Environment - Program Executive Office Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternative

A worker guides a crane after its placement of the thermal oxidizer for the Static Detonation Chamber (SDC) 1200 unit at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. The SDC 1200 requires a completely new off-gas treatment system in order to process drained, containerized VX nerve-agent warheads.

New Pollution Abatement System Under Construction

Workers are assembling a new off-gas treatment system to allow the existing Explosive Destruction Technology to safely process drained and containerized VX nerve agent rocket warheads.

A forklift operator is guided by spotters as he loads a crate of non-contaminated rocket motors onto a truck at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant July 20. The Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection has opened a public comment period for plant modification requests that include additional storage space for the motors.

Public Comment Period Open for Hydrolysate Shipment, Rocket Motor Storage

The Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection, or KDEP, has tentatively approved and released for public notice two permit modification requests related to hydrolysate disposal and rocket motor storage changes at the Blue Grass plant.

A truck and tank trailer sit in the tanker loading station at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. This is where plant hydrolysate will be loaded into tankers for delivery to a permitted disposal facility for final destruction.

Project Managers to Discuss Hydrolysate Shipment at June 9 Public Meeting

Blue Grass plant management will provide an update about hydrolysate shipment during an online public meeting June 9.

A deer browses in an experimental plot of American chestnut trees on the Blue Grass Army Depot near the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. The depot is a partner in a conservation project to propagate blight-resistant versions of the American chestnut tree.

Blue Grass Partner Assists with Conservation Effort

Environmental experts at the Blue Grass Army Depot are working with several conservation organizations to propagate the American chestnut tree.

Technicians program a Rocket Warhead Containerization System robot inside the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant in February. This equipment is the subject of one of four Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection permit modification requests currently in a public comment period.

Public Involvement Opportunities for Permit Modification Requests

The Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection, or KDEP, has tentatively approved and released for public notice four major permit modification requests related to rocket processing changes at the Blue Grass plant.

An electrician pulls cables for the Vertical Rocket Cutting Machines being installed at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. (A portion of this photograph has been blurred in accordance with Department of Defense guidelines.)

Comment Period Open for Plant Permit Modification Requests

Two permit modification requests submitted by the Blue Grass Army Depot in support of Blue Grass plant operations are open for public comment until Feb. 15.

A technician helps an entrant with his protective suit as he gears up to perform a filter changeout activity at the Blue Grass Explosive Destruction Technology facility Dec. 9. A standard and planned-for operation, the filters were changed out after monitoring showed low-level mustard-agent breakthrough between the first and second filter banks in the main air filtration system.

First-Time Filter Change Activity

Technicians changed the filters in the IONEX 16K charcoal filter unit for the Blue Grass Explosive Destruction Technology facility for the first time mid-December.

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.

Comment Period Open for Plant Permit Modification

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

Blue Grass plant munitions handlers unpack filters in anticipation of the Explosive Destruction Technology Service Magazine filter changeout at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant.

Workers Complete Filter Change

Munitions handlers and a mechanic exchanged air filters for the building that temporarily stores the mustard munitions awaiting destruction in the Static Detonation Chamber Aug. 3.

Site preparation continues at the Blue Grass Static Detonation Chamber (SDC) 2000 at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. Environmental staff submitted a permit modification request for the SDC unit to the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection, but the site preparation was previously permitted to proceed.

Comment Period Open for Plant Permit Modifications

Public comments on two Blue Grass permit modifications are due by Aug. 24.

PROGRAM EXECUTIVE OFFICE
ASSEMBLED CHEMICAL WEAPONS ALTERNATIVES