Blue Grass pilot plant Site Project Manager Jeff Brubaker, (right) visits Parsons Pasco Facility in Pasco, Wash., to view Blue Grass specific equipment, including the Metal Parts Treater.

Blue Grass pilot plant Site Project Manager Jeff Brubaker, (right) visits Parsons Pasco Facility in Pasco, Wash., to view Blue Grass specific equipment, including the Metal Parts Treater.

Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant Site Project Manager Gary Anderson addresses the crowd during the recent Defense Access Road ribbon cutting.

Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant Site Project Manager Gary Anderson addresses the crowd during the recent Defense Access Road ribbon cutting.

ACWA Hot Topics

Blue Grass Specific Equipment Testing Nears Completion. Jeff Brubaker visited the Parsons Pasco Facility in Pasco, Wash. and the General Atomics site in San Diego, Calif. in September. While there, the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) site project manager got a first-hand look at equipment being fabricated such as the Energetics Batch Hydrolyzer (EBH) at the General Atomics facility and the Metal Parts Treater (MPT) at the Parsons Pasco facility.

These systems have specific functions in the chemical weapons destruction process. The EBH, which looks like a series of concrete mixers, will be used to hydrolyze explosive and propellant components of the munitions by tumbling them in a caustic solution. The MPT systems will use heat to decontaminate the washed projectile bodies remaining after rocket warhead processing to ensure all traces of agent are destroyed following the removal and neutralization of the chemical agent.

After a six month testing period, the EBH and the MPT will be delivered to the BGCAPP facility for placement in the Munitions Demilitarization Building in preparation for systemization upon completion of the construction phase.

Pueblo Defense Access Road Ribbon Cutting. On Oct. 29, the Board of the Pueblo County Commissioners celebrated the completion of the first phase of the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot Defense Access Road. The project consisted of reconstructing several local roads and resulted in a critical second access road to be utilized by numerous businesses in the vicinity, as well as the depot. County officials and residents gathered to commemorate this accomplishment.

BGCAPP Update

Safety is the main focus at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plant. This welder, outfitted with personal protective gear including fall protection harness, gloves and mask, focuses on the welding of an access walkway on the Fire Water Storage Tanks.

Safety is the main focus at BGCAPP. This welder, outfitted with personal protective gear including fall protection harness, gloves and mask, focuses on the welding of an access walkway on the Fire Water Storage Tanks.

Construction Update: The Department of Defense Explosives Safety Board has recently approved design changes for the blast portion of the Munitions Demilitarization Building, which is allowing construction of this area to move forward at a rapid pace. Some of the other site construction in progress includes: Munitions Demilitarization Building non-blast horizontal concrete, structural steel staging and placement on the Control and Support Building and the completion of the Fire Water Storage Tanks.

Design Update: Designs in development include the Utility Block, Hydrolysate Storage Area, Container Handling Building, Entry Control Facility, electronic security system and standby diesel generators.

Acquisitions: The systems contractor has awarded more than $40 million to Kentucky companies since project inception.

For more information about the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destuction Pilot Plant visit the BGCAPP Front Page.

PCAPP Update

An 86-foot exhaust stack has been placed in the Agent Filtration Area. The stack is part of the air pollution abatement system.

An 86-foot exhaust stack has been placed in the Agent Filtration Area. The stack is part of the air pollution abatement system.

Construction Update: Construction efforts are focused on the Agent Processing Building (APB) and the Enhanced Reconfiguration Building (ERB), two of the main processing buildings at the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP). The 86-foot Agent Filtration Area (AFA) stack has been placed; air exhausted through the carbon filters from the APB and the ERB will be vented to the atmosphere through this stack. Extensive monitoring will be used during operations to ensure no agent is released into the air. Installation of the fire sprinkler system and HVAC ductwork in the APB also continues. In the Biotreatment Area, tops for the Brine Concentrator Feed Tanks have been placed. Construction of the Brine Tank containment walls is in progress. Three of the 11 field erected tanks are awaiting their tops and all are undergoing coatings and insulation. In other construction news, work continues on the Biotreatment Electrical Building, Control Support Building and the Entry Control Facility.

Acquisitions: The systems contractor has awarded more than $190 million in subcontracts to Colorado companies since project inception.

For more information about the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destuction Pilot Plant visit the PCAPP Front Page.

Upcoming Public Meetings and Events

Members of the Kentucky Chemical Demilitarization Citizens’ Advisory Commission and Kentucky Chemical Destruction Community Advisory Board participate in a discussion on the chemical weapons disposal project during a recent quarterly meeting.

Members of the Kentucky Chemical Demilitarization Citizens’ Advisory Commission and Kentucky Chemical Destruction Community Advisory Board participate in a discussion on the chemical weapons disposal project during a recent quarterly meeting.

BGCAPP Meetings and Events

Upcoming meeting dates: Dec. 8, 2009 and March 9, 2010

Public meetings of the Kentucky Chemical Demilitarization Citizens' Advisory Commission and the Chemical Destruction Community Advisory Board are held at Eastern Kentucky University's Carl D. Perkins Building on Kit Carson Drive in Richmond at 1:30 p.m.

PCAPP Meetings and Events

Upcoming meeting dates: Dec. 9, 2009

The next Colorado Chemical Demilitarization Citizens’ Advisory Commission meeting on Dec. 9 will be held at 6 p.m. at the Olde Towne Carriage House, 102 S. Victoria Avenue in Pueblo.

For more information about PCAPP and BGCAPP public involvement activities visit the BGCAPP Public Involvement and PCAPP Public Involvement pages.

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ACWA MISSION

The safe and environmentally sound destruction of the chemical weapons stockpiles stored at the Blue Grass Army Depot, Ky., and the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot, Colo.

Learn more about ACWA.

Update on Acceleration

Department of Defense hydrolysate and acceleration decisions were announced in May 2009.

To learn more, view the Semi-Annual Report to Congress page.

STATUS UPDATES

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