The chemical weapons destruction plant at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Richmond has been slowly scaling back its workforce as it ends operations. More than 900 workers are still on the project, with around half having been hired locally.
Depot officials hope they can bring in more jobs after it closes.
The U.S. Army has been searching for ways to reuse the land and facilities used for weapons demolition for other means. Some of those proposals have been part of an Army feasibility study. Others have been pitched to the depot’s business development office.
William Ritter is the depot’s public affairs director. He says the companies that end up at the depot would depend on what contracts are available.
“If the largest company has been looking at us commits, that might consume 50 buildings. And then that's going to then adjust our ability to host other organizations based on who signs on first,” Ritter said.
Ritter says it’s not certain how much of the local workforce would be rehired at those new facilities, since the proposals haven’t yet been chosen. The specific types of needed jobs are still unknown, but Ritter expects a need for general blue-collar work.
“The amount of jobs, the specific type of jobs, we don't know yet, which is why we can't say that we might be able to absorb X number of their employees, because we don't know what the positions are just yet,” Ritter said.
The depot has been working with Madison County and local businesses to get their workforce rehired in the meantime.
The chemical weapons project is scheduled to finish in 2027.
