifications for the facilities.


October 2023: Summary of Approved Class 1 Permit Modifications

On Oct. 12, 2023, the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) announced that pursuant to Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection guidelines, the following BGCAPP design changes have been made. These design changes were included in Resource Conservation and Recovery Act permit modification for the facilities.


July 2023: Summary of Approved Class 1 Permit Modifications

On July 27, 2023, the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) announced that pursuant to Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection guidelines, the following BGCAPP design changes have been made. These design changes were included in Resource Conservation and Recovery Act permit modification for the facilities.


April 2023: Class 2 Hazardous Waste Permit Modification Request

On April 20, 2023, the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant submitted a request to the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection for a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Class 2 Hazardous Waste permit modification. The permit modification request is to increase VX monitoring at the off-gas treatment system stacks at the Static Detonation Chamber 1200 facility.


April 2023: Summary of Approved Class 1 Permit Modifications

On April 4, 2023, the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) announced that pursuant to Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection guidelines, the following BGCAPP design changes have been made. These design changes were included in Resource Conservation and Recovery Act permit modification for the facilities.


January 2023: Class 2 Hazardous Waste Permit Modification Request

On Jan. 26, 2023, the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant submitted a request to the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection for a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Class 2 Hazardous Waste Storage and Treatment permit modification. The permit modification request is for an increase in the feed rates of undrained M56 warheads in canisters at the Static Detonation 2000 facility. The request is in support of the proposed Earth-Covered Magazine rocket operations.


January 2023: Summary of Approved Class 1 Permit Modifications

On Jan. 16, 2023, the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) announced that pursuant to Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection guidelines, the following BGCAPP design changes have been made. These design changes were included in Resource Conservation and Recovery Act permit modification for the facilities.


November 2022: Class 2 Hazardous Waste Permit Modification Requests

On Nov. 22, the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) submitted two requests to the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection for two Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Class 2 Hazardous Waste Storage and Treatment permit modifications. The permit modification requests are for additional GB nerve agent rocket processing at the Static Detonation Chamber 2000 facility Earth-Covered Magazine (ECM) and management of ECM GB containers in the main plant.


August 2022: Class 2 Hazardous Waste Permit Modification Request

On Aug. 18, the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant submitted a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Class 2 Hazardous Waste Permit Modification Request to the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection. The request is to allow a change in agent monitoring levels for Rocket Warhead Containerization System skid release from the Munitions Demilitarization Building.


August 2022: Summary of Approved Class 1 Permit Modifications

On Aug. 3, 2022, the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) announced that pursuant to Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection guidelines, the following BGCAPP design changes have been made. These design changes were included in Resource Conservation and Recovery Act permit modification for the facilities.


May 2022: Three Class 2 Hazardous Waste Storage and Treatment Permit Modification Requests

On May 12, 2022, the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) submitted three Class 2 Hazardous Waste Storage & Treatment permit modifications for alternative management of problematic GB rounds in the Main Plant Facility, the Static Detonation Chamber (SDC) 1200 and the SDC 2000 to the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection (KDEP) for review and approval.


May 2022: Class 2 Hazardous Waste Storage & Treatment Permit Modification Request, Treatment of GB Rockets and Waste Transfer Station Container Storage Limit Increase

Effective May 11, 2022, the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection Division of Waste Management approved the Class 2 Modification for the treatment of GB rockets and Waste Transfer Station container storage limit increase at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant.


April 2022: Class 3 Hazardous Waste Storage & Treatment Permit Modification Requests for SDC 1200 and SDC 2000

Effective April 15, 2022, two permit modification requests were approved by the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection. The two permits are:

  • Class 3 Hazardous Waste Storage & Treatment Permit Modification Request, Static Detonation Chamber (SDC) 1200
  • Class 3 Hazardous Waste Storage & Treatment Permit Modification Request, Addition of SDC 2000

February 2022: Summary of Approved Class 1 Permit Modifications

On Feb. 2, 2022, the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) announced that pursuant to Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection (KDEP) guidelines, the following BGCAPP design changes have been made. These design changes were included in Resource Conservation and Recovery Act permit modification for the facilities.


November 2021: Temporary Authorization Request for Increased Container Storage Capacity at the Waste Transfer Station

On Nov. 11, 2021, the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant submitted a Temporary Authorization Request to the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection (KDEP). This submittal is in accordance with the provisions of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) to allow use of the increased container storage capacity at the Waste Transfer Station while the RCRA Class 2 permit modification request continues to be reviewed and processed by KDEP.


November 2021: Class 2 Hazardous Waste Permit Modification Request for GB Rocket Processing and Waste Transfer Station

On Nov. 11, 2021, the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) submitted a Class 2 Hazardous Waste Storage and Treatment permit modification request to the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection (KDEP) to add to the Part B permit the processing of M55 rockets containing GB in the Munitions Demilitarization Building and increases the container storage limit at the Waste Transfer Station.


November 2021: Summary of Approved Class 1 Permit Modifications

On Nov. 11, 2021, Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) announced that pursuant to Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection (KDEP) guidelines, the following BGCAPP design changes have been made. These design changes were included in Resource Conservation and Recovery Act permit modification for the facilities.


September 2021: Off-site Shipment and Disposal of Agent Hydrolysate and Storage of Uncontaminated Rocket Motors Permit Modifications

Effective Sept. 23, 2021, two permit modification requests were approved by the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection. The two permits are:

  • Off-site shipment and disposal of agent hydrolysate
  • Storage of uncontaminated rocket motors

August 2021: Explosive Destruction Technology and Main Plant Summary of Approved Class 1 Permit Modifications

On Aug. 11, Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) provided public notice that pursuant to Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection (KDEP) guidelines, the following BGCAPP design changes have been made. These design changes were included in Resource Conservation and Recovery Act permit modifications for the facilities.


July 2021: Temporary Authorization Request for Modifications to the Static Detonation Chamber 1200

On July 29, 2021, the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant submitted a Temporary Authorization Request to the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection (KDEP). This submittal is in accordance with the provisions of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) to allow continuation of modifications of the Static Detonation Chamber 1200 unit while the RCRA Class 3 permit modification request continues to be reviewed and processed by KDEP.


July 2021: Temporary Authorization Request for Static Detonation Chamber 2000

On July 14, the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant submitted a Temporary Authorization Request to the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection (KDEP) to allow continuation of site preparation, equipment installation, building placement and ancillary activities of the Static Detonation Chamber 2000 while the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act continues to be reviewed and processed by KDEP.


December 2020: BGCAPP Submits Two Permit Modification Requests

On Dec. 15, 2020, the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) submitted a Class 2 Hazardous Waste Storage and Treatment permit modification request to the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection for use of the Vertical Rocket Cutting Machines and the addition of Rocket Non-Destructive Examination equipment in the Munitions Demilitarization Building. The second modification adds to the Part B permit the processing of M55 rockets containing VX nerve agent.


November 2020: Rocket Processing Equipment Temporary Authorization Request

On Nov. 6, 2020, the Blue Grass Army Depot and the systems contractor, Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass (BPBG), submitted a Temporary Authorization Request to the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection (KDEP). This submittal is in accordance with the provisions of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) to allow installation, integration with existing equipment and systems, systemization, and any required testing of Vertical Rocket Cutting Machines (VRCMs) in the Munitions Demilitarization Building and allow installation, integration with existing equipment and systems, systemization, and any required testing of Rocket Non-Destructive Examination (RNDE) equipment, while the Class 2 RCRA Permit Modification for the VRCMs and RNDE is reviewed and approved by KDEP.


October 2020: Off-site Shipment of Hydrolysate Request

On Oct. 15, 2020, the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) submitted a Class 3 permit modification request to the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection that proposed the off-site shipment for treatment and disposal of GB agent hydrolysate and VX agent hydrolysate resulting from agent neutralization in the Munitions Demilitarization Building.


October 2020: VX Projectile Operations

On Oct. 15, 2020, the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection Division of Waste Management approved the Class 3 Modification to the hazardous waste permit for the destruction of VX chemical agents at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant.


September 2020: Rocket Motor Storage Request

On Sept. 11, 2020, the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant submitted a Class 3 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act permit modification request to the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection in support of additional storage of uncontaminated rocket motors.


June 2020: BGCAPP Submits Two Permit Modification Requests

On June 25, 2020, the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) submitted two Resource Conservation and Recovery Act permit modification requests to the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection.

One request is in support of a Static Detonation Chamber 2000 unit that will augment the main plant to destroy overpacked munitions and drained rocket warheads. The other request seeks to replace the existing Explosive Destruction Technology Off-gas Treatment System with a new unit capable of processing chemical nerve agent.

Toxic Substances Control Act

November 2022: Modified Toxic Substances Control Act Approval

On Nov. 30, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a modified approval to process, store and dispose of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) bulk product waste at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant under the Toxic Substances Control Act.

July 2017: Toxic Substances Control Act Approval

On July 1, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed issuing approval for the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant to story and process polychlorinated biphenyls contained in M55 rocket shipping and firing tubes under the Toxic Substances Control Act.

Information Repositories

Collections of information, known as Information Repositories, regarding the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant project are available at various community locations. Inquiries should be directed to Siobhan Adkins, Outreach Communications Lead, siobhan.adkins@iem.com.

  • Berea Branch, Madison County Public Library
    319 Chestnut Street, Berea, KY 40403
  • Berea CollegeHutchins Library, Special collections section
    Berea, KY 40404
  • Eastern Kentucky UniversityCrabbe Library, Government documents section
    521 Lancaster Avenue, Richmond, KY 40475
  • Estill County Public Library
    246 Main Street, Irvine, Kentucky 40336
  • Richmond Branch, Madison County Public Library
    507 West Main Street, Richmond, KY 40475

For a complete list of documents available at the Information Repositories, please see the Index.

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