Mother Nature's wrath is becoming evident inside weapon storage igloos at the Blue Grass Army Depot and restructuring plans are being made for the safety of depot employees and members of the community, said Dave Easter, public affairs officer at BGAD.

The main problem with the igloos at BGAD is moisture build-up, Easter said.

"Some of the pallets were being water logged," he said. "If the pallets become unstable, they could fall over. This could happen when an employee is in the igloo and cause physical harm or at worst, death either from trauma or from chemical agent if it spills. Spilling is not likely, but is possible. And, if there is a spill, that presents a threat to the local community."

Easter is referring to the wooden pallets on which the chemical weapons are placed. Added moisture weakens the wood and could cause the pallet to collapse.

Changes will be administered as soon as possible, but first the BGAD must submit a work plan to the Kentucky Department of Waste Management. This process will delay the starting date, Easter said.

A work plan for BGAD and Blue Grass Chemical Activity was submitted to the Kentucky Department of Waste Management in March of this year in order to gain permission to administer the changes.

The work plan is a document detailing everything that is to be done while administering changes to the facility. Submitting the plan is a requirement under Kentucky Revised Statute 224.50-130.

A notice of deficiency from the DWM was sent to the depot on April 26, 2005 regarding revisions needed in their documents before the work could be approved.

"When the Division of Waste Management receives a work plan from any facility, it undergoes a review process," said Shannon Powers, BGAD Project Coordinator for the Division of Waste Management in Frankfort. "If we have questions about a submittal, the department will respond with a letter of deficiency. The process (of getting changes approved) may involve several notices."

The DWM mandated that certain language used in the plan be clarified such as "re-palletizing" and "re-warehousing," which refer to the movement and rearranging of weapon pallets. They also want a more detailed list of steps that will be taken. The revisions are to be made and re-submitted within 30 days after receiving the notice of deficiency, Powers said.

The work plan for BGAD includes details on revamping the weapons storage igloos in order to insulate the interior area from outside weather conditions.

The storage facilities have vents in the front and back, which is allowing moisture to enter the area, Easter said. Both of the vents on the igloos will now remain closed.

Workers at BGAD will also be moving the earth around the igloos, changing the slope around the facility so water runs away. In addition, they will cover the igloos with waterproof tarps, Easter said.

According to Easter, Complying with the notice of deficiency is not the only delay to the start of the project.

"There is another consideration," he said. "We will not start until we have completely analyzed the project and conducted training using simulations. Beginning and end depends a lot on the state and any additional requirements. The answer will develop hopefully in a matter of weeks."


Ronica Brandenburg can be reached at rbrandenburg@richmondregister.com or 623-1669, Ext. 234.