Blue Grass Army Depot
Encyclopedia
Blue Grass Army Depot is a U.S. Army conventional munitions and chemical weapon storage facility located in east central Kentucky
, southeast of the cities of Lexington
and Richmond
, Kentucky
, operated by the United States Army
. The 14494 acres (58.7 km²) site, composed mainly of open fields and wooded areas, is used for munitions storage, repair of general supplies, and the disposal of munitions. The installation is used for the storage of conventional explosive munitions as well as assembled chemical weapons. The depot primarily is involved in industrial and related activities associated with the storage and maintenance of conventional and chemical munitions.
The tenant organization, Blue Grass Chemical Activity, is responsible for the chemical weapons stored at BGAD. BGCA is part of the Army's Chemical Materiels Activity
, headquartered in Edgewood
, Maryland
. The demilitarization of the chemical weapons is the responsibility of a third organization, ACWA.
BGAD provides munitions, chemical defense equipment, and ammunition support to the joint warfighter. It is the Department of Defense’s primary center for surveillance, receipt, storage, issue, testing and minor repair for the Chemical Defense Equipment Program. BGAD maintains and supports CDE stocks for deploying units and homeland defense forces, and is a training site for reserve component and other deploying units.
The depot also serves as a large training ground for service members.
3233598 square feet (300,411.1 m²).
In 2010 BGAD started manufactures Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles for military service members.
BGAD also manufactures combat lock tools which is a multi-purpose key that allows war fighters access to MRAPs other than their own in the case of an emergency.
(sarin) and VX
, and mustard gas, or about two percent of the United States chemical weapons stockpile.
Beginning in 2003, destruction of the Blue Grass chemical weapons stockpile, in accordance with the Chemical Weapons Treaty, was contracted out using a technology known as neutralization followed by supercritical water oxidation
. This is a different method than the incineration that is used at the larger stockpiles.
Groundbreaking for the chemical destruction facility took place on October 28, 2006. Final design of the facilities should be complete in 2010 and actual construction in 2018, after which destruction of the weapons will begin.
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, southeast of the cities of Lexington
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
and Richmond
Richmond, Kentucky
There were 10,795 households out of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.2% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.6% were non-families. Of all households, 34.7% were made up of individuals and 8.8% had...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, operated by the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. The 14494 acres (58.7 km²) site, composed mainly of open fields and wooded areas, is used for munitions storage, repair of general supplies, and the disposal of munitions. The installation is used for the storage of conventional explosive munitions as well as assembled chemical weapons. The depot primarily is involved in industrial and related activities associated with the storage and maintenance of conventional and chemical munitions.
The tenant organization, Blue Grass Chemical Activity, is responsible for the chemical weapons stored at BGAD. BGCA is part of the Army's Chemical Materiels Activity
Edgewood Chemical Activity
The Edgewood Chemical Activity was a U.S. Army site located in Edgewood, Maryland that stored chemical weapons. Since 1941, the U.S. Army stored approximately five percent of the nation's original chemical agent in steel ton containers, at the Edgewood Area of Aberdeen Proving Ground...
, headquartered in Edgewood
Edgewood, Maryland
Edgewood is a census-designated place in Harford County, Maryland, United States. The population was 23,378 at the 2000 census.-History:Pooles Island Light was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.-Geography:...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. The demilitarization of the chemical weapons is the responsibility of a third organization, ACWA.
BGAD provides munitions, chemical defense equipment, and ammunition support to the joint warfighter. It is the Department of Defense’s primary center for surveillance, receipt, storage, issue, testing and minor repair for the Chemical Defense Equipment Program. BGAD maintains and supports CDE stocks for deploying units and homeland defense forces, and is a training site for reserve component and other deploying units.
Capabilities
Capabilities include: industrial services support; ammunition maintenance, renovation, disassembly and demilitarization; thermal arc coating for Air Force bombs; water washout facility with flaker belt; Molten Salt Research and Development Facility; ultrasonic testing for mortar ammunition; Chemical Material Surveillance Program; quality assurance and joint logistics support; and ammunition life cycle management.The depot also serves as a large training ground for service members.
History
BGAD was established in 1941 and began operations in 1942 as an ammunition and general supply storage depot, Blue Grass Ordnance Depot. In 1964, it merged with the Lexington Signal Depot, Avon, Kentucky, to became the Lexington-Blue Grass Army Depot. The Lexington facility was selected for closure under BRAC (Base Realignment And Closure); after it closed in September 1999, the remaining facility received its current designation.Facilities
BGAD is housed on 14594 acres (59.06 km²)with 1,153 buildings, 902 igloos and storage capacity of3233598 square feet (300,411.1 m²).
In 2010 BGAD started manufactures Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles for military service members.
BGAD also manufactures combat lock tools which is a multi-purpose key that allows war fighters access to MRAPs other than their own in the case of an emergency.
BRAC 2005
BGAD will be gaining the maintenance workload from Red River Munitions Center, which is closing under Base Realignment and Closure 2005.Environmental
BGAD is currently working with state and federal regulators on environmental remediation. The installation is in compliance with all state and federal laws and regulations.Chemical Weapons Destruction
BGAD stores a small stockpile of chemical agents, comprising 523 tons of nerve agents GBSarin
Sarin, or GB, is an organophosphorus compound with the formula [2CHO]CH3PF. It is a colorless, odorless liquid, which is used as a chemical weapon. It has been classified as a weapon of mass destruction in UN Resolution 687...
(sarin) and VX
VX (nerve agent)
VX, IUPAC name O-ethyl S-[2-ethyl] methylphosphonothioate, is an extremely toxic substance whose only application is in chemical warfare as a nerve agent. As a chemical weapon, it is classified as a weapon of mass destruction by the United Nations in UN Resolution 687...
, and mustard gas, or about two percent of the United States chemical weapons stockpile.
Beginning in 2003, destruction of the Blue Grass chemical weapons stockpile, in accordance with the Chemical Weapons Treaty, was contracted out using a technology known as neutralization followed by supercritical water oxidation
Supercritical water oxidation
Supercritical water oxidation or SCWO is a process that occurs in water at temperatures and pressures above a mixture's thermodynamic critical point. Under these conditions water becomes a fluid with unique properties that can be used to advantage in the destruction of hazardous wastes such as PCBs...
. This is a different method than the incineration that is used at the larger stockpiles.
Groundbreaking for the chemical destruction facility took place on October 28, 2006. Final design of the facilities should be complete in 2010 and actual construction in 2018, after which destruction of the weapons will begin.
Chemical Leaks
Between July 25 and August 6, 2008 two leaks of mustard gas occurred at the facility. The depot stated that the leaks were of low concentration and posed no harm. Sarin Gas leaks were also confirmed 12 July 2008. A previous sarin leakage incident was reported as occurring at 3:49 p.m. on Aug. 27, 2007.External links
- Joint Munitions Command website
- Some information compiled from http://www.jmc.army.mil/FactSheets/FactSheets%202008/BlueGrassArmyDepot.pdf