Destruction of chemical weapons at KY depot was celebrated, but what happens to workers?
The safe destruction of 523 tons of chemical weapons completed at Madison County’s Blue Grass Army Depot has been hailed as work that “made our country proud.”
The destruction helped the United States become compliant with the Chemical Weapons Convention ahead of deadline and has been celebrated by state and federal politicians on both sides of the aisle. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Gov. Andy Beshear (D) gathered last week to thank those that worked in the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant.
But the conclusion of that work means that in the coming years, an operation that boosted Central Kentucky’s economy by employing 1,786 people earlier this year, according to the U.S. Army, will shut down. It’s also a project that received a portion of the total $7 billion in federal funding for the Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives program, according to the office of McConnell. What’s next for the site where highly-trained staffers handled deadly weapons?
First, there is work to finish closing. Program Executive Officer Michael Abaie, who works in the Program Executive Office for Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives, previously said the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant will close in accordance with safety regulations and requirements, a process Abaie expects to take two to three years.
During that time, facilities used during the project will be decontaminated and decommissioned, structures no longer of use will be demolished and paperwork must be finalized.
“We will approach closure with the same steadfast commitment to safety that we had in operations – safety for our workers, safety for the community and safety to the environment,” Abaie said.
Once that’s done, federal officials see possibilities to use the property again.
Workers at the plant were specially trained to handle highly dangerous materials, and those who had a hand in the project say these skillsets can be applied to additional work for the military in the future.
Craig Williams, co-chair of the Kentucky Chemical Demilitarization Citizens’ Advisory Commission and the Chemical Destruction Community Advisory Board, said the project’s workforce makes it possible for many ideas to be successful.
“We’ve got a unique opportunity here,” Williams said. “We’ve got highly skilled, highly trained, highly security cleared, highly drug-tested – you have to be on top of your life in order to work with these weapons. We’ve got that opportunity in front of us and we’re going to try to capitalize on it in the good of the commonwealth.”
Chemical work, munition production: What could be next?
In August, the U.S. Army released a report outlining 14 potential uses for the site that currently houses the chemical weapons destruction plant. The report graded each idea based on its readiness impact and feasibility, which separated three ideas from the pack into the report’s “most favorable category.”
One of the most favorable ideas was turning the site into a critical chemicals production plant. The report defined a “critical chemical” as a chemical necessary for the defense industry that’s hard to produce domestically.
The report said the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant workforce already has extensive experience in handling hazardous materials and the plant would use facilities that already exist.
“This is a strategic opportunity that would have far-reaching implications for securing the future capabilities of the defense industrial base, if successfully implemented,” the report said.
The Defense Production Act Title III has already awarded most of its money for such work to private facilities, but there are opportunities for a government owned, contractor operated facility, the report said.
“The BGCAPP site may represent a unique opportunity for a contractor that has the expertise to produce a critical chemical yet lacks the appropriate facilities,” the report said.
The second most favorable idea was turning the site into a metal shipping container production plant. The report said the idea is a strategic opportunity to address the country’s reliance on foreign manufacturers for shipping containers.
Currently, 96% of dry cargo containers and 100% of refrigerated containers used by the U.S. Joint Munitions Command are produced in China, according to the report. The Joint Munitions Command manages American ammunition plants.
“Without a sufficient supply of containers, sustaining a large-scale deployment of U.S. forces would be extremely difficult given modern cargo ship and port configurations,” the report said.
The depot already has a small site used for repairing shipping containers, but the site is not able to produce containers, according to the report.
“This opportunity is considered one of the top two most promising opportunities evaluated during this study given the strategic consequences of U.S. reliance on foreign manufacturers as a supplier for shipping containers, BGAD’s accessibility and central location in the U.S., and the suitability of BGAD to perform this mission,” the report said.
The third most favorable idea was a production plant for metal components of 155mm artillery munitions. The report said existing production plants are being stretched to their limits, and producing more 155mm metal parts would add significant capacity and resiliency to the U.S. munitions industrial base.
A new building would need to be built at the depot to make the idea work. The report said there are multiple places in the depot’s administrative area where a new building could be built.
The plant could also build parts for munitions ranging from 60-to-155mm and lengths from 150-to-700mm, according to the report.
“This is considered one of the top two most promising opportunities evaluated during this study given its strategic importance and alignment with existing BGAD missions and capabilities,” the report said.
Both McConnell and Beshear said they look forward to being a part of the discussions in shaping the future of the depot.
“As we shape the future of this facility, I’m going to continue to champion the depot and the talented men and women who support it,” McConnell said.
This story was originally published October 19, 2023 at 12:00 PM.
