U.S. Environmental Protection Agency TSCA PCB Approval Blue Grass Army Depot Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant 431 Battlefield Memorial Parkway, Richmond, Kentucky Fact Sheet for Public Notice July 2017 Introduction This Fact Sheet is being issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to notify the public of environmental activities that are being proposed for the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) located at the Blue Grass Army Depot (BGAD). The activities include the storage and processing of chemical weapons. This fact sheet provides an opportunity to learn more about the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Approval process, as well as the upcoming public comment period and meeting. The main subject of this notification is a proposed draft polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) Demonstration Approval (PCB Approval) document. Upcoming Public Comment Period and Meeting The draft TSCA PCB Approval document is open for a 45-day public comment from July 1, 2017 to August 16, 2017. The public may provide written comments during the 45 day Comment Period. Please submit your comments by letter or email, postmarked by the deadline to Terri Crosby-Vega. EPA will not finalize its decision until after review of and response to all received written comments. A copy of the draft PCB Approval is available at EPA's public notice website at www.epa.gov/aboutepa/about-epa-region-4-southeast. The draft PCB Approval and application are available in hard copy format at these six (6) locations: Madison County Public Library, Richmond Branch, 507 West Main Street, Richmond, KY 40475; Madison County Public Library, Berea Branch, 319 E. Chestnut, Berea, KY 40403; John G. Crabbe Library, Eastern Kentucky University, 521 Lancaster Avenue, Richmond, KY 40475; Chemical Stockpile Outreach Office, 1000 Commercial Drive, Suite 2, Richmond, KY 40475; Berea College Hutchins Library, 100 Campus Drive, Berea, KY 40404; and Estill County Public Library, 246 Main Street, Irvine, KY 40336. Comments are being accepted on the draft TSCA PCB Approval, not the supporting documents. In order to give area residents an opportunity to meet and discuss the draft TSCA PCB Approval, the EPA will hold a Public Availability meeting on July 20, 2017 at 6 pm at the BGCAPP Outreach Office (address on page 2). The meeting will start with a brief presentation to provide an overview of the TSCA requirements. Following the presentation, an informal session will be held to provide opportunities to discuss and ask questions. &EPA What is TSCA? TSCA stands for the Toxic Substances Control Act regulations. The Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 provides EPA with authority to require reporting, record-keeping and testing requirements, and restrictions relating to chemical substances and/or mixtures, which include PCBs. BGAD currently stores 523 tons of chemical agents, including GB, VX, and mustard agent. Treatment of the GB and VX chemical rockets must be performed under the authority of a TSCA PCB Approval due to the presence of PCBs contained in the M55 rocket SFTs surrounding the motor and agent-containing inner warhead section. Information regarding chemical weapons treatment at BGCAPP can be found at the following address: www.peoacwa.armv.mil/bqcapp/ The BGCAPP facility will destroy nerve agents (GB and VX) in the main plant facility under a federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) permit issued by the Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection (KDEP). PCBs will incidentally be treated during processing of the leaking rocket campaign, which is why the facility is seeking a PCB Approval from the EPA. ------- Background The United States Department of the Army (USDOA) and Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass (BPBG) are currently building a facility to destroy chemical weapons in a neutralization facility in Richmond, Kentucky. This facility will destroy rockets containing the chemical agents GB and VX. PCBs are contained in the outer casing of the Shipping & Firing Tubes (SFTs) which house the GB and VX rockets. Over the duration of storing these munitions, some have developed leaks and have been placed in outer protection overpacks and were termed "leakers". These "leaker" munitions will be processed at the end of each agent campaign inside of their SFTs. Because the SFTs contain PCBs and will be processed through an overall treatment system, including the metal parts oven, a TSCA PCB Approval must be issued. The SFTs from the non-leaking rockets will be robotically separated from the rocket motor and the warhead. The separated SFTs will be sent to a TSCA approved facility off-site. i Left: Cut-out of Rocket to be Treated at BGCAPP Under the TSCA regulations, USDOA (owner) and BPBG (operator) must obtain an EPA PCB Approval to store and process PCBs at its facility. The KDEP has authority to issue RCRA permits in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, but not to issue TSCA PCB Approvals. Because KDEP does not have authority delegated for the TSCA Program, the EPA must issue the PCB Approval. As requested by EPA, USDOA/BPBG submitted an application to the EPA. The EPA has reviewed the USDOA and BPBG application for the BGCAPP. EPA has determined that the storage and processing of PCB bulk product waste in accordance with the PCB Approval Conditions established, all other Commonwealth and local permits associated with operations, and all engineering controls will not pose an unreasonable risk of injury to human health or the environment. On behalf of community involvement, EPA is coordinating a public Above: Picture of the Shipping and Firing comment period and meeting (refer to page 1). Tube on a rocket Contacts: EPA Technical Project Manager Terri Crosby-Vega U.S. EPA Region 4, 10th floor, RCRD 61 Forsyth St, SW Atlanta, GA 30303 404-562-8497 crosby-vega.terri@epa.gov EPA Outreach/Community Engagement Keriema Newman 404-562-8859; 404-304-2490 newman.keriema@epa.gov Brian Holtzclaw 404-821-0697 holtzclaw.brian@epa.gov ------- |