The Blue Grass Army Depot is now home to the nation’s last remaining stockpile of nerve-agent-filled M55 rockets.
Pine Bluff Chemical Agent Disposal Facility at Pine Bluff Arsenal, Ark., destroyed its last M55 rocket Friday, Feb. 29, and Blue Grass has a destruction deadline of 2017.
“By destroying the last M55 rocket at Pine Bluff, CMA (U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency) continues to do its part to improve the safety of those living near our stockpiles,” said CMA Director Conrad Whyne. “We have reduced the chemical storage risk for the communities around our sites as well as the risk to our workers who are charged with destroying some of the most dangerous weapons from our past.
The rockets are more dangerous in storage than other munitions because of their contents, said Greg Mahall, CMA public affairs officer.
Each one contains explosives, a propellant motor and a warhead filled with 10 pounds of nerve agent, either GB or VX.
The rockets were created in the 1950s and more than 400,000 were produced in the U.S. between 1961 and 1965.
The rockets’ highly explosive contents meant that the CMA would be responsible for overseeing their storage and destruction.
The CMA already has destroyed the M55 rockets stockpiled at Johnston Island in the South Pacific; Tooele, Utah; Umatilla, Ore.; and Anniston, Ala.
“With both the GB and VX rockets destroyed, the risk to the community has been reduced by 97 percent,” said Lt. Col. Clifton Johnston, commander at the Pine Bluff facility.
The 2008 fiscal year Department of Defense (DOD) Appropriations Act required the DOD to dispose of the entire U.S. chemical weapon stockpile by 2017.
Funding cuts, freezes and other delays have plagued the depot’s weapons destruction mission for years, pushing the deadline possibly to 2023.
The result of the provision was two-fold in that the DOD was legally obligated to complete disposal by 2017 and had to obtain the appropriate amount of funding to meet the deadline.
Construction of the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant is rapidly progressing.
The 69,000-square-foot facility will be used to destroy the 523 tons of chemical agent (GB and VX nerve agents) that has been stored inside rockets and artillery projectiles since the early 1940s.
The facility will include: a 28,000-square-foot maintenance building; a 23,000-square-foot, a two-story modular office building; a 1,400-square-foot access control building; and a 1,700-square-foot badging (check-in) facility; underground utilities, including storm water drainage, sanitary sewer, electrical duct banks, potable water and natural gas; and canopies over the area where vehicles will be inspected by security personnel.
The facility’s construction will cost about $2 billion, but using equipment from closing facilities is an option being sought that could save up to $450,000.
Ronica Shannon can be reached at rshannon@richmondregister.com or 623-1669, Ext. 234.
Local News
Richmond has last stockpile of M55 rockets
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Friday at library : Lecturer to portray founder of Berea
John G. Fee, abolitionist and founder of both Berea and Berea College, will be portrayed Friday night by performer Obadiah Ewing-Roush as part of Kentucky Humanities Council Chautauqua performance series at the Madison County Public Library. There is no charge to attend the 7 p.m. event.
As the son of a slave-holding father, Fee witnessed firsthand the benefits of having slaves and the profits that could be made from their labor. When he graduated from college and enrolled in Lane Theological Seminary, he began to understand the inherent wrong and destructiveness of slavery. -
Berea woman dies Tuesday in Laurel County crash
A Berea woman, Tommie Johnson, 60, died Tuesday evening in a Laurel County crash, according to the the Laurel Sheriff’s Office.
The accident took place about 7 p.m. at the junction of Maple Grove Road and KY 363 south of London, as Johnson was attempting to turn onto the state highway.
Laurel County Chief Deputy Eddy Sizemore said Johnson’s Chevrolet Cavalier pulled out in front of a Dodge Durango driven by Charles Joseph, 19, that was traveling south on KY 363.
After being extricated from her vehicle, Johnson was transported to St. Joseph-London hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Joseph also was transported to the hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries, according to the accident report. -
Finally February
Ian Rosser, an Eastern Kentucky University student from Lexington, clears snow from his car parked on campus Wednesday
morning after about an inch of snow fell in Richmond. Temperatures are forcast to be in the upper 40s today. Kentucky has seen a lot of rain in the past few months, as was predicted by the Farmer's Almanac, but very little snow has fallen. -
Volunteers needed for equine therapy
The Appalachian Foothills Therapeutic Equestrian Center will be hosting two, one-day volunteer training workshops for those interested in helping others with special needs.
The volunteer orientation days will be Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., but only one day of training is required, according to Mark Martin who co-owns Appalachian Foothills Therapeutic Equestrian Center (AFTEC) with his wife Cheryl.
The all-volunteer organization, which is based in Jackson County, uses horses to help humans deal with physical and emotional challenges. -
Man accused of holding samurai sword to girlfriend’s throat
A Madison grand jury will hear the case of a man accused of threatening to cut his girlfriend’s head off, and attacking her father with a samurai sword.
Russell M. Masters, 42, of Richmond, is charged with two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, which is a Class D felony, and fourth-degree assault (domestic violence with minor injury) and resisting arrest, which both are Class A misdemeanors. Masters could receive one to five years in prison on each wanton endangerment charge, and the misdemeanors both carry a maximum sentence of one year in jail. -
Arrest made in connection with stolen jewelry, computer
Richmond police have made an arrest in connection with property stolen from two homes last fall.
A woman reported to police Monday that she had discovered several items that were missing from her home on South Killarney Drive and her grandmother’s home on Raintree Drive, according to Richmond Police Chief Larry Brock. The items were a set of gold hoop earrings, a white Sony Vaio laptop, a yellow gold heart pendant, a gold tennis bracelet and a ladies’ wedding band with a diamond setting.
The complainant said the belongings had gone missing sometime between August and October. -
US 25 business owners scared of five-lane plan
Voices of Berea business owners upset about upcoming construction on US 25 will be taken to the state level, according to city administrator Randy Stone.
Several people operating businesses along a section of US 25 gave comments Tuesday to the Berea City Council, asking them reconsider plans to widen the road to five lanes.
The design is a five-lane highway with a center turn lane and a 10-foot shared use path on one side and a 5-foot sidewalk on the other side. -
Grand jury to hear copper theft case
The attorney for a man accused of stealing copper from a handful of electric poles questioned his identification as the same person who took copper from 32 poles two days earlier.
Public defender Meena Mohanty questioned Richmond police officer Nicholas Duvall during a preliminary hearing Wednesday in Madison District Court. Her client, Jeffrey W. Nester, 46, of Fourth Street, was arrested in connection with a Jan. 23 copper theft. He is charged with second-degree criminal mischief, theft by unlawful taking, possession of burglary tools and failure to notify address change to the Department of Transportation. These charges are all misdemeanors that, at most, carry a sentence of one year in prison. -
Judge weighs constitutionality of legislative redistricting
Kentucky’s deadline for filing to run for legislative seats was in flux on Monday because a judge did not immediately rule on a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of newly redrawn district boundaries.
Franklin County Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd said he expects to enter a ruling in the case by mid-week.
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Couple recovering from injuries suffered in weekend house fire
A couple was hospitalized after their home was set ablaze Sunday by a spark from a cigar, according to a county fire official.
County Fire Chief Jim Cox said the city and county fire departments were called to the home at 111 Concord Road in the early afternoon. Waco Volunteer Fire Department and the Richmond Fire Department also responded.
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