Bluegrass Army Depot disposal nears finish; GB agent removed, VX expected soon, official says

Greg Williams, chair of the governor’s commission on the chemical weapons disposal project, told the Richmond City Board of Commissioners that the Bluegrass Army Depot cleanup is in its final phase and that one of the most hazardous agents has already been removed.

“This is a tremendous accomplishment … There is no more GB chemical warfare agent at the Bluegrass Army Depot in Richmond, Kentucky,” Williams said, reporting that the program has finished treating GB-contaminated rocket warheads and is working through VX-contaminated items.

Williams said the workforce on the project has fallen from roughly 1,400 workers to about 904, with another reduction in force expected next month that could eliminate roughly 200 additional jobs. He noted local economic impacts from the multi‑decade program: more than $208 million in acquisitions to Kentucky companies, about $112 million spent in Madison County, and roughly $1.439 billion in local payroll over the life of the project.

Why it matters: the chemical disposal program has been a major local employer and purchaser for years; the upcoming completion will remove the remaining public‑safety hazard from GB agents but also will reduce local payrolls and vendor demand that supported the regional economy.

Williams described the technical and regulatory steps remaining. He said the main munitions disposal building is being certified as agent‑free and will be demolished after certification, and that inspections of igloos and concrete are under way (air monitoring and concrete chip testing) to confirm no residual agent. He added that site demolition is expected to begin around July 2026, though final dates depend on permitting checks by the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection (KDEP).

“The long pole in the tent right now is the permitting process,” Williams said, noting that KDEP checks milestones such as igloo clearances and certification that specific facilities are agent‑free before demolition proceeds.

Williams said VX‑contaminated rocket warheads were being treated and that he expected VX to be removed “probably by next month,” after which “no agent will be out there. It’ll all be destroyed.” He also highlighted the project’s safety record, saying the program completed millions of work hours with very few serious injuries.

On the depot’s long‑term future, Williams said no final decisions have been made. He described the decision chain for what happens to the depot property as resting with the Joint Munitions Command and the Army Materiel Command; decisions about reuse, increased work or closure are “under review” and are not finalized. Williams said discussions with potential public‑private partners and defense contractors are ongoing but that no contracts are final.

Funding and next steps: when asked about continuing funding for emergency planning, Williams said some FEMA-related funds that supported emergency management associated with the chemical mission will end; demolition and closure activities will be funded through the Army’s budget as the program transitions to decontamination and demolition phases.

The presentation closed with Williams saying he will continue to update local leaders as milestones are reached and that he expects to return to brief the commission again when significant steps occur.

Ending: Williams framed the completion as both a safety milestone and an economic turning point for the region: the toxic agents will be gone, but the community will face short‑term job losses and a multi‑year permitting and demolition process before new uses for depot property are finalized.