State legislation to keep on track destruction of chemical weapons stored at the Blue Grass Army Depot continues to move through the Kentucky General Assembly. The measure pertains to reclassifying secondary waste from the neutralization process. Madison County Senator Jared Carpenter believes central Kentuckians are ready for the disposal process to begin. “It’s an almost $5 billion project and they’re glad to see this chemical done away with so it leaves Madison County,” Carpenter said. “I think people have always been nervous with that product being there, and I think this is the best process.”
Destruction of mustard munitions is scheduled to begin in the spring of next year, while disposal of nerve agent is still about four years away. Bechtel Parsons Bluegrass is the contractor for the Madison County disposal facility. Communications Manager Mark York says there are still remaining steps before operations begin. “There’s a series of steps that have to be taken to get government approval, both locally or state, but also at the federal level,” explained York. “We have to prove that our systems are in place and that they are working before we can even begin to think about destroying the agent.”
The bill has already passed the senate and was approved Thursday by the House Natural Resources Committee.?
